William Pars to Towne [1769-1775]

Dr Towne

I am alive as this will inform you, and that you’ll say is no news. But I didn't receive your letter until my return from the Country where I has pass’d sometime wh is the only possible reason of my long silence. - Indeed you are the last one in the World whose correspondence I ought to slight, for you are ever giving me good Advice, the surest mark of sincere & true Friendship: & out of gratitude I hope I shall always think so: it is the least I owe you. -

As for the incidental disappointments and misfortunes human Life is subject to, I come in for so large a share of them that they are so far from giving me any uneasiness, I declare they don’t even surprise me for ye time while they happen. - I think as you do every man would aim to get money, were it only to avoid the humbleness of poverty. It's a doubly wretched state, as it not only debars us every enjoyment & comfort in Life, but what is still more miserable gets us shun’d & even despised by the greater part of our acquaintance. It is very true such a Part is not worth preserving, but still you’ll own it must be most galling to a man of Spirit. Read how feelingly Cervantes speaks of Poverty in ye last P of his 10th B of D. Quixote, on Arms & Letters - But prey let me in my turn, beg of you not to be cast down & despond because a little cloud may seem to obscure you. Would you cut down a tender Plant after a refreshing Shower for drooping its head when it is then then it receives ye nourishment that brings it to maturity.

But now regarding yr things. Mr Sawney informs me He has some time ago sent yr Arms & Paper. The Cards you liked Mr Stubbs got from Cambell. You see how far prejudice may lead one. As you didn’t like what you saw there, I haven’t bought any for you. Your Seal I am ashamed to own Ned has not yet done: but in his behalf I must let you know he has been setting a couple of pictures for me round with diamonds, with a few other little jobs; However I assure you I shall be soon done. In the mean time let not your Friends suffer: put Wafers to yr letters - Yr Buckles I think will hardly be worth making a parcel of, however they shall be immediately sent. -

You tell me bad news of poor Swift. How sorry I am to hear he is lost. I don’t wonder that hw[sic] left you, its very well for a man of Study now & then to fast, but you should make some allowance for man & beast. Your friend Mungo grows as big and rough as a Bear. His first Onset is terrible. He is so rough unless you prepare yourself for his Salute he’ll knock you down.

I cannot conceive how I made a mistake in directing the Picture to you - do send me word. -

I had almost forgot a principal part of my Letter, which is, to tell you if the rough home you met with here was agreeable tis always at yr service. I should have thought an Invitation superfluous, between such Friends as I hope we are, had you not found it necessary to thank me for what’s past. -

For want of room & not inclination to write I conclude with wishing you Fortitude & every good Quality; & I think I can wish you nothing better

W Pars
Percy Street

I cannot tell the day of the month but believe tis somewhere towards the middle of August and some Author says a Letter to be good ought never to see the Daylight, if so mine is a master piece.

Addresses to Mr Town
at Mrs Langworthy’s
Stepcote Hill
Exon

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Notes

Source. Transcription of original MS, made c.1915 by Emily Harriet Buckingham (1853-1923), grand-daughter of Towne's residuary legatee John Herman Merivale (1779-1844). The original MS is untraced; the transcription is in a private collection in England.

Author. William Edmund Pars (1742-1782), a London landscape and portrait painter. Pars studied under William Shipley in the 1750s and later, with his brother Henry, took over Shipley's drawing academy. Under Shipley Pars befriended Richard Cosway and Ozias Humprhy, all of whom also became close to Towne. It is not clear when Towne's friendship with Pars began but the two would have known one another from the time of Towne's London houseshare with Cosway c.1766/1767. Remembering Pars - who died 34 years before Towne - in old age Towne requested that on his death "his 'Roman Drawings' should be deposited with those of his friend Pars in the British Museum". Documents show that Towne knew not only William Pars but his brother Henry, Henry's brother-in-law the wine merchant Samuel Edwards, and Edwards's daughter Doligny.

Date. The letter is undated, but in a postscript Pars states that it is "somewhere towards the middle of August." Pars reached Rome by 21 December 1775 and died there in 1782, so the letter must have been written in or before 1775. The letter can be dated no earlier than 1769, when Pars began using the Percy Street address he mentions below his signature at the end of this letter. 1770 is also discounted as in August Pars was visiting Switzerland with Lord Palmerston.

