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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    a copy of a letter from her son in India, whose tour in that country in company with his Uncle has been more extensive than that of any European artist’s at least.* November 4.—This morning I read in the paper an account of the death of Mr. Jacob More, [a Scottish] Landscape Painter, wdio died lately at Rome. He went to Italy I think in the year 1771 [it was in 1773]- November 5.—More, the Landscape Painter, had accumulated a fortune of £7,000. Part of this was made by buying and selling pic¬ tures. He left Mr. Jenkins, of Rome, Sir James Wright, and Mr. Cooper the Drawing Master, of Charles-street, St. James’s-square, his Executors. I was informed at Chertsey that Mr. [Charles James] Fox and Mrs. Armstead pass a great deal of their time at St. Anne’s Hill [see later entry]. Mrs. Armstead is described to be a very agreeable woman and highly accomplished, and towards fifty years of age. Mr. Fox has a natural son about nineteen years old, very like him, but unhappily he is both deaf and dumb. The young man frequently comes to St. Anne’s Hill to see his father. Mr. Fox has also a daughter, a little girl of seven or eight years of age, of whom Mrs. Armstead is very fond, though not her daughter. This girl is cross-eyed, otherwise pretty. I dined with the Offleys at the Percy Coffee Housej, where George Dance called on me to go to Somerest House, a Reception of Sir Francis Bourgeois [R.A.] and Mr. Smirke being fixed for this evening. Also the election of two Associates. There were twenty-five Academicians present, including the new Members. On the first ballot for Associates Hoppner got 13 votes, Beechey 13, Gainsborough Dupont 3, Hickel 1, and Malton 1. On the second ballot Beechey had 13, Hoppner 12. On the first Ballot to fill the second vacancy Hoppner 23, Dupont 4, Graham 1, Hickel 1, Malton 1. On the second ballot Hoppner 23, Dupont 4. Messrs. Beechey and Hoppner were returned duly elected. The President read the answer of the Lords of the Treasury relative to artists being allowed to bring their own work home duty free. The Lords of the Treasury have granted it. Three out of four of the Senior Council of the Royal Academy for the time being, are to inspect at the Custom House, the productions of the artists and to vouch for their appearing to be what he declares them, his own works. It being expressed that British subjects should enjoy this privilege, Mr. Loutherburgh properly remarked that it ought to he extended to all foreigners, Members of the Royal Academy. This immediately was concurred in by the Assembly, and will be mentioned to the Heads of the Treasury. * Then follows a long, interesting description of his travels. Daniell engraved the plates for five of the six volumes of his uncle’s “ Oriental Scenery.” The nephew himself produced “ A Picturesque Vojrnge to India” and “Voyage Round Great Britain.” Both uncle and nephew were elected Royal Academicians, an honour which will “ always remain one of the enigmas of the early days of the Institution.” Their work had little artistic excellence f In Rathbone Place, Oxford Street. This tavern, which no longer exists, was the meeting-place of Thomas Byerley and Joseph Clinton Robertson, author of the “ Percy Anecdotes,” a name taken from the Coffee House, not from the “ Percy Reliques ” as supposed at the time of publication, 1820. The title page bears the names, Sholto and Ruben Percy, assumed by Byerley and Robertson.