Edited by Tim McLoughlin

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Letter from SOCIETY OF ARTS to JAMES BARRY, written 19 March 1796, at Adelphi, London

Source: MS AD/MA/104/10/403, f. 133, Royal Society of Arts, London. [img]

Samuel More (1726-99), apothecary and administrator, was elected Secretary of the Society in 1770; he was also made a member of the American Philosophical Society in 1774, probably at the proposal of the American author, politician and scientist Benjamin Franklin (1706-90)(D.G.C.Allan,'“Dear and Serviceable to Each Other”: Benjamin Franklin and the Royal Society of Arts', Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society,144 (3), September 2000, p. 262).

The Secretary responds to Barry's request (Barry to the Society of Arts, 2 March 1796) that a resolution be rescinded1 in the Society's Minutes that forbade anyone to copy his paintings The Progress of Human Culture in the Society's Great Room in the Adelphi.

Adelphi March 19^th 1796

Sir,

I am directed by the Soc^ty for the En^t of A M &C Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce to return you, their thanks for the note received from you on the 2^d Ins^t Instant2 relative to the permitting M.^rPhillips3 to colour a set of your prints from the Series of pictures in the Societys Great Room; and I have to inform you that in Consequence of that note the Resolution which forbid 4 the medling meddling with the Pictures has been rescinded & Mr Phillips will be at Liberty to do what he has requested I am

Sir Your very hble Serv^t humble Servant

Ja^s James Barry Esq^r

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1 ^
be rescinded] The resolution, adopted on 24 October 1784, read: 'No Person shall be permitted to make any Sketches, finished Drawings, or Paintings, from any of the series of Pictures in the Society's Great Room, painted by M^r Barry, either in part or the whole. And all Officers of the Society are ordered, and strictly enjoined, to prevent all Attempts of the kind, whenever they discover them to be made either by Members or Strangers' (Minutes 1779-87, AD/MA/104/12/3).

2 ^
Instant] Day in this same month, March.

3 ^
Phillips] Thomas Phillips (1770-1845) started out as an apprentice in Handsworth to a glass-engraver, moved to London in 1790 where he met Benjamin West, President of the Royal Academy; he studied at the Academy before making a name for himself as a portrait painter.

4 ^
which forbid] Forbids.