John Ryland, Jr., Bristol, to John Rippon, Grange Road, Southwark, c. 1807.

My dear Bror

If we could have got about ten pounds worth of your Watts in larger print at a low and certain price for the Poor, I sh.d have given notice last Lord’s day, for them to apply to Mr Arthur Tozer, who w.d have set on foot a subscription to sell them lower still –

Then the genteeler People might get them of what sort they w.d, from Isaac James and the Booksellers.

I do not dislike small print – but other people generally do, both rich & poor.

I have had great difficulty to keep all patient for this fortnight, in hope you w.d send them, then I w.d give notice

“As many of our Friends have long thought that the Collection of Hymns used in this Congregation, does not afford a sufficient variety, it has been wished that Dr Watts’s Psalms & Hymns may be used in Connection witth the former Hymn Book    A No are therefore procured to be sold at a low price to the Poor; while our other friends are respectfully informed that if they direct their Booksellers to procure them Dr Rippons’s Edition of Dr Watts’s Psalms and Hymns they will find a considerable Advantage from the regular Arrangement of the Subjects.”

Your little Paper is mislaid, which you left wth me when at our house – You then stated the price of two sorts, for which I wrote twice earnestly – none of them are come!!!  but a small parcel is rec.d this morning with a defective note viz

“Two of 10/6 at  8/6

  1 of   7/0  at (what?)

  6 --   3/0  at   (*)

12   -- 5/6       4/6

Really this is doing worse than nothing, if I let anybody know of their coming they will only be vexed with me, because none are come for the poor, of the large prints, of which I ordered ten pounds worth, and only a slight specimen of others. –

You said on your paper that you had plenty of the two sorts viz.

No 1   12 mo   fine paper Calf 4/6   at 3/6

No 2 Do      =     =       Sheep 4/6   at 3/2

These are what I want, and all must be given up if they do no come immediately. –

As I expect to come to London this day week, nothing can be settled if they do not come directly and I cannot answer for it but all must be return’d –

We write in Love.  I am

Yours affectly

J. R.

* I suppose this is what your first paper left at our house, states 3 at 2/4

Text: MS. II.c.5.(20.), Congregational Library, London.