u were to act upon some Boston Bookseller,
and make a bargain for me,--or at least report that none was to
be made. A bad bargain will content me now, my hopes are not at
all high.

For the present, I am to announce on the part of Bookseller
Fraser that the First Portion of our celebrated _Miscellanies_
have been hovering about on these coasts for several weeks, have
lain safe "in the River" for some two weeks, and ought at last to
be safe in Fraser's shop today or else to morrow. I will ask
there, and verify, before this Letter go. The reason of these
"two weeks in the river" is that the packages were addressed
"_John_ Fraser, London," and the people had tried all the Frasers
in London before they attempted the right individual, James, of
215 Regent Street. Of course, the like mistake in the second
case will be avoided. A Letter, put ashore at Falmouth, and
properly addressed, but without any _signature,_ had first of all
announced that the thing was at the door, and so with this "John
Fraser," it has been knocking ever since, finding difficult
admission. In the present instance, such delay has done no ill,
for Fraser will not sell till the Second Portion come; and with
this the mistake will be avoided. What has shocked poor James
much more is a circumstance which your Boston Booksellers have no
power to avoid: the "enormousness" of the charges in our Port
here! He sends me the account of them last Saturday, with eyes--
such as drew Priam's curtains: L31 and odd silver, whereof L28
as duty on Books at L5 per cwt. is charged by the rapacious
Custom-house alone! What help, O James? I answer: we cannot
bombard the British Custom-house, and sack it, and explode it;
we must yield, and pay it the money; thankful for what is still
left.--On the whole, one has to learn by trying. This notable
finance-expedient, of printing in the one country what is to be
sold in the other, did not take Vandalic custom-houses into view,
which nevertheless do seem to exist. We must persist in it for
the present reciprocal pair of times, having started in it for
these: but on future occasions always, we can ask the past; and
_see_ whether it be not better to let each side of the water
stand on its own basis.

As for your "accounts," my Friend, I find them clear as day,
verifiable to the uttermost farthing. You are a good man to
conquer your horror of arithmetic; and, like hydrophobic Peter
of Russia making himself a sai