Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton, 1768 July 7

Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton, 1768 July 7

Robert Carter Nicholas letter to John Norton, merchant in London, concerning the shipment of tobacco and printer's materials. Nicholas complains to Norton about the poor quality of the leather ordered for the Williamsburg printers Purdie and Dixon. In the postcript, Nicholas informs Norton that Mr. Dixon has determined to return all the skins.

MS 1936.3.95
Folder 9

Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Page 1

Williamsburg 7^th. July 1768

Dear Sir.

I wrote to you pretty fully yesterday
by Cap^t. Estin & amongst other Things desired the
Fav^r. of you to insure for my Acc^t. forty Hogs:
heads of Tob^o. on Board the Randolph Cap^t.
Walker from James River & as many on
Board your own Ship, Cap^t. Robertson in
such Manner as you judg^'d most for
my Interest; this is chiefly to repeat the same Request.
I am much obliged to you for so readily shiping
the Printers Materials at my Request & am
sorry to acquaint you, that both you & they
have been egregiously imposed upon by
the Shopkeeper. I send you what I am assur^'d
is an exact Copy of the Invoice taken from
Mess^rs. Purdie & Dixon's Book; you'll observe
the Skins are directed for Law Folios &
the Size of the past Boards pointed out
what sort of Leather was necessary for
their particular Purpose; instead of this
there was a large Proportion of it
nasty dirty little Skins, hardly large enough
for an Octavo & many of these full of Holes,
very rough & much stain^'d. I have been desi:
red to return these, but did not care
to do it, till I know whether you could oblige
the Man to take them again; some of the
Skins will do & may employ the Bookbinder,
till I can hear from you, which I hope
will be by the earliest Opportunity. I am,
D^r. Sir,
Y^r. mo. ob^t. Ser^t.
Ro. C. Nicholas

P.S.
Since writing the above
M^r. Dixon has been here &
tells me that they are resolved
to return all the Skins by Cap^t. Estin
just as they received them & will write
to you on the Subject, so that they have not furnish^'d me
with a copy of the Invoice

Address leaf

To
M^r. John Norton
Merch^t. in
London

Virginia 7^th. July 1768
Ro. Carter Nicholas

Rec^'d 20^th Sep^r.

Ans^d the 4^th. Oct^r. 1768
p M^r. Powell in Cocke