Autograph Letter Signed

This prominent Church of England cleric, scholar and writer (whose many books included the popular 1894 "Life of Christ") was long associated with Westminster Abbey and served as Dean of Canterbury as well as chaplain in ordinary to the royal household; he was a friend of Charles Darwin's, served as one of his pallbearers, preached his funeral sermon and was instrumental in getting him buried at Westminster Abbey. ALS, 4pp, 4" X 6" (lettersheet), Westminster, 6 December n.y. [postal cancellation 6 December 1878]. Addressed to Edward Daniell. Near fine. On imprinted letterhead, Farrar replies to this bookseller, printer and publisher (1807-92) -- these trades were often rolled up into one at this time -- who appears to have charged the clergy with profiting from a scheme that harmed tradesmen, possibly even publishing something to this effect in some form. This irate prelate replies, in part: "I will add only one word in reply to your note received this evening," he begins, adding many more words. "It is only to say that though I have had no communication with any of the twelve clergymen whose names are mentioned as 'generally approving' the establishment of clergy Cooperative Stores, yet I must assure that most of them, no less than myself, have no personal & no pecuniary connexion with them, nor indeed the faintest interest in the matter beyond this -- that the clergy, (whose sufferings from poverty are known to few as they are to me), wd. have some means of fairly securing for ready money a cheaper market & yet (as experience proves) are simply remunerative. I do not believe that any of those clergy, any more than myself, had the very [malevolent?] wish to injure legitimate trade, & any notion that they wd. be likely to do so. Indeed I for one thought that any plan [that] helped to destroy the credit system was a direct benefit to every tradesman in England. But I have no time to enter further into these matters, beyond repeating my assurance that you wd. be under a great mistake if you still agreed that I for one wd. ever willingly approve any step wh[ich] seemed likely to be injurious to honest commerce...." Boldly penned in Farrar's sloppy hand in brown ink and signed at the close. A lengthy, meaty letter showing the dean defending his flock. With original envelope, addressed in Farrar's hand.