Letter from SOCIETY OF ARTS to JAMES BARRY, written 23 November 1789, at Adelphi, London
Source: Fryer, Works of Barry, ii. 465-66; the letter was
first printed in Barry's A Letter to the Right Honourable
the President, Vice-Presidents, and the rest of the Noblemen and
Gentlemen of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures,
and Commerce, London, 1793; it is thus a copy of the
original.
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). Barry included him in his painting
The Distribution of Premiums in the Society of
Arts, in the Adelphi.
Since the letter has no conclusion or signature, it may be an incomplete
version of the original.
Mr. More here tells Barry the Prince of Wales is prepared to sit for Barry
again if he wishes to finalise his portrait for The
Distribution of Premiums (see More to Barry, 4 June 1789).
Adelphi
, Nov. 23 1789
Sir,
Mr. More presents his compliments to Mr. Barry,
acquaints him, that he has this day delivered to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales the letter of acknowledgement and
thanks of the Society for the Encouragement of Arts,
Manufactures, and Commerce, to his Royal Highness, for the gracious
condescension his Royal Highness has been pleased to shew towards the Society,
by sitting to James Barry, Esq.; R. A. in order that the portrait of his Royal
Highness might be introduced into the series of pictures in the Society's great
room.
And Mr.
M.
More
has also to acquaint Mr. Barry, that the Prince was pleased to direct
Mr. More to inform Mr. Barry, that if he wishes to
touch the picture any more, his Royal Highness will be ready to sit again on
Friday morning.1