Address: Mrs Langworthy's, Stepcote Hill, Exon. Mrs Langworthy is unidentified; possibly she is the Mary Langworthy, widow of Exeter, who died in 1768. Stepcote Hill was among the poorest areas of Exeter and Towne's presence there indicates the modesty of his financial situation, reflected also in the text of Pars's letter.

line 15: ye last P of his 10th B of D. Quixote. "I would have thee to know, Sancho, that it is the glory of knights-errant to go without eating for a month, and even when they do eat, that it should be of what comes first to hand; and this would have been clear to thee hadst thou read as many histories as I have, for, though they are very many, among them all I have found no mention made of knights-errant eating, unless by accident or at some sumptuous banquets prepared for them, and the rest of the time they passed in dalliance. And though it is plain they could not do without eating and performing all the other natural functions, because, in fact, they were men like ourselves, it is plain too that, wandering as they did the most part of their lives through woods and wilds and without a cook, their most usual fare would be rustic viands such as those thou now offer me; so that, friend Sancho, let not that distress thee which pleases me, and do not seek to make a new world or pervert knight-errantry."

line 19: Mr Sawney. Josiah Sarney was born in 1739/1740, the son of a farmer from Henley-on-Thames, and became a lifelong friend of Towne. From 1754 to 1761 he was apprenticed to the London coach painter Thomas Brookshead, under whom Towne also studied 1752-1759. In 1769 Sarney married Sara Blackman at St George's, Hanover Square. He is listed in Great Queen Street in 1776, and he is presumably the same Josiah Sarney of Henley who ran a highly successful business as a painter in Bishopsgate Street (a 1789 trade directory lists Fairchild & Sarney, 202 Bishopsgate without), who died in 1818 worth £45,000. At any rate he was alive in 1816, when Towne bequeathed him "fifty Pounds Stock and a Drawing," the work described in probate records as "a Picture a Landscape in water colour Framed". He lived in the High Street, Windsor, from or before 1810.

line 20: Mr Stubbs. George Stubbs (1724-1806), a leading painter, engraver and anatomist. Towne's acquaintance with Stubbs is documented in this letter and in one from Stubbs's friend Cosway, sent in 1779. From 1763 Stubbs lived on Somerset Street, very close to the address Cosway and Towne shared c.1766/1767. Stubbs was also friendly with Towne's friend Ozias Humphry. Stubbs's loyalty to the Society of Artists, of which he was President in 1772/1773, and his difficult relationship with the Royal Academy, mirror Towne's own experiences.

line 20: Cambell. Unidentified, evidently a London stationer.

line 22: Ned. Unidentified, evidently a London metalworker working for the fine art trade.

line 27: poor Swift. Unidentified.

line 29: Your friend Mungo. Unidentified.

lines 34-35: the rough home you met with here. Towne used Pars's Percy Street address when he exhibited at the Society of Artists from 1769 to 1773 and at the 1775 Royal Academy show. As Pars was writing in August after a 'long silence', it may be that his reference to his 'rough home' describes Towne's use of Percy Street for one of these exhibitions, which opened in April or May.

Ozias Humphry to Towne, 10 Feb 1779

Newman Str. Feb. 10. 1779

My dear Friend

I had this moment the pleasure of receiving your letter and take the earliest opportunity to answer it - Whatever pictures you send to me shall be treated with as much care and attention as is possible - & I shall be happy to see you in London - I look forward to the prospect with pleasure.

I am much flattered by your favourable sentiments of me: they would be more grateful to me still if I could persuade myself that I deserved them - remember me to my old Friends Jackson & White tell the latter of these gentlemen I have received his Letter & will send him his portrait in a very little time - I remain with great regard - Dr Sr Yr most faithful
Friend etc

Ozias Humphrey

To Mr Town
in the Fore Str
Exeter.


Notes
Source: Emily Buckingham

Richard Cosway to Towne, 15 Mar 1779

London.
March 15. 1779

Dear Friend

The receipt of your Letter was an agreeable surprise to me for I had realy & in good faith given you up as an incorrigible Promise breaker, however ‘tis never too late to mend - I am very glad to find you have at last come to the resolution of Exhibiting some of your Pictures this year - I cannot help thinking you have been somewhat indiscreet in omitting it so long as you have done. The more excellent a man's works are the more they ought to be seen - if he wishes to obtain Honour or Emolument ['Honour' and 'Emolument' underlined] & they generally accompany each other - pray remember this & be no longer like the Rose in the Wilderness - that blooms to fade unseen & wastes its sweetness in the Desart Air. -

The Pictures are to be sent in for the Exhibition on [?]on beyond the 11th of next month after which time nothing can be admitted.

