[Letterhead:]

My dear Brother

Having a little spare time today I wrote a long letter to Dunn, not mincing matters atall [sic]. Before posting it I received a letter from him, and so added a p.s. as I did not think there was anything in his letter to warrant my withdrawing the statement I had made. If anything is to be done it is as well to lose no time. That you may post yourself as freely as possible. I sent you his letter of the 11th & 12th Dec. [?] the agreement of 11th Dec. Of this I may state that $400 was the amount agreed to be & actually given & not $600, that otherwise the terms of the agreement are those now being acted with. The last of the consideration money was paid about the end of February. So that he really might in an [outside?] time, claim about two months longer to complete. I also sent you his letter received today & impression & copy of my answer. These are all right to post you about as well if not better than any detailed explanation I could give. By his last letter you see clearly that he has no idea of disposing of the patent in bulk; but as you said of making a living out of them you see I have written him pretty plainly and he may get mad. But I can see no use of beating about the bush longer. I think it would be wise not to interfere to such an extent as to enable him to say that he was so hampered that he could not deliver of the patent in the time limited. (I gave him 6 months not 4). But gradually get the view of things so that if there is anything in them you could get along as well without as with him. By a little [?] you may be able to work him and make him useful. When he sees that the whole thing is in your hands he may act differently. I think you will have to treat him a good deal as an overgrown child with a great idea of his own dignity; at the same time you may be compelled to exercise firmness. You must use your own judgment in the matter. I do think there is something in some of the patents. I do not think you could handle them. I know I could not. It seems to me the course is to quietly be on the look-out, both by yourself and friends to get just the right man to manipulate the whole thing, as such portions of it as you may deem him capable of. Let me know any points you want information upon & I will post you as well as I can. So much for the patent.

Today has been an agreeable change. We have had a most delightful rain after ten days of almost insufferable heat. The country [winds?] very fine. And I hope better times are in store for us. Am thankful we have not a presidential election. It is bad enough your [sic] having it. Diphtheria still continues prevalent. Yesterday a Miss Pringle (sister of the young man Eliza S. was supposed to be engaged to) died. All are well at home. Malloch & Mullin are the two happiest men in Hamilton. [?] have been making some bad mistakes lately; and have even been so venturesome as to use the microscope with disastrous effects.

I shall expect to hear from you before long. Don't attempt too much with the thermometer in the winter.

Yours as ever

I.B. [Isaac Baldwin] McQuesten