Volume 1

The Farington diary / edited by James Greig.

  • Joseph Farington
Date:
[1922?-1928]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Farington diary / edited by James Greig. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    101/464 (page 59)
    *794 Two Famous Singers July 2.—The accounts from Flanders are of the worst description. It appears the Allies are retreating from the French in every quarter. The Inhabitants of Tournay expressed great concern when the British passed through that place. Smirke called on me ; Rossi, the Sculptor, is desirous of making a model for the monument to be erected to the memory of Captn. Montague.—I told him I thought Wyatt (having the King’s ear) would be the best person to apply to for his interest. He thought Wyatt might wish to move in favour of a young man now abroad (Westmacott)* whose Father has been recommended to much business by Wyatt. However, He sd. He wd. call on him. Nollekens, He says, expresses no desire to have it, and some political circumstances put Banks out of the question.—I told him I thought Bacon must have moved for such a Commission before this time. Rossi, is to make his model at Smirkes House. July 3.—Mr. Bowles wrote against Foxs Libel Bill for which Lord Thurlow made him a Commissioner of Bankrupts. I came home with the Alderman Boydell who told me Whatman now makes printing paper equal in quality to French paper, and has an advantage from being manufactured more neatly. He does not think that in case of peace we should again apply to France for the article of paper. July 4.—Hearne [Water Colour Painter] and Baker dined with me. They are going on Monday to Oxford to pass a week there, from thence Hearne goes to Cheltenham, to Sir G. Beaumont and they are to make the Tour of the Wye, together. Hearne is also to go to Glastonbury Abbey & to Wells. George Dance [R.A.] came in the evening. He * The sen of a statuary in Mount-street, Grosvenor-square, he was born in London in 1775. He went to Rome at the age of eighteen and studied under Canova. Westmacott, after winning considerable success in Italy, returned to England in 1796 and exhibited in the Royal Academy for the first time in the following year. His career was highly successful. Many commissions came to him. He superintended the arrange¬ ment of the Towneley Marbles—and his figure of “ Achilles ” at Hyde Park-corner, cast from cannon taken at Waterloo, is surely the worst public statue in England. In 1837 he was knighted and received the degree of D.C.L. from Oxford University. He died in 1856.