From William Ginty   Thursday Evening | Nov. 16th 1843

Thursday evening | Nov. 16th 1843.

Mon Cher Jack

Your ballad letter¹ lies ‘overright’ me. You wonder I have not got a situation yet – so do I, it’s not my fault old boy. I am busy canvassing for one. I got a letter yesterday from an office I wrote to, offering a bonus if they got me an engagement for a situation of £2 per week £10 – 35s £7 – 30s £5 – 25s £3 – 20s 2-10 18s-2-0 15s £10. The letter was a writ² for my body I went and lo the sum and substance of the offer was this to look for properties for them to sell and if they, or when they, sold them I would get 2½ percent on the whole amount. On this I argued thus – It would certainly take all my time, without any certainty of even gaining a living. He said I would realize £100 a year by it – if very active. Now I don’t know but the fellows have 3 dozen fellows going it for them – Looking for a needle in a bundle of straw, and so I declined his kind offer – being convinced he was codding me.³ I wrote to another of these ‘Intelligence offices’ last night, a letter met my view at dinnertime today, a writ for my body and saying he had one of £52 per annum on his books. I bolted my bacon (I’m wrong it was ham) and cabbage and off I bolted to the office – it was closed, and 20 minutes since the proprietor visited this our domicile telling me to be at their office by nine in the morning ‘as they had a very good situation in view’. It can’t be the £52 one, else he would not say ‘very good’ I am topping the bonus or bribe one month after the date of my employment! I dreamt this mode of obtaining a situation, it has succeeded very well so far. I would recommend you to adopt it in London. Find out an ‘Employment office’ and bribe them, that is offer them a remuneration for their trouble and services. I hope I’ll succeed. I don’t wish to make the stratagem generally known, as I was the inventor I have a right to the preference, that is I want no opposition!

The omnibuses⁴ are cheap enough! Cabs⁵ are for the nobs⁶ and are consequently dear. The omnibuses run regular stages, in thousands, learn the nearest place of note to where you want to be ‘set down’ you will hear these fellows bellow such names as ‘Bank’ ‘Charing Cross’ ‘High Holborn’⁷ (this is pronounced without the L) &c. &c.

I will see 8⁸ as soon as possible and do your wishes and apprize him of your visit. Do you mean the ‘Weekly Chronicle’?⁹ Damn you and your belly, that’s all troubles you. Glory to Lindsay and McGowan¹⁰ and all the rest of you. Will you come this way?

Yours in | great haste | W. Ginty

Hurrah for O’Connell¹¹ – he has opened their eyes on the indictment, it is all but quashed and the Attorney General¹² is nearly crazy.

RI MS JT/1/TYP/11/3622

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