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.

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    to the Royal Society], says that Sir Joseph Banks’s Botanical work, which has been carrying on many years, and for which 1500 plates are engraved, is not likely to be published as was expected. Some think Sir Joseph does not choose to encounter the opinion of the world on the merits of it, and, indeed, it is probable ill disposed criticks wd. not be wanting. July 12. —Smirke spoke to me abt. a design He had made on the subject of Lord Howes Victory. Emblematical with Heads of the Admirals. I strongly recommended to him to have portraits of them, & not medalions, as people would understand them better, also to add the Captains. July 15 .—This day I reed, a letter from Sir George Beaumont at Cheltenham, desiring me to purchase a picture by [Richard] Wilson, belonging to Ld. Thanet, now on sale at Vandergucht, who demanded 100 guineas for the picture. I agreed with him for 100 pounds. This picture was begun in Italy and finished in England. Vandergucht [the dealer] told me the pictures of Wilson are getting into great request, at, comparatively, high prices. He also told me the pictures of Gainsborough are decreasing in value. The raging fashion of collecting them subsiding fast. [The reaction is great to-day, as the price paid for the “ Blue Boy ” proves.] Vandergucht told me He sold a Claude to Sir Peter Burrell [1st Lord Gwydyr] for 1500 guineas, and had sold him pictures to the amount of £8000. July 16 .—Breakfasted with Admiral Gardner. A gentleman was there, who brought the dispatches, announcing the capture of Port au prince, in St. Domingo. Admiral Gardners second Son, not 22 years of age, was made Post, into the Iphigena frigate of 32 guns, two days before the surrender of the place, by which He will gain between 3 and 4000 pounds.