File:Thomas Butler Gunn Diaries- Volume 8, page 190, June 13, 1857.jpg

Transcription:

[William Les]lie himself was clerk to one Boker, the patentee of certain "bitters," the recipe of which he, Leslie, purchased from the inventor, a German who died poor. Upon getting it the shrewd Scot started in business for himself, had sustained actions for infringement of patent &c and now ships cargoes to California and Australia, buys up unlimited "barrels" of Scotch ale, manufactures brandy to order, sells bitters and ginger wine and what not. The firm is considered a very mean but perfectly reliable one — this Leslie himself told me with a chuckle. He is a true Mammonite, and would be merciless in pursuit of his interest — to which he has the keenest of eyes. I have almost shuddered at his details of low cases in which he has been and is engaged. Every touch of humanity and large heartedness seems thrown overboard — the sharpest, severest and meanest of advantages perceived and clutched at. Its war to the last dollar — ruin your adversary if you can rather than let him get one cent the better of you. Leslie is, like most egotists, a talker and the "I" is horribly prominent in his discourse. His mind centres in and revolves on the dollar pivot. When he spends money on his own indulgences — he is liberal in small matters — he always talks of it afterwards, with a sort of regret and yet a respect for himself for having done so! Perhaps if one had to pick out the adjective of all others most suited to him it would be "pig-headed." Yet he can do kindnesses not inconsistent with his character. He is a