}

acknowledgements for Your proferd kindness, which I do now with all sincerity, and should receive a singular pleasure in excepting, if my Business was anyways slack, but it is so far otherwise that I have a large Room full of Pictures unfinishd, which would ingage me these twelve months, if I did not begin any others; this renders it impossable for me to leave the place I am in: but the obligation I am under I shall ever acknowledge as sincerely as if it was in my power to except of it. I assure You I have been as fully imployd these several Years past as I could expect or wish to be, as more would be a means to retard the design I have always had in vew, that of improveing in that charming Art which is my delight, and gaining a reputation rather than a fortune without that: Tho if I could obtain the one while in the persuit of the other, I confess I should be so far from being indiferent about either that I would willingly use great diligence for the acquireing of both, and indeed the mutual assistance they would render each other in their progress must naturally excite in me a desire for both, tho in diferent degrees.

I confess it gives me no small pleasure to receive the approbation of so uncorrupted a judgment as that of so Young a Child: it is free from all the fals notions and impertinant conceits that is the result of a superficial knowledge of the principals of art, which is so far from assisting the understanding that it serves only to corrupt and mislead it: unless temperd with a large share of good since: and might tend to excite some degree of Vanity did not my diligence for Years past in the study of nature, most effec]tually convince me of this sad truth, that all human productions fall infinitely short of the bea[u]tys of

nature.

The favourable opinion You have of my performance shows

a large share of goodness in You, as it is more than I can pretend to deserve unless indeavouring to do well shall be accounted a merrit. I am, Sir, with all Sincerity Your Obl[i]ged Humble Ser❜t

JOHN: S: COPLEY.

DEAR SIR,

Captain Peter Traille to Copley

HALIFAX, 7th March, 1765.

By a letter from my freind Captain Bruce I find my self under great Obligations to You, particularly in sending a couple of peices of your drawing in Crayons. I am sorry to have the Mortification to tell You that You are dissappointed in your good intentions by the unpardonable remissness of the Master of the Vessel. She was lost about 30 leagues to the westward of this port, and your drawings, together with several other things, have become the prey of the barbarous Inhabitants. I have taken every step to find out if any of them are recoverable, but can hear only of two of the prints which were purchas'd from Mr. Moffat. I beg leave, to assure You that not withstanding this Misfortune my Gratitude is not lessen'd, and I shall always esteem it as a real Pleasure to improve every Opportunity of acknowledging it. I cannot conceal the innexpressible pain this loss gives me, it robbing me of those patterns, by which I most sanguinely flatter'd me self to acquire some knowledge in the Art of colouring of which I have very disstant Ideas as yet. If it was not intruding on your Bussiness I shou'd beg a few Directions on this favorite Subject or some illustration by example as that easier followed than precept. I am with great regard Dr. Sir, Your Most Obed't and Humble Sev't PETER TRAILLE.

4

I have sent You the portrait of my Brother3 by Mr. Haill, who has been so kind to take the care of it and put it among his own baggage. Nothing would have been a sufficient inducement to have sent it so soon but the desire of confirming the good opinion You began to conceive of me before You left Boston which I would by no means forfeit, chusing rather to risque the Picture than the loss of Your esteem; indeed I beleive it must be allowed I act with prudence in this respect if it is considered that should the Picture be unfit (through the changing of the colours) for the exhibition, I may not have the mortification of hearing of its being condemned. I confess I am under some apprehension of its not being so much esteem'd as I could wish; I dont say this to induce You to be backward in

1 Boston Public Library, Chamberlain Collection, F. 4. 3. It is in Copley's handwriting.

2 Captain of the John and Sukey, a merchant vessel.

"The Boy with the Squirrel," Copley's first picture to be exhibited in London, 1766.

4 Mr. Roger Hale, Collector or Surveyor of the port of London.