The Rocket brought the parcel safe, and I am right glad to learn from your letters that I may expect the copy of the lease. I could see Mr. Parkes for a few moments only on Wednesday – he then told me he had no doubt Mr Redfern would get the money. Yesterday I could not meet with him till the evening when he said “the copy of the lease must be got – people will not do things in the dark – get that down, and that’s a step -- I am off to Coventry by the Wonder in the Morning and shell be back on Saturday – you must not expect the thing to be done in a moment – matters of this sort always take a little time. Read this” – it was a letter he was writing to Amory & Cols his agents, requiring them to raise a sum in London for the very party I expected, & he first hoped, to have got my advance from! -- you see what crooks unexpectedly arise. The coming of the house will strengthen matters, and depend upon it I shall not relax in arguing the affair to a point.

After Mr Parkes left, Mr Matthew Hill unexpectedly came to Birmingham. I met him in the News Room, in company with Mr Edgar Taylor of the Temple – had no opportunity of talking to him but shall at [one word] in the morning, as to his name in the Band. He leaves tomorrow, but hope to detain him till Mr Parkes get back—at any rate I shall get his answer before he goes whether Mr Parkes comes or not.

The Currency papers I will get looked up.

Parkes carried me off last night to hear a lecture from [illegible] to the working classes — none of them were present — the lecture was admirable — He admitted the growth of knowledge and the march of Intellect, but required the march of morals. It was a capitally argued theme against their debasing manners, and ended with telling that degraded & brutalized minds were incapable of applying the principle of Reform. You would have hugged the man — I did not expect anything of the kind from him — he is a fearless truth-teller.

Pray tell my excellent friend Fry that his handwriting was a [one word illegible] to my eyes, that I thank him heartily for all that he tells me, and I fervently and affectionably [sic] desire, and hope, that we may have speedy cause for mutual gratification on affairs public & private.

My kind love to Fanny, and to all— [MS torn at this point] your advice, my friend, at Matilda’s service in all things — one especially — Mr Lockwoods bills in which matter I cannot do anything except write to her, but out of the first money she must have the means of doing something for her butcher.