Stubbs & Miss Spencer desire their compts to you don’t laugh tho’ I believe you will be hardly able to resist when I tell you he has given up horse Painting &c & taken to himself ['taken' and 'himself' underlined] an Idea that he is better qualified to paint History & Portrait which he is now attempting in Enamel ['in Enamel' underlined] on Plates 3 or 4 ft Square. - He is now building a larger Kiln ['Kiln' underlined] in his Stable for burning them - he is also meditating a scheme of painting the inside of St Pauls Church in Enamel ['in Enamel' underlined] - there is a fellow for you - but jokes apart he is all to nothing the most persevering indefatigable man I ever knew. I most sincerely wish he may keep the fruits of his Labour but of this I have my doubts - on many accounts - To tell him so wou’d kill him. - The fact however is this - he has not had a Picture of Horse, Dog or any other Animal bespoke of him these ten months ['these ten months' underlined] - this has put him out of all humour with Horse Painting & I think with great Reason. There is but one Cause to which I can attribute it, which is that every Man of Fashion allmost is absolutely ruin’d ['ruin'd' underlined] - there was never known in the memory of man such a Universal Wreck - in short Luxury & Extravagance has totally undone the Age. the men are all turn’d Sharper & all the Women Wh....res... this melancholy truth is but too too too well known to your very sincere friend

R Cosway

PS.
Pray given me a line of information when you intend visiting London - which will give me Pleasure - I long to have some of our old Laughs ['Laughs' underlined] over again - I am sorry to tell you poor Mortimer is no more. He died the Day on which he wou’d have been elected Academician had he liv’d-

Mr Towne
Fore Str
Exeter.

James White to Towne, 27 Nov 1780

Exeter. Nov 27th 1780

It is with very great pleasure that I sit down to answer your letters, both of which I receiv’d in due time, and the last of them a few days since. - It is not enough barely to thank you for them, for that would be only doing what is usually done for any common uninteresting Epistle, your's are of a very different Nature. In short I think I can scarcely give you a more proper Idea that I entertain of them, or the Pleasure which all your Friends have received from them, to whom I have communicated their contents, than the Opinion which Mr Jackson formed of them, particularly your first letter that it was one of the best he had ever read - that it gave him a truer Idea of the Countries you travelled through, and the manner of travelling through them than he had ever conceived before and he gave me most Express orders to tell you that you had nothing to do but go on in the way you had set out, to make the Expedition pleasing to yourself and most entertaining to all your friends and Acquaintances. I can assure you that you are not forgotten by them, they all make the most affectionate enquiries after you and receive the good accounts which I have been able to give them with unfeign’d Pleasure. It is but Justice to the Character which you have establis'd here to inform you that your Friends entertain the highest regard for you, & that your loss as a master of your Profession is consider’d as irreparable. It is the knowledge of having acquired such Genuine Esteem with the consciousness of having endeavoured to deserve it, that makes one of the greatest & purest enjoyments of human life. Long may you continue your Pursuits and long may you enjoy the Rewards of them!

While you are perpetually sollicited by new Objects of attention and feel your mind almost overwhelm’d by the magical scenes that have continually surrounded you - we remain in the same dull spot, treading the same beaten Track - living and seeing the same to day as yesterday without a Hope of tomorrow’s being in the least different from Today. Why should you not know that you may enjoy the difference of Situation if it were only respecting the Climate. - You have seen the gloomy month of November in England - I am now writing by the Fire Side, immediately after dinner - and tho’ but jsut three o’clock I can scarcely see the words that I am writing for the gloomy Fog in which we are involved, therefore if there should be anything remarkably stupid in this letter, your friendly Charity will of course impute it more to the unfavourableness of the Weather, than the want of ability or inclination to amuse you. - Indeed with the utmost stretch of my attention I can hardly tell upon what subjects to write to you - you will naturally wish to be transported hither for a few minutes to know how we Employ ourselves - But when I think of telling you that our Concerts are begun, that our music is Excellent and our Company numerous and brilliant - my Spirit is damp’d in a moment by the thought of where you are, what you hear & what you see in Public - and when I would write you that we have our little weekly meetings at Mr Louis’s - Mr Granger’s - Mr Ragueneau’s and Mr Jackson’s (who all think and talk of you & still fancy they see you making one in the party) I am instantly stopp’d by the Recollection of the Difference of your Conversazioni which reduce our’s to mere Insignificance. As to Painting, you know this is no Place for it - but Mr Downman is again with us and keeps his Branch of the Art alive and flourishing - I gave him the Drawing you left with me for that Purpose, which he received with the greatest Pleasure and Satisfaction. He desires to be particularly remember’d to you and so does Mr & Mrs & Miss A. B. C. D. E. and as many different Persons as there are Letters in the Alphabet. - that is to say all you old Acquaintances, who are I think just as you left them all, except that Mr & Mrs Noguier who have been both very strong in their Expressions of Regard for you, but who are now in a most melancholy situation - He being extremely ill with the black Jaundice which has reduced him to almost a Skeleton and Poor Mrs Noguier had a most violent Seizure last week of the Paralytic kind, which deprived her several days of her Speech & Senses. Today I find she is somewhat better & has spoke several times, but there seems to be but little hope of her Recovery. - I shou’d have been much more pleased if I could have sent you no news but of the most comfortable Sort, but I know you are always so much interested both in the Welfare & misfortunes of your Friends that you wou’d wish to be informed of their true & real Situation. My Sister is just return’d from the Hot Wells at Bristol & has receiv’d all the Benefit from her Expedition & drinking the Water there, that tis possible to imagine [space indicating illegible words] It seems to me to be such an Age since you left us that I hardly know what news to think of telling you, however it will be no news to tell you that I am your Sincere Friend

