Epistle XIX. To Calvisius Rufus.
by
the Same. [Mr. Henley]
[_]
He asks his Advice on a Purchase which he has in View.
I Call you to Council on a Family Affair, according to Custom. A Farm,
that borders upon my Estate, and partly runs into it, is to be sold. In this,
many things invite; and some, as considerably deter me. First, the very Beauty of a Conjunction takes me much;
then, that I may have a View of both under one, and at the same riding charge;
put them under the same Manager, and almost to the Care of the same Drovers;
inhabit and furnish one Country-House, and just keep the other. The Expence of Houshold Goods comes into this Reckoning;
of lodging Servants; of Gardeners to cut and dispose my Greens, of Workmen,
and even of Hunting Equipage; which, it is of Consequence to settle, whether you lay together in one Place,
or distribute in many. Then, on the other Hand, I am afraid it may be imprudent to expose to large a Concern to the same Turns of Season,
and the same Casualties: It
appears safer, to try the Hazard of Fortune in a Variety of Possessions.
there is also much Delight in the Change of Air and Soil, and the very Journey that a Man must make between them.
Now (which is the Head of our Debate) the Grounds are well condition'd,
fruitful, and well-water'd: They consist of Level Fields, Vineyards, Woods,
that afford Materials and a Produce from them, that is moderate, but constant.
But this Felicity of the Land is quite spoil'd by poor Tenants. For the former in Possession often fells the Articles that should be left by way of Earnest;
and while he abates on the other Dues of the Husbandmen for his Time,
he disables them from improving the Ground for the next; by which Default other Inconveniecies have been have been encreas'd.
Therefore a good Number of careful servants is to be provided: I have none at present in my Command,
nor is any remaining there. That you may know what may be imagin'd the Price of them,
it is about three hundred thousand Sesterces; not that sometimes they have not been at Five hundred; yet, in this Want of Labouring Hands,
and the Common Iniquity of the Time, the Rent of Grounds, and the Purchase,
by Consequence is lessened. Do you enquire, whether I can easily raise this Three hundred Thousand?
Indeed my Cash is almost entirely upon my Grounds, yet some is at Interest,
and I shall not think it a Trouble to
borrow. I will take up some Money of my Wife's Mother, whose Purse is as free to me as my own.
So that you are not to be concern'd about this, if other Points do not interfere;
which I would have you weigh with the utmost Attention. For you are Master of great Experience and Foresight in all Things and particularly in the Oeconomy of your Fortune.
