Merida, Yucatan, 27th January 1844
My Dear Sir,
It is now a long time since I have the pleasure of seeing your handwriting, the sight of which was always pleasing to me: first, because it reminds me of a friend and fellow labourer; second, because of its graceful easy flow; and thirdly, because it is always or mostly an index of progress, from its accompanying new remissions of the word of God to this country.
So much by way of proem, and now in the way of business. From Veracruz I shipped, or ordered to be shipped as early as a good opportunity offered, eight cases to your care. I should have apprised you of these before, but somehow overlooked it, from its not having been done at the time and from having desired the shippers to do it. But most probably the cases have not arrived, and this may reach you before them, as vessels from Veracruz for England generally lie a good while at what is called the Laguna to load logwood. The cases are direct and "Diego Thomson Londres," No 1 to 7, there being for certain reasons two of No 6. Their contents are as follows; –
No 1 and 2, Books of my own library that I had with me more than was convenient. No 3 contains the two Bibles presented to the Society as noticed in letter No 136. There are besides, and to fill up the case, a few of my own library books. No 4, 5, two of 6 and 7 contain various Mexican idols, stones, etc. etc. The two Bibles you will please take out and present them as directed, and all the other things you will carefully keep in your stores for me till further intimations.
Be so good as to say to Mr. Brandram as soon as you have read this, that in regard to my order of Books amounting to 1850 copies for this place, as noticed in full in my last letter, it will be better at present to send only one half of them, that is, half the quantity of each sort. The reasons for this will be mentioned in my next communication.
With kindly feelings to all in your house personally known to me, or yet perhaps to be so,
I remain,
Yours Very Truly,
James Thomson.