James White.

Do let me know if this comes safe to your hands & write as often as you can.

A Montr
Monsieur Towne
a la Caffé d’Angleterre
Piazza d’Espagna
Rome.

Nov 27 1780.

James White to Towne, 12 Mar 1781

Exeter March 12. 1781

Your last letter came safe to hand and was equally pleasing and amusing to me and your other Friends with the last. it would be taking up your time to very little Purpose if I was to tell you the variety of little as well as great Business which has prevented my answering it till now. You may easily imagine that the latter part of your letter could not be displeasing to me as it gives me the Hope of seeing you again soon, a Pleasure which I am sure you will not suppose me indifferent to - but at the same time if you see with the same eyes that I do I think you will find sufficient reasons for making your Absence longer than you hint at in your letters - In the first place you have by this time got the better of the principal Difficulties that attended your Tour - you must not only have acquired a fluency of Expression in those languages which were necessary but you must in a great measure become sufficiently habituated to the manner of life that Artists when travelling are obliged to accustom themselves to, and which at first must be rather awkward & inconvenient to them - You are in the next Place in the very Country where you ought to spend as much Time as possible upon every account and where the wonders of Both Art and Nature cannot be properly and thoroughly examined in a very short time - add to this the present Situation of Artists in England - all of them, but particularly those in your line, complaining of the little encouragement which is given to them.

Possibly we may see the Olive Branch supplant the Sword and feel all the blessings of Peace ‘tis then only that the Arts will flourish and flourish with redoubled Vigour. If therefore you can with any Convenience to yourself prolong your Tour I shou’d sincerely advise you to do so. Whenever you return, if you shall condescend to make Exeter your abode I believe you will find all its inhabitants nearly the same as you left them. There has been no Person as yet to fill the Vacancy your absence occasioned nor do I hear of the least Probability of any Master coming hither to supply your Place. All that I have said above to persuade you to stay longer than you intended is arguing to my own loss as you well know how much I should rejoice to see you, but I have thoroughly considered the matter and it appears to me so advantageous and I shou’d imagine so pleasant to yourself that I could not satisfy myself without giving you my sincere opinion on the Subject leaving you to act in such a manner as shall appear most prudent & advisable to yourself - Mr Downman is still here and as much employed as ever - he desires to very particularly remember’d to you as do all your old Friends and Acquaintances. One of them indeed we have lost since I last wrote - Mr Noguier - who used to make frequent enquiries about you and was really much interested in your Welfare - All the Rest are just the same as they were - Possibly the newspapers may reach Rome & you may have seen some account of our Friend Mr Jackson’s Success at Drury Lane - but as it is also possible you may still be a Stranger to it and as it is far from being an unpleasant subject I shall proceed to give you some Particulars which I hope will afford you some entertainment - There was a Comic Opera called "The Lord of the Manor" written by a Person of high Fashion and Rank as a man of letters (suppos’d to be Genl Burgoyne) which Sheridan sent about Six months ago to Mr Jackson desiring him to give his Opinion of the words and if he approv’d of them to set them to Music - He was much pleas’d with the Opera and set immediately to work - in a Short time he had completed his Composition and went to London where it was immediately put into rehearsal and performed with amazing applause - the Consequence of which was that our Friend experienc'd a very considerable acquisition of Profit as well as of Fame - That you may be able to judge somewhat for yourself how well the words were adapted to Mr Jackson’s peculiar Talents, I think I cannot do better than transcribe a couple of the songs for your satisfaction. The first is sung by a Lady, the Second by a Gentleman.

