The Letters of Sir Samuel Hellier (1736–1784)

To Sir Samuel Hellier 
To the Care of Mr. Henry Hatrell
at Lord Chief Baron Parker’s Chambers
in Serjeant’s Inn Chancery Lane
London

I wrote to Mr. Moreton in the manner I proposed to you, & recieved an
Answer from him to the following Purport (Viz:) He acknowledged 
that he had not mentioned any Thing before me of your returning
any Part of Miss Moreton’s Fortune, in Case you should have no Issue
by her, & blamed himself greatly for it, but said he had before 
delivered his Sentiments in Writing to Mr. Hatrell on this Point, 
which you had perused had been settled, or to that Effect. However,
towards the Conclusion of his Letter he made another proposal,
(Viz:) That his Daughter, in Case you had no Issue by her, should have
a Power to dispose of one Moiety of her Fortune. About two
[days] after I had recieved this Letter from Mr. Moreton, the old Lady
[sent] her Servant to me, to enquire if I had recieved any Answer from
[Mr] Moreton, & being then going out upon Business, I sent her Mr. 
Moreton’s Letter without taking any Copy of it. I cannot tell
how to advise you in this critical Affair: I well know the cen-
sorious World will (tho’ very undeservedly) cast Reflections
on you for breaking off ye Treaty, & how that may affect any future
Addresses of this kind you may hereafter make, I cannot answer.
The Proposal indeed Mr. Moreton has now made in his Letter to me,
which he said was his Daughter’d Request, is widely different from
the former, as it will put it in his Daughter’s Power to give you
or yours ye Moiety of her Fortune, instead of returning it to her own
Family. Shall I write to Mr. Moreton again, & propose to him
that his Daughter shall have ye Disposal of £1000, in Case of no Issue
that shall arrive at ye Age of Twenty one? Please to lay this Letter 
before Mr. Vaughan & take his Opinion thereon, & believe me to be
Dear Sir! 
Yours most sincerely & affectionately
Edward Best
Bilston 13th April 1765.