John Ryland, Bristol, to Robert Bowyer, Esq., Pall Mall, London, Tuesday evening [postmarked from Bristol 26 February 1801].

Tuesd.y Ev.g

Dear Sir

I rec.d your lett.r tod.y being from home when it came, I cou’d not possibly send an ans.r by the return of post –

Great Part of your letter gave me extreme pain, indeed –  I fear’d for Benj. Rippon when he called at our house, but I conceived that, at all events, it was best for him to get to the ship in time, and that if he had begun to spend extravagantly, he w.d do much worse if he sh.d stay upon Land –

I feel much for the distress that must be occasioned to Mrs Rippon & Dr Rippon by this new trial – and pray God to support them and deliver the poor young man from the snare of the devil. –

At present the pecuniary loss however can be but a small part of the trial – I sh.d not despair of sometime getting up 50£ tho I have a wife and four childn not near grown up, and three of them & their mother w.d be in a very diff.t situat.n from Mrs Rippon sh.d I be removed –

I certainly wish my dear Bror Rippon all needful supplies to counterbalance these extra and vexatious expences – and I wish him success in his register, which I think a valuable publication – but I am sure I have told him of several things w.ch w.d promote the sale of it far more than the method mentioned in your last, and if he regards them still more he will find it so – Its Reputation will increase gradually but surely – If my head occasioned the sale of 30 more at Bristol, and 20 at Northampton, & ten elsewhere, what w.d this avail?  it w.d only produce 60 sixpences – and if ten of these 60 became constant subscribers it w.d be a mere trifle. –

My Aversion to the practice is unalterable – tho I had much rather it sh.d be done without an Apology, than with – as I think that w.d be a remedy ten times worse than the disease – The one w.d be dressing up a shadow of my face, the other making a very staring shadow of my humility – the worst thing in the world to show away w.th –

Indeed I must beg my dear old friend to have me excused in this matter, and not to urge me directly or indirectly – I have strongly resolved never to vow – and yet I trust I shall adhere to mature resolutions as stedfastly as if I had vowed – but I am very willing to promise this   That if Dr Rippon sh.d survive me, he shall have a right to demand your picture (if in Mrs Ryland’s possess.n) or shall have my full consent wherever it may be, to have an engraving made from it, as soon as he thinks proper; if he thinks I will be worth his while – As soon as I am dead he is welcome to an engraving of my liken.s if anybody accounts it worth buying. – And as far as I can ensure it, he shall have the preference to all others – I only add, that if Mrs Ryland sh.d employ any other friend to publish a Vol. of my Serm.s old or new, she shall be at liberty to have another engraving if she sh.d chuse it, from the other picture – but Dr Rippon alone shall be entitled to claim yours for his register. –

I hope, Sir, you will excuse me – and if you knew how much I had s.d to Dr Rippon before – and how much I had been beset also by the Edit.rs of the Ev.l Mag. who pleaded the public benefit arising to poor widows from their publication – and that I had constantly and absolutely refused both parties, I think, I say, if you knew all this, you w.d excuse me, in thus continuing in the same Judgem.t which Dr Rippon knows I have always maintain’d  – You will not accuse me of not making a proper return for your obliging proposal, if Dr Rippon told you, (as the fact was) that I suspected him of some such end when he wished me to wait upon you, and that I absolutely declined it, till he assured me it w.d not be urged. –

Mrs Ryland joins me in cord.l Respects to yourself and Mrs Bowyer – wth the same to Dr & Mrs Rippon, for whom we are exceedingly concerned – I am

Dear Sir

Your’s respectfully

John Ryland

Text: MS. II.c.5.(16.), Congregational Library, London.