‘Rest beauteous Flower & bloom anew
To court my passing Love
Glow in his Eye with brighter blue
And all thy Form improve -
And while thy belmy Odours steal
To meet his equal Breath
Let thy soft Blush for mine revealed
The imprinted Kiss beneath. -’
_______________________________

‘Encompased in an Angel’s Frame
An Angel’s Virtues lay
Too soon did Heaven assert its claim
And called its own away
My Anna’s worth my Anna’s charms
Oh! never can retain!
What now shall fill these widow’s arms?
Ah! me, my Anna’s Urn!’ -
_______________________________

I wish I cou'd as easily send you the Music with which the Audience was so delighted that the songs were encored in the most amazing manner. - I must now bid you Adieu - but my Sister would never forgive me if I did not join her best wishes with those of

Yr affectionate friend
James White

A
Monsr Towne
à La Caffé d’Angleterre
Piazza d’Espagna
Rome

[Emily Buckingham's commentary:"note by Mr Towne on outer cover"] Rece’d April 3.

Ozias Humphry to Towne, 17 Apr 1781

Newman Str Ap 17th 1781

Dear Towne

I rec’d the favor of your obliging Letter from Rome giving me a long Account of your Journey thither wch must have been delightful to you. Whilst you were rioting in all the luxuries of those Scenes I was amusing myself with my friends in Devonshire. Tho we have prospects there that are rich & for English Scenes very extensive, how wretched & limited they seem compared with what you see from the Convent above the lake of Albano? or how infinitely small compared with those from Monte Cavo still higher up? What villa there can be named with Monte Dragone at Frascati - and the Villa Braccione? Where are there Waterfalls like that at Tivoli ornamented with such an exquisite & classical Fragment as the Temple, & the ruins of Mecaenas' Villa? Again so near the Villa d’Este & the stupendous ruins of that of Adrian? from what Earthly Situation can be seen a sight so awful as that from the Capital Tower? on one side ruins of those massy Structures of the Tyrants & Sovereigns of the World - & on the other the no less magnificent Buildings of modern Rome. How my heart throbs when I reflect on them? What again can be grander than the Scene from the front of St Pietro Montorio a bare Catalogue of the Objects of wch must warm the most indifferent Reader - I must have done - this I scrawl in Newman Str at my Breakfast whilst my tea is cooling Perhaps you will be more amus’d to know that Mr West & family are well - Paines do & all Friends I have just bought ten volumes more of Piranesi’s Antiquities of Rome that nothing of them may be forgotten Our Exhibition will open on May Day shall I anticipate the contents to you? Sr Joshua will exhibit his Death of Dido. Hon Lady Waldegrave half length a figure of Thais from the last Stanza of Dryden’s Alexander’s Feast, with a Flambeau in Zeal to destroy when like another Helen she fired another Troy - Mr West sends an immensely large picture of Christ healing the Sick - for Windsor - Banks his Cupid - a Colossal Head of Hume & a model of the Princess made in Terra. Mr Gainsborough portraits of the King & Queen and many others. Farrington an immense Landskip, a view of the lakes in Cumberland which I hear very great accts of. Poor Wilson is utterly incapable indeed he moves about the Street an awful lesson to every intemperate Artist. Mrs Cosway sends many things that will do her great credit. Stubbs sends the largest Enamel picture of fighting Horses that probably ever was painted - Gainsborough will likewise have many Landskips I beg to be kindly remembered to Day - Pars - Jones - & all Friends in Rome - pray tell the former that his pictures that he sent me do him great credit I wish to hear from him very much but much want to see him in England. I shall esteem it a great favour if you will be so obliging as to bring me three or four pounds of Black Italian Chalk but pray take care that it is really good, smooth & Black because we have an indifferent sort in great abundance here -

