EDINBURGH, _Feb. 20th, Monday, 1839._ MY DEAR MR. HAVELL I perceive by the date of your letter of the 16th instant that you must have been some days beyond my expectations, in the receiving of my parcel to you, and that on that account my letter of Saturday last crossed yours of the same date. I thank you for what you say as regards the balance in my favor at Wright and Co. Does Henry sail from _London Docks_ or from _Portsmouth_? and pray what is the name of the Captain of the "Wellington"? I do not precisely understand what you mean by the _loose sets_ which you desire to know how they should be packed? let me hear what they are and how many of them by return of mail. The _five_ perfect sets I think might all go into one case, tinned as usual and insured of course to the full amount of their value, as well as all others and to which I pray you to attend as if for your own self. It is impossible for me to go to London at present and indeed I cannot exactly tell when I will, and I trust to you entirely for the seeing that all the volumes are fair and good and passed through _your own_ inspection of them before they are packed. No volumes of Biographies must be put in the same boxes. When you have disposed of your business, what will you do with what you have on hand belonging to us? This requires an answer from you at once. You have a great number of volumes of Biographies, Pictures, &c. &c., a regular list of which you ought to send me. I cannot yet say when the 5th vol. of Biographies will be finished, but will let you know as soon as I can. I received yesterday morning a letter from a gentleman who has procured a copy of the work through Mr. Eame the bookseller, he says that he has called upon you to say that he is missing _one plate_ and begs to have a copy of the plate struck and remitted to Mr. Eame who will pay you whatever price the extra trouble on this account may amount to, but he does not say what plate it is, and I therefor suppose that you do? If so as he is the brother-in-law of Mr. Walker of Ravensfield Park, one of our _good_ subscribers I would say do it for him! My wife begs of you to save all the loose prints which were returned to you by our son Victor, as well as any others whatever, perhaps among them you might find one to send Mr. Eame's subscriber? On the 4th of this month the 'Great Western' was nearly half way across the Atlantic!! Sir William Jardine has published a capital review of the work! What a strange world we do learn in! Be sure to let me know about the original drawings at Henry's, if he has finished them, where they are &c. &c. We all remain as usual with kind good wishes to you all, Your friend