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Letter from FRANCIS BURROUGHS to JAMES BARRY, written 6 October 1804, at Nottingham Street, London

Source: MS James Barry, Papers and Letters, f. 17. The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University.

Little is known about Barry's close friends, but this letter shows he had in Francis Burroughs a close friend who was very concerned for him. Burroughs was the author of A Poetical Epistle to James Barry, Esq. Containing Strictures upon some of the Works of that Celebrated Artist. With an Appendix (1805) for which Barry engraved the frontispiece.1 [img] A reviewer of the poem remarked, 'Mr. Burroughs is a catholic, and seems to believe in the fabulous history of Ireland!' (The Annual Review, and History of Literature, iv (1805), 579); another remarked on 'an unmeaning frontispiece that libels the figure of Minerva' (The Critical Review, 3rd ser., v (1805), p. 328).

The diarist Joseph Farington mentions a Mr Burroughs who called often to his house in London (Diary of Joseph Farington, 16 vols.(Yale, 1978-98), eds. Kenneth Garlick and Angus Macintyre, vii. 2524, 25 February 1805 and 2529, 7 March 1806).

Nottingham Street Oct.^r 6 ^th 1804

My Dear M^r Barry

Not withstanding all my own troubles, dissapointments disappointments & vexations (& God knows I have had, & still have enough of them to shake a firmer soul & turn a stronger brain than I can lay claim to.) Your situation has often diverted my thoughts from my own calamities. & latterly in particular, made a deep impression on my mind. All that friendship & admiration of your heart & talents can inspire I feel for you - & ^thatthat such a man is not to be lost to himself & Society - As the winter approaches I shudder at the thoughts of what you must suffer from cold & privation of every kind in that miserable mansion2 You have livd lived long enough for postumous posthumous fame & posterity - make an effort my Dear friend. To live for your self & those few that love & honour you. I know you have a proud spirit & an independent mind - but Alas! These will not feed or cloath clothe us, nor will the winters winter's blast respect those virtues - I am fearful to alarum or offend, intentionally, You of all men & if, inadvertantly inadvertently I have been savage You have been severe. But that can never occur again - I beseech you therefore, (with all the ardour of affection which I feel & powerful interest which I take in all that concerns you,) to lay aside these chimerical hopes of finding what I fear is not to be found - a fit companion & disinterested female friend!3 Bestir yourself a little about self - Make a little present provision for your immediate health & Comfort, by the sale of some of your Engravings or Pictures or Even by withdrawing something from the Principal in the funds. Remove from your present habitation to one less ruinous or - if it must be in the alternative - make your self a little more comfortable4 where you are & live meagurly meagerly - & I here solemnly pldge pledge myself to raise you above your hopes without lessening your dignity by a project which need only be promulgd promulgated to be complatly completely successful. At least so my sanguine Soul suggests.

Both Fanny & myself were much agitated after you left us, more than I have ever been before - It would be superfluous to expatiate here why or how far imagination as well as painful retrospect heightend heightened our anguish. Suffice it to say these reflections have impelld impelled me to write this & to intreat your serious reflections upon what I now suggest. -

You must give up Mad, Guidon5 to morrowto-morrow & eat beef with us & we will chat over matters of more moment to us. than the fall of Empires & the empire of fools6 -

Adieu7 & believe me ever Your sincere & affectionate friend

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1 ^
engraved the frontispiece]

The engraving is entitled Minerva turning from Scenes of Destruction and Violence to Religion and the Arts. The Greek goddess Minerva was the Muse of painting and is here shown 'in her traditional role as protectress of the arts' (Pressly, Life and Art, p.184).

Burroughs may also have written Strictures, on the Present State of Public Credit and Public Security: containing a Summary Review of Mr. Pitt's Administration, Dublin, 1797.

A note in Barry's hand at the foot of a receipt dated 1 April 1805 reads, 'I paid the above to M.^r Bonomi April 3.^d at his own house in the presence of M.^r Borroughs -' (MS Barry Papers and Letters. The Lewis Walpole Library, Yale University).

2 ^
miserable mansion] Burroughs was one of several friends who commented on the miserable condition of Barry's house; [img] Barry was well aware of the dilapidation of the building: 'all the windows in the front of my house are so broken that it is impossible to make any use of the rooms in front, so that I am reduced to live in a small back room on the second floor' (Barry to Buchan, 21 December 1804); see also Buchan to Barry, 20 April 1802. Fryer remarks of Barry at this time, 'he himself, like his house, was delapidating by age, and therefore, unequal to struggle with the same or rather with increased inconveniencies' (Works of Barry, i. 289).

3 ^
female friend!] Barry may have had hopes of finding such a woman in Ann Brookes: see Ann Brookes to Barry, 27 May 1800.

4 ^
more comfortable] Barry's papers include bills for work done on the house.

5 ^
Mad,Guidon] Probably Madeira wine, perhaps labelled by Guidon who has not been identified.

6 ^
empire of fools] Veiled allusion to his own and Barry's disillusion with those in power, particularly in the administration of the arts.

7 ^
Adieu] From French; literally 'a' (to) 'Dieu' (God); i.e. ‘I commend you to God!’ originally said to the party left, as ‘Farewell!’ was to the party setting forth (OED).