Letter
#44 to son Alex in Australia
Renton, 12th. Feby 1860
My Dear Son
The pleasant monthly family circular came to hand
dated 13th. Nov'r..; but too little of cheering notice in its details, to be wrought to death wont suit 25 years of age. I hope you dont go a'digging again.
You were 4 years. Jack & William 3 years each, makes 10 years for one and
empty pockets at the end. Enough, enough in all conscience; the most
enthusiastic must cool at the thought. Farming, roads, stone breaking, anything
is preferable. Perhaps you got Jack or William to assist you for a twelvemonth
at a cheap rate, say 5/- per week bed and board; it would be a good job for
either of them as Australia goes.
To improve their writing by a little practice and
go over the 4 simple and compound rules in Arithmetic till they can do them
quickly and correctly, one would think no great labour for Jack & William;
and that is all that is necessary to fit them for an apprentice clerk, or
shopman or anything of that sort. Digging should be given up, selling apples or
ginger pop or newspapers is better and would give them a better chance of
paying their passage home, if need be.
I am still at Cordale and likely to be for some
time, I think I have averaged 15/- per week and I will likely be better in
summer. We have had a rather severe winter frost and snow at present. I do not
feel the cold so much as I did last winter, though I sometimes think of the
convenient, comfortable and coozy old mantle.
Among our friends there is little new to
communicate. Mr. A. Russell is bent on buying a spirit shop in Glasgow at May
term. The trustees are to advance £.50 of Annie's money to him. Annie does not
get on well as a weaver, so that Auntie and she are rather dull upon it. John Twaddel
is still at Dumbarton, I send two papers; one by the overland mail contains the
Queen's speech; one by the "Red Jacket'.
The war with France feeling is down, down, down.
Our Foreign Secretary sees no alarming preparations going on in France and the
two powers are on the most cordial terms. The war was but a dream, a rouser of
the mighty men of the pew. It would be extreme folly for Victorians to spend
money on fortifications. Or, if popular opinion compels your government to make
a show and spend money uselessly, as the government at home had to do, let them
content themselves with building sites for a few cannon. The cannon can be made
on an improved principle at a future day and your forts can be tennantless till
the cannon are wanted. I see your Dons, sergeants &c. have some chance of
getting paid for their services in the Assembly. Conceit and ignorance are the
worst possible qualifications for a legislator. Pay all such to leave the
Assembly. The world is ever deceived with tongue; but we cannot blame you folks
much, we get a fool or two in our own Parliament.
I saw by the papers that
the Australian mail would arrive by the 10th.Feb'y., so I resolved to wait and
try a circular by Marseilles. William's of the 14th.Dec'r. has come, I see they
are pushing into joiner work, but I hope they will push into something still
better. I said above they should practice the 4 simple and compound rules of
Arithmetic. But if they were quick and correct at addition and multiplication,
they have all that is wanted. I hope William's next letter will be in improved
handwriting. And let them try for clerking or store keeping; a good
apprenticeship may come their way. William says nothing about you leaving or
continuing with Mr. Slater. Perhaps you have got arranged and will be able to
keep your place till you see better, I was looking anxiously for information on
that point. William says the Glasgow joiners work 9 hours per day. I have not
heard of it but I will enquire. No doubt you heard of the great strike in
London for 9 hours and of its failure. So I trust Glasgow folk wont push any 9
hours bill. But there is no saying what a good a Don screamer may do.
Perhaps we are all in a better position now than we
have been since the 29th.July 1856 and that is something comfortable to look at
and I must certainly express my thankfulness, it is amazing what a little push
does sometimes and a polished exterior and agreeable adress do wonders; and
strict integrety completes the man.
John Orr Ewing gets Croftingeach and Levenfield
too, it is said. He expects to redeem at Turkey Red printing what he lost by
the Australian mail contract &c... Should the Australian mail arrive next
time soon enough for me to answer by Marseilles, I will write to John M. Dick.
But if the Australian mail is not in time I will likely not write next mail.
Jack will see by W'm. Stevens' paper if the mail arrived.
I am your affectionate father,
Alex'r Dick.
I wrote William last mail, but I omitted to mention
there was also a paper.
Names & Notes on Letter #44
Mary Russell, Alex'r &
Annie
John Twaddel
'Red Jacket'
Mr. Slater
John Orr Ewing
- transcription and
Names/Notes by Ian A Scales, c.1989
Scans
of the original letter (click on the thumbnail below for a larger image; note the order of the pages p.4-1,
then p.2-3...):
p.4,1
p.2,3
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