My dear Sir—

As I shall proba⁠⟨⁠bl⁠⟩⁠y be very busy tomorrow, & Tuesday, & was very busy yesterday, I infringe on my general rule, in replying to your note on this day— I beg to thank you & your Father for it—² The price of ⁠⟨⁠the⁠⟩⁠ property in question was, what I underst⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠ was given for it, so I am much obliged for a confirmation of ⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠e report—my Father & I— received— I am not sure, w⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠ the “owner”, you re⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠ is still ali⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠— w⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠ & have an i⁠⟨⁠mp⁠⟩⁠ression, ⁠⟨⁠that⁠⟩⁠ he is not—without referring to some paper⁠⟨⁠s I⁠⟩⁠ have, I think, if I remem⁠⟨⁠ber⁠⟩⁠ rightly, the name was —Haswell³ & not Haslam—but as one cannot be too particular, of ⁠⟨⁠wha⁠⟩⁠t one writes or says ⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠ anyone—especially in ⁠⟨⁠the⁠⟩⁠ event of future litiga⁠⟨⁠tio⁠⟩⁠n—which as I have ⁠⟨⁠$\frac{1}{4}$ line⁠⟩⁠ expressed, I have ⁠⟨⁠$\frac{1}{4}$ line⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠t or possible ⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠ll ⁠⟨⁠      ⁠⟩⁠ of— I did not trouble your honoured Father with this correction— For ⁠⟨⁠the⁠⟩⁠ same reason I called M^r H—the first ⁠⟨⁠  ⁠⟩⁠ee—and you—rightly cal⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠ owner—if he w⁠⟨⁠as un⁠⟩⁠der all the circumstan⁠⟨⁠ce⁠⟩⁠s of the case real (or rightful) owner— You imply very properly he had a legal ti⁠⟨⁠t⁠⟩⁠le to convey, & that possession, which is said to be nine tenths, parts or points of the Law— But I have wished to avoid, as far as I can, any reference to disputed title— Miss W⁠⟨⁠edgwo⁠⟩⁠od’s title was no dou⁠⟨⁠bt⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠abso⁠⟩⁠lutely bonâ f⁠⟨⁠ide as far⁠⟩⁠ as she was concerned—⁴   it is merely a very complicate⁠⟨⁠d⁠⟩⁠ question of prescription, w⁠⟨⁠he⁠⟩⁠ther I, as Heir at L⁠⟨⁠a⁠⟩⁠w of ⁠⟨⁠my F⁠⟩⁠ather, could do any th⁠⟨⁠ing to⁠⟩⁠ obtain a D⁠⟨⁠ecr⁠⟩⁠ee— ⁠⟨⁠    ⁠⟩⁠ the Conveyance to H as wel⁠⟨⁠l⁠⟩⁠ perhaps without any fault on his part,) was invalid. My Father always considered his estate suffered £500—by the sale besides, or including, the ⁠⟨⁠      ⁠⟩⁠s of the property itself—& supposing Mr H—spent £1500 on the property, which I think far above the real estimate & gave £1500 for it, which ⁠⟨⁠I⁠⟩⁠ think, is also above the mark. ⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠ [earned] £1500 by the ⁠⟨⁠transact⁠⟩⁠ion— If these figure⁠⟨⁠s⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠1 or 2 words⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠t, to my mind, i⁠⟨⁠s⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠2 or 3 words⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠nes—

With many | ⁠⟨⁠ki⁠⟩⁠nd regards— ⁠⟨⁠      ⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠in Dear Sir ⁠⟨⁠      ⁠⟩⁠ ⁠⟨⁠   ⁠⟩⁠ly Oliver A. Ainslie

Francis D⁠⟨⁠arwin⁠⟩⁠

⁠⟨⁠PS⁠⟩⁠— I omitted to tell D^r Darwin th⁠⟨⁠a⁠⟩⁠t my Father, when he settled with those responsible for the sale, protested ag⁠⟨⁠ains⁠⟩⁠t it—