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Ignatius Sancho, Febr. 14, 1768

Charles St., London

MY WORTHY AND MUCH RESPECTED FRIEND,

POPE observes,
“Men change with fortune, manners change with climes;
“Tenets with books, and principles with times,”

Your friendly letter convinced
me that you are still the same— and
gave in that conviction a ten-fold pleasure :
— you carried out (through God’s
grace) an honest friendly heart, a clear
discerning head, and a soul impressed
with every humane feeling. — That you
are still the same — I repeat it — gives me
more joy — than the certainty would of

your being worth ten Jaghires : — I dare
say you will ever remember that the
truest worth is that of the mind — the
blest rectitude of the heart — the conscience
unsullied with guilt— the undaunted
noble eye, enriched with innocence,
and shining with social glee—
peace dancing in the heart — and health
smiling in the face. — May these be ever
thy companions ! — and for riches, you
will ever be more than vulgarly rich —
while you thankfully enjoy— and gratefully
assist the wants (as far as you are
able) of your fellow creatures. But I
think (and so will you) that I am preaching.
I only meant in truth to thank
you, which I most sincerely do, for your
kind letter : — believe me, it gratifies a
better principle than vanity — to know
that you remember your dark-faced
friend at such a distance; but what
would have been your feelings — could
you have beheld your worthy, thrice
worthy father — joy sitting triumphant
in his honest face — speeding from house
to house, amongst his numerous friends,

with the pleasing testimonials of his son’s
love and duty in his hands — every one
congratulating him, and joining in good
wishes — while the starting tear plainly
proved that over-joy and grief give the
same livery ?

You met with an old acquaintance of
mine Mr. G——. I am glad to hear
he is well ; but, when I knew him, he
was young, and not so wise as knowing :
I hope he will take example by what he
sees in you — and you, young man, remember,
if you should unhappily
fall into bad company, that example is
only the fool’s plea, and the rogue’s excuse,
for doing wrong things : you have
a turn for reflection, and a steadiness,
which, aided by the best of social dispositions,
must make your company
much coveted, and your person loved.—
Forgive me for presuming to dictate,
when I well know you have many friends
much more able, from knowledge and
better sense — though I deny— a better
will.

You will of course make Men and
Things your study — their different
genius, aims, and passions : — you will
also note climes, buildings, soils, and
products, which will be neither tedious
nor unpleasant. If you adopt the rule of
writing every evening your remarks on
the past day, it will be a kind of friendly
tete-a-tete between you and yourself,
wherein you may sometimes happily become
your own Monitor ; — and hereafter
those little notes will afford you a rich
fund, whenever you shall be inclined to
re-trace past times and places. — I say
nothing upon the score of Religion — for,
I am clear, every good affection, every
sweet sensibility, every heart-felt joy —
humanity, politeness, charity — all, all,
are streams from that sacred spring ; —
so that to say you are good- tempered,
honest, social, &c. &c. is only in fact
saying, you live according to your
DIVINE MASTER’S rules, and are a
Christian.

Your B— friends are all well, excepting
the good Mrs. C—, who is at

this time but so, so. Miss C still as
agreeable as when you knew her, if not
more so. Mr. R— , as usual, never
so happy, never so gay, nor fo much in
true pleasure, as when he is doing good
— he enjoys the hope of your well-doing
as much as any of your family. His
brother John has been lucky — his
abilities, address, good nature, and good
sense, have got him a surgeoncy in the
batalion of guards, which is reckoned a
very good thing.

As to news, what we have is so
incumbered with falshoods, I think it, as
Bobadil says, “a service of danger” to
meddle with : this I know for truth,
that the late great Dagon of the people
has totally lost all his worshipers, and
walks the streets as unregarded as Ignatius
Sancho, and I believe almost as poor —
such is the stability of popular greatness :
“One self-approving hour whole years outweighs
“Of idle starers, or of loud huzza’s,” &c.
Your brother and sister C — d sometimes
look in upon us ; her boys are
fine, well, and thriving; and my honest
cousin Joe increases in sense and stature ;
he promises to be as good as clever.
He brought me your first letter, which,
though first wrote, had the fate to come
last ; the little man came from Red-Lion-Court
to Charles Street by himself,
and seemed the taller for what he
had done ; he is indeed a sweet boy, but
I fear every body will be telling him so.
I know the folly of so doing, and yet
am as guilty as any one.

There is sent out in the Besborough,
along with fresh governors, and other
strange commodities, a little Blacky,
whom you must either have seen or
heard of ; his name is S — . He goes
out upon a rational well-digested plan,
to settle either at Madrass or Bengal, to
teach fencing and riding — he is expert
at both. If he should chance to fall in
your way, do not fail to give the rattlepate
what wholesome advice you can ;
but remember, I do strictly caution you
against tending him money upon any
account, for he has every thing but —
principle ; he will never pay you ; I

am sorry to say so much of one whom I
have had a friendship for, but it is needful;
serve him, if you can — but do not
trust him. — There is in the fame ship,
belonging to the Captain’s band of music,
one C— L— n, whom I think you have
seen in Privy Gardens : he is honest,
trusty, good-natured, and civil ; if you
see him, take notice of him, and I will
regard it as a kindness to me.— I have
nothing more to say. Continue in right
thinking, you will of course act well ;
in well-doing, you will insure the favor
of GOD, and the love of your friends,
amongst whom pray reckon

Yours faithfully,

IGNATIUS SANCHO.

______________________________________________________________

Sancho, Ignatius (1782) Letters of the Late Ignatius Sancho, An African. to which are prefixed, Memoirs of His Life. London : J. Nichols. pp. 8-12

Copy of original can be found at at:
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=bc.ark%3A%2F13960%2Fs2k7fnrzrwp&seq=76
Genre: Epistolary
Language : English