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SIR,

Benjamin West to Copley

LONDON, June 20th, 1767.

Dont impute the long Omition of my not writeing to you [to] any forgetfullness or want of that Friendship I first Shewd on seeing your works. My having been so much ingaged in the Study of my Bussiness, in perticuler that of history Painting, which demands the greates Cear and intelegance in History amaginable, has so intierly Prevented my takeing up the Penn to answer your Several Agreable favours, and the reception of your Picture of the little Gairl you Sent for the exhibition. It came safe to hand in good time. And as I am Persuaded you must be much interested in reguard to the reception it mett with from they artists and Publicks opinion in General, I as a Friend Take this oppertunity to Communicate it to you.

In regard to the Artists they Somewhat differ in Opinion from Each Other, Some Saying they thought your First Picture was the Best, others Say the last is Superior (which I think [it] is as a Picture in point of Exhecution, tho not So in Subject). But of those I shall give this of Mr. Reynolds when he saw it he was not so much Pleased with it as he was with the first Picture you Exhibited, that he thougt you had not mannaged the general Affect of it so Pleasing as the other. This is what the Artists in General has Criticised, and the Colouring of the Shadows of the flash wants transperency. Those are thing[s] in General that have Struck them. I Cant say but the Above remarks have some justness in them, for the Picture being at my house some time gave me an oppertunity of Examining it with more Exectness.

The General Affect as Mr. Reynolds justly Observes is not

quite so agreable in this as in the other; which arrises from Each Part of the Picture being Equell in Strenght of Coulering and finishing, Each Making to much a Picture of its silf, without that Due Subordanation to the Principle Parts, viz they head and hands. For one may Observe in the great works of Van dyke, who is the Prince of Portrait Painter[s], how he has mannaged by light and shedow and the Couler of Dreperys made the face and hands apear allmost a Disception. For in Portrait Painting those are they Parts of Most Consiquence, and of Corse ought to be the most distinguished. Thare is in Historical Painting this Same attention to be Paid. For if the Principl Carrictors are Suffred to Stand in the Croud, and not distinguished by light and shadow, or made Conspicuous by some Pece of art, So that the Eye is first Caut by the Head Carrictor of the History, and So on to the next as he bears Proportion to the head Carrictor, if this is not observed the whole is Confusion and looses that dignity we So much admier in Great works. Your Picture is in Possession of Drawing to a Correctness that is very Surpriseing, and of Coulering very Briliant, tho this Brilantcy is Somewhat missapplyed, as for instance, the Gown too bright for the flesh, which over Came it in Brilency. This made them Critisise they Shadows of the Flesh without knowing from whence this defect arose; and so in like manner the dog and Carpet to Conspichious for Excesry things, and a little want of Propriety in the Back Ground, which Should have been Some Modern orniment, as the Girle was in a Modern dress and modern Cherce [skirt?]. The Back Ground Should have had a look of this time. These are Critisisms I should not mak was not your Pictures very nigh upon a footing with the first artists who now Paints, and my being sensible that Observations of this nature in a friendly way to a

man of Your Talents must not be Disagreable. I with the greater Freedom give them, As it is by this assistance the art is reasd to its hight. I hope I shall have the Pleasur of Seeing you in Europe, whare you will have an oppertunity of Contemplateing the great Productions of art, and feel from them what words Cannot Express. For this is a Scorce the want of which (I am senseble of) Cannot be had in Ameri[c]a; and if you should Ever Come to London my house is at Your Service, or if you should incline to go for Italy, if you think letters from me Can be of any Service, there are much at your Service. And be asshurd I am with greatest Friendship, Your Most obediant Humble Servent

BENJN WEST.

PS. I have Spoke to Several of our Mezzotinto Scrappers, and there Prices for a Plate after a Picture of that Sise is from fifteen Guines to Twenty Guines. Thare is Scrapers of a less Price thin that, but they are reather indefirent. I hope you will fevour us with a Picture the next Exhibition. In Closed I Send you a Copy of our Royal Charter and list of fellows, amongst whom you are Chosen one. The next which will be printed your name is to be inserted.

Captain R. G. Bruce to Copley

DEAR COPLEY,

LONDON, 25th June, 1767.

Since I wrote to You the 11th Curr't I was informed that a Letter had lain a great while for me at Mr. Myers's. Upon calling there yesterday I found your Letter of the 12th Novr. last, which, had they taken the trouble of putting in the Post Office, I should have received in course. I wish I had received

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it sooner, that I might have made your Acknowledgements to the Gentlemen therein mentioned. However I shall do it the first time I see them. Your Brother's Portrait I have removed from Mr. Reynolds's to Mr. West's, where I think it had better remain as a Specimen till you arrive yourself to dispose of it; especially as your last Exhibition is in the Hands of People where it will be of no use to You. With regard to the last Picture exhibited, you have the opinions of the learned in my Letter of the 11th, and the letter inclosed in it from Mr West. Upon the whole you have not pleased so universally as last Year, arising merely from the unlucky choice of your Subject. Among the Judges there are several who prefer the last, and of these are Mr. Hayman 1 and Mr. West, but Mr. Reynolds and the Majority prefer the first, because in that you have made the under parts of the Picture more subordinate to the principal than in the last, where they say the under parts such as the Dog, Parrot Carpet etc., are too brilliant and highly finished in proportion to the Head and Hands. The Nobility in gen❜l have condemned the last for this excellent Reason, that "it is an ugly Thing." Let me therefore intreat You to ransack the whole Town and Country for a pleasing Subject for your next Exhibition. As the Society of Artists have chose You a Fellow of the Society (which you will find by a Letter, I have inclosed in my last, from the President) They will depend on your continuing to exhibit. I wish it was convenient for You to paint your next Exhibition Picture at the House of Mr. West, where you would be very welcome, and where you would receive some Assistance. I should think your Business at Boston could not, at any rate, suffer much by a Year or twos Absence, and the Expence would not amount to much. I am afraid you will delay coming to 1 Francis Hayman (1708-1776).

Europe till the Force of your Genius is weakened, and it may be too late for much Improvement; and the Art be thereby deprived of a capital Hand. You are obliged to Mr. West and Mr. Hayman for being proposed as a Fellow of the Society. The former is so hurried that I have been obliged to teize him for the Letter I have sent You, much in the same manner as I did formerly to persuade You to finish the Picture, which is still surveyed here as an astonishing Performance. My Vanity is not a little flattered in having been the first to find out its Merit, since it has had such great and universal Applause in this Country.

Remember me to your Mother and Brother and my old Acquaintances in your Part of the World and believe me with much Truth, Dear Sir, Your sincere Friend and Serv't

Continue to direct for me as usual.1

SIR,

George Livius to Copley

R. G. BRUCE.

PORTSMOUTH, NEW HAMPSHIRE, 3d. Sepr., 1767.

I am desirous of having two family pictures copied in the best manner. If you will undertake it I will send them to you next week. I intend carrying the copies home which makes me wish to have them very perfect pictures, and was I not well satisfied of your ability I woud have ventured the originals to England. I shall send them to you if you think well of it, and can let me have them at the end of five weeks in Boston. The originals were painted by De Kelberg, and one of them has been allways held to be a good picture; the other I have been told by good judges has faults, and when I know your deter

1 This letter, sent by the John Galley, Captain Huline, was received October 13, 1767.

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