Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

party Malice, and whose Character in every shape has remained unempeach'd by the Gall dipt pen [of] Faction?

I inclose a rough sketch for a picture frame, which I think would be very pretty and neat if made of metal washd like some of the washed buckles. I have seen one in Gold of exqu[i]site Workmanship nearly like this, that pleased me very much. Those who are used to things of that kind might possably invent a neater pattern. They must be Well finishd, well gilt and be very neat, or they will not answer the purpose of orniminting a minature picture. It would be best to have two differe[n]t sizes, as I have drawn them. I would be glad to have half a Dozen of each, and doubt not I should want more. Should only one size be made I would chuse the largest, and that exact to the pattern which, if you app[r]ove, please to send it to Birmingham.

I conclude in a great Hurry, as I am just setting out for Boston. my Disoblegiant1 now waits at the door. God Grant you and Mrs. Startin Heaven's choicest Blessings Health and Peace: Remember me kindly to her, and believe me my dear Friend to be yours entirely and afectionately.

H. P.

N B. two or 3 Request[s] mor[e], and then I have done. Be carefull of your Health. Please to present my respectfull Comp's to Mr. L[ee]2 and Lady. Be kind eno when you favou[r] me with a line, which I hope will be soon, to mention what Postage you pay for this Pacquet that I may pay you as you denot.

1 "Carrage," erased.

2 Joseph Lee.

DEAR SIR,

Adam Babcock to Henry Pelham

NEW HAVEN, Decr. 24th, 1774

The Business at Town-Meeting was so very arduous that I could not leave it a moment to take leave of You the Day You left us. I hope You will be good eno' to excuse me in this n[e]glect which was unavoidable. the main Point in View-the demolition of Liberty-Pole-Committee, we could not come

to, on that Day, and the Town-Meeting was adjourned to the Tuesday of this Week. and with great perseverance and not without some noise on their side, we obtaind a Vote from the Town to dissolve that meeting, so that I hope matters will go on quietly with us for some time at least.

I designd to have given You money eno' to have bot. me 76 Coper plate Tiles for my Chambers, and 5 ps. of neat paper, blue Ground with a proper proportion of Bordering for one Chamber. I beg You would buy me these things and send them by one of the Providence covered Wagons, directed to the Care of Docr. Jabez Bowen at Providence, to be forwarded by him to Mr. John Bours at New-Port. if You are so good as to send these the Day after You recieve this, they will doubtless come time eno' for my Little Sloop to take them at New-Port; but if it puts you to any inconvenience, I beg You would omit it, as I shall hardly make use of them till Spring. the Glass for the little Picture You will please to forward to me at any Rate, and in that way that You judge best, and an accot. of all with the Case for the pictures. I shall embrace the first safe hand to send you the Money.

I hope you had an agreeable Journey, at least as much so as the Season would allow of, and that You found Your Friends

and Connections well. Mrs. Smith presents Her Compliments to You. be pleased to accept those of the Season from me together with my best Wishes, and when You write Mr. Copeley don't forget mine to Him, nor to his amiable Lady neither, when You see Her. and believe me to be most sincerely and cordially Yours,

ADAM BABCOCK.

P. S. Mrs. Smiths Picture I shall send You by my Sloop. I should chuse the Tyles all of different Figures and not one side of the Fire Place like the other, if there is variety eno’.

Dr. John Morgan to Henry Pelham

PHILADA., Decr. 27, 1774.

SIR,

In answer to your favr. of the 4th Inst. I am to inform You that the Portrait in my Possession which I lent You to copy is an original Portrait of the justly celebrated Painter Angelica Mariana Kaufman, done by herself at Rome, at the Age (as nearly as I can recollect at this distance of time) of about 19 Years. It was done by her and sent to me at my own desire. She had been labouring for some time under an Indisposition for which she was pleased to take my Advice. The seat of her Disorder was in her Stomach and proceeded from Indigestion. I believe it arose from her sedentary Life and close Application to Painting, to which she was so attentive, that sometimes, when employ'd in copying the Paintings of Great Masters that were hung up in the Palaces at Rome to which she was admitted, she would not eat the whole day.

I

suppose her to be at this time about 28 or 29 Years of Age. On my leaving Rome she wanted to pay me for my Advice.

I refused taking any Money from her on which she insisted on making me a present of a piece of painting, of her doing, and desired I would pitch on some piece of any of the great Masters that she could conveniently copy, and she would execute it for me. I thereupon begged her own Portrait, as of an Artist I greatly valued, and on asking her Father's1 permission, which he readily granted, she promised to send it to me, which she did about a year after when she came to London2 with a Letter accompanying it, - being induced to visit England from the great Encouragement given to her by the english Nobility and Gentlemen then at Rome.3

Other Particulars of her History since she came to London may be better learned from Mr. Copley. Thus I have gratified you in what you requested to know of this most valuable Lady.

At the Age of 10 Years, she spoke English and French as familiarly as if they were her Native Language, which she learned chiefly by conversation. She could read Spanish with equal ease, tho' for want of Opportunities to practice it, did not pretend to be Mistress of it; but she was quite Mistress of the Italian, and of German which was her native Tongue. She had an agreeable person, a sweet and open Countenance, of a very modest engaging Deportment, and was no small proficient in Musick. At her first coming to England she was soon presented to the Queen and employed to take her Majesty's Portrait. In short she was in a fair way of rising to fame to honour and fortune, but an unlucky Marriage was a great Clog to her.5

4

1 Johann Josef Kauffmann.

2 She went to England in 1766.

3 This portrait is probably that in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, deposited by Miss Elizabeth Powell.

* Queen Charlotte.

To Count de Horn, an impostor of many aliases.

As she is an Acquaintance I highly esteem I do not expect, by satisfying your request, You can think I would have these particulars known to any but Persons of Merit, Prudence and delicate sentiments. Should it be known to Angelica that I had thus attempted to sketch her Character, it might be taken amiss, as it could not fail to hurt her delicacy, of which you will be pleased to take Notice, nor let any person Copy a feature of her Character from this Letter, which in every particular falls infinitely short of her. With this caution I conclude, wishing You all Happiness and remain, Sir, Your Most Obed't humble Serv. JOHN MORGAN.

A Bill for Portraits

Boston The Honble. Isaac Royall Esqr. to J. S. Copley Dr.1

To a packg Box omitted in former Acct...
To a portrait in Crayons of Miss Polly Royall.
To gold carved Frame for Do....
To London Crown Glass for Do..

To his Lady's portrait half Length
To his own

Do

Do

To portraits of Mr. Mackintosh & Lady

Henry Pelham to Copley

MY DEAR BROTHER,

[merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small][merged small]

BOSTON, Jany [27], 1775.

With eagerness I embrace each Opertunity to testify the pleasu[r]e I take in your Remembranc[e] and Correspondanc[e] and to give you those assurerances of affection and Esteem which this imperfect mode of intercourse will allow and which 1 In Pelham's handwriting.

2 Obviously an error in copying.

« AnteriorContinuar »