Copy letter. Matthew Boulton (Soho) to George Scale [Handsworth].

"Mr. Scale, respecting Mrs. Scale’s house." (Press-copy of an original in the hand of William Cheshire, not signed.)

Soho July 26th 1799
Dear Sir
I received your Note of Thursday & must observe that your Arguments respecting the Valuation of the Premises in Question are equally cogent on either Side of the Question, by changing the Name of Glover to Smith who also says that his Valuation is perfectly Correct according to the best of his Judgment, which also agrees with what I & my Friends thought a proper Valuation.
I assure you I never wished to offer one Farthing less than the full Value of the House & Land, taking all Circumstances into Consideration-& particularly to your Mother;-but I cannot reconcile it to myself to do a Thing that is foolish in my own Mind & in the Opinion of my Friends. I have always considered that if the House was offer'd to Rent, that £40 a Year would be the full Value of it; but even suppose it £50 per Yr it would not at that Rate pay 5 per Ct if valued at £1000, as Buildings must be repaired & painted often & if untenanted will not like Land produce a Crop, & suppose the 4 Acres of Land to be valued at £450, which is a very high Price, it is evident that it will fall short of your Valuation.
You will please to recollect that the Money you paid me was not merely for the additional Land & for that out of Lease, but it was also for my reversionary Right to the Fee Simple of both House & Land, as well as for the reserved Rent.
As our Arguments founded on Glover's & on Smith's Valuation are exactly equal I will therefore conform either to your own Proposition of leaving it to them to finally settle the Price, or I will give you the Medium of their two Valuations & if neither of those Propositions be acceptable to you, you are to act as your own Judgment may direct, giving me Notice of your Determination.
I have been for some Time past, & still am so oppressed with Visitors, that I hope you will excuse me for not having written this with my own Hand.
I am Dear Sir,
Yours sincerely