Letter from Henry Englefield, Cowes, to Sir George Beaumont, 1800 August 29 : autograph manuscript signed.

Responding to Sir George's letter and saying that it sounds as if the Beaumonts' house had been struck repeatedly by lightning during a recent storm; remarking on the imperturbability of Sir George's mother, Rachel Howland Beaumont, in the midst of "so awful a scene" and referring to a portrait of her by Henry Edridge; saying that he suspects that "the Clock tower was the principal cause of the mischief to your house but I do not believe the form of it had the least to do with the evil"; recommending that Sir George install lightning conductors to prevent future problems and describing in great detail how they function, what they should be like and how they should be installed on the clocktower; discussing wire conductors and their maintenance; thanking him for an invitation to Coleorton and explaining that he is laid up with a fit of the gout on "this sweet little Island [...] on the shore of the Solent Sea"; mentioning that Edridge will soon be joining him and "if we shall have no more Jamaica days & nights we may hope for some English September Sunshine & Clouds"; asking Sir George if he knows anything about the "fire in the woods near Wynnstay of which the papers have been lately full"; saying that he suspects the newspapers have exaggerated the extent of it, but still "it must have afforded a sublime & singular spectacle & I hope you have not only visited but painted it"; telling him that a "hill called Breedon Hill somewhere near Worcester has split & menaces falling. So you see our hills are following the Example of the French [...] I think whatever our Hills do our men will not follow any example they can set us"; sending his compliments to Lady Beaumont and other friends; nudging him for a painting: "By the bye now you are in a fine painting country & have all your things about you, will you one rosy morning recollect how long you have promised me a pendant to my little Taverner. As an admirer of your work, nobody can deserve a specimen better than I do...".