I remain with very best wishes for your health & prosperity

Your very sincere friend
Ozias Humphrey

a
Monsieur Towne
au Café Anglois
a Rome
en Italie

James White to Towne, 4 May 1781

Exeter May 4 1781

Once more I take up my Pen to thank you for the Great Entertainment which your last letter gave me. I take it for granted that our Letters met upon the Road possibly upon the Alps - those wonderful Mountains of whose Form & Magnitude I trust I shall have a perfect Idea when you return & lay your Sketches before me For I cannot help fancying that your Present Tour is only a Welch Expedition upon a grander Scale, and that your daily & hourly Employments are of the same Kind as when we were travelling together - Possibly you may have met with some Companion by this Time, who Inclination and Disposition may sometimes call to your Remembrance your absent English Friends - If my last letter has come to your Hands, tis probable my Arguments for your extending the Time of your Return may have had some weight but whether they shou'd be attended to or not, you alone must be the Judge; however I cannot help saying that my Opinion remains unaltered. - All your Friends here are quite delighted with the accounts you give of your Expedition which you know is the principal Pleasure they can receive - till your Return when your Drawings and Descriptions will go hand in hand together and mutually illustrate & explain one another. - I am fully persuaded you have done yourself great service by being so particular in your Journal. It is the only method to gain that Impression which every object shou’d make on you, and which will continue equally strong and clear in you during the Whole of Life. By this means you may at any time renew your Travels and taking all the pleasantest parts of your Expedition, live over again almost every minute of that Time which has been so delightful to you in the Passing. What surprizes me most is to think how indefatigable you must have been in every respect, not only to have attended to the more immediate objects of your Pursuit with so much Care as I am satisfied you must have done - but that in the midst of such rapid Travelling & thro’ Countries where every object was new to you shou’d have found the Time and Resolution to keep so exact an account of your Proceedings. - By the way your Journey hitherto has been much more extensive than I imagin'd it had been ‘till I received your last letter. I had not the least Idea of your having taken Geneva in your Way to Rome - but I am very glad you did so, as I shou’d think the Expedition from Lyons thither must have been as fine a Part of your Tour as any you have gone through. - With us it has been as forward & delightful a Spring as I ever remember & if there is that real difference of Climate between England and Italy, which we are taught to believe you must long ere now have enjoyed all the coolness of Frascati & Tivoli, studying the beauties of their Woods & Rocks & Waters with all the Genius & under the immediate Influence of Gaspar himself. While you are thus enjoying yourself amid such delicious Scenes I have been immersed in all the tumult & Confusion of contested Elections - I just mention this Circumstance that you may compare the Situation & be thankful for the difference of your Employment [space, indicating illegible words]

From yr affectionately & Sincerely
James White

A Montr
Monsieur Towne
a la Caffé d’Angleterre
Piazza d’Espagna
Rome

Edward Drewe to Towne [1781-1793]

Fryday morning

Sir

I must again express to you the Pleasure I rec’d from yr Views of Rome. If I declined entering into that historical Investigation you might have expected, it arose from my Perfect Knowledge of that History on which I founded my Military Principles and from my Delight in finding myself in Old Rome by the text & comment of yr Pencil. Tho no Painter I am a lover of Painting. I remember when I was last in Europe you hinted to me the favourable opinion of Mr Parr, form’d by some Subjects I had given him for History Pieces. The Compliment is perhaps (tho flattering) yet too much so, yet it encouraged me to beg a sight of yr other Sketches whenever you can shew them to me without Delay or Interruption, & be assured where I see truth and Nature I shall be contented, and not like the cobler who having properly found fault with the Sandal of the Venus of Apelles, forfeited his fame by making objections to her Instep. I shall not be the Sutor ultra Crepidan, but I beg to be, Sir yr most obedient servt

E. Drewe Jun:

John Graves Simcoe to Towne [1780s]

Wolford Lodge, March 3d 1780

My dear Sir

Nothing but the rheumatism prevented me from fulfilling my Intention of seeing you in Exeter before you left the Country, & of personally solliciting the favour which I now do by letter: it is in consequence of a request from a Friend of mine at Capel in Germany, at a leisure Time, to let me know the Price of the undermentioned Prints: I think I lately saw Mrs Ryland advertize that she had the Scarce ones for sale. - I deferred giving you the trouble, till I was certainly determin’d not to visit the Capital this Winter and I flatter myself that you will pardon the liberty I take in this Request. The Prints are The Battle of the Hogue, the Boyne, & the Death of Genl Wolfe, & Orpheus & Eurydice, Jupiter & Calisto engraved by Burke à la manière de Crayon. My wife joins me in best Compts to you. At my request she has drawn the landscape & attempted to draw Brutus in his appeal to the Gods against the perfidy of Antony as described in Plutarch but she wants your Assistance to assure her in her attempts. At all times we shall be happy to see you & I am with great esteem

Your faithful &
J Graves Simcoe

