P.T. Barnum to Moses Kimball,

Letter 9, April 30, 1845

 

Hotel Bedford Rue St. Honore 323 Paris
April 30th (1845)

My dear Moses,

Yours of the 1st is before me [and I am ] greatly rejoiced to hear of your continued and improved success. I trust that ere long, the richest men in America will be we Museum chaps. [Must?] it be.

General is carrying all before him. He is as merry, happy and successful as ever. Stratton is laying up $500 per week and I guess Bridgeport will be quite too [small] to hold him on our return, and as for his wife, she will look upon N.Y. or Boston as dirty villages, quite beneath her notice.
 
Maybe there is not already a display of ringlets, ear-rings and other jewelry, $50 silk dresses with low-bosoms etc. etc.!!! -- It's rich! very!

I wrote you sometime since the prints illustrating the History of the Am. Revolution. If you have not already sent them -- please send them to Professor Swift at the Am. Museum, and let him make the selections for paintings for the Dissolving views and send them to London to be painted. It can't be done [in] Paris. The health of self and family are all recovered. They send their best compliments. Give my respects to your lady and children and especially the new baby. Why old fellow you are beating Prince Albert at Stock-getting. May your babies all be Presidents -- since they can't be princes -- and we may as well begin and try the petticoat government. England swears she will lick Jonathan -- but I guess she will get her belly-full before she is done with it --
 
The French are ready to join America if a war should take place.
 
God bless you my dear fellow, [do not] direct your letter to London, but direct them to the above address "Hotel Bedford Rue St. Honore 323 Paris."
 
Thine as ever
Barnum
  
Moses Kimball Esq.
Proprietor of Boston Museum
Boston, U. States.