Charles Taylor, 108 Hatton Garden, to John Sutcliff, Olney, 21 October 1803.

Sir

       Though I have long been under obligation to your good opinion yet this is the first direct intercourse which has taken place between us, and I avail myself of it, with great pleasure, as an opportunity of paying my personal respect, and acknowledgement.

         Mr Morris of Dunstable writes me that a wish is expressed by a benevolent friend to find a copy of Calmet to the Missionaries in India payg£5.5. for it—I need not inform you that this is less than the price of Calmet only but being desirous of forwarding the laudable objects of the Mission I send you, at that price, a fine paper copy of Calmet, complete, and a copy of Scripture Illustrated Complete also the whole half bound in calf  How this kind of binding may be proper I do not know as the order was for one in boards—if it was intended to be pulled to pieces in order to be rebound in any other manner, then certainly, the present binding is waste, and this Copy may be exchanged; but if this binding will answ.r the intention it is much at your service

         If there was a thought of sending several commonpaper copies I should be happy to make a considerable abatement by way of compliment to the Mission—but these must be distinct from the binding—

                           I am Sir

                                             very respectfully

                                                               W.m le Charles Taylor

Oct.r 21. 1803.

No 108 Hatton Garden

Text: Timothy Whelan, Baptist Autographs in the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, 1741-1845 (Macon: Mercer University Press, 2009), p. 116 (annotated version); also Eng. MS. 384, fol. 1980, John Rylands University Library of Manchester. On the back page Sutcliff has written, “Rec. Oct. 22, 1803. Ans.— 27.” Charles Taylor (1756-1823) was a biblical commentator and editor of Calmet’s Great Dictionary of the Holy Bible (1797); he was a member of a prominent family who originally worshiped at the Independent congregation in Fetter Lane.