The Ocean Hotel, Sandown, Isle of Wight. H. Tatham Warter to Swire. 'Dont mention...

The Ocean Hotel, Sandown, Isle of Wight.

H. Tatham Warter to Swire.

'Dont mention it, you are having the worry, I sit and look on admiringly at the Angel rushing in where the Fool fears to tread'.

He would have been inclined to alter the third portion having nothing to do Pontesbury, just to have left things as they were 'still its a step in the right direction as in any future arrangement the visitation of Longden can be set off against the third portionist's Pontesbury duty'. In any case the arrangement as to keeping Longden and Asterley and giving up Pontesbury would only be temporary - in the event of Furley retiring they would have to begin all over again. Swire seems to think that in pursuit of the piscatorial art Seddon has acquired the habits of the eel 'what he wants it to have the whole Parish in his own hands and to keep two curates or, run it on the cheap ... what we want is to have a Longden Parish that can be properly worked by one man who cannot afford to keep a curate and who should therefore be prepared to sacrifice something for being relieved of Asterley and Pontesbury ('Pontesbury is set off against visitation by second portionist of Longden'. The Lea Cross Church is a complication, and should not have been licensed without Mr. Hawkes endowing it" I ought never to have signed Hawkes petition." The difficulty was not sufficiently considered when they met at Heighway Jones - 'Mr. Seddon seemed satisfied with the suggested division with £50 instead of £30 for Asterley then went home and got two churches for Longden on the brain again and later on three livings for Seddon; on his own showing an exchange of Cruckton for Asterley should involve the payment of £54 10s. to the man holding Cruckton as it requires two services." He is sure that it is an advantage to Seddon under the proposed arrangement, to get rid of the third portionist's Pontesbury Sunday, and might help when Furley retires, but he feels it should be temporary, and suggests a phrase as 'the best thing for the present' should be inserted in the letter to the Bishop.

Two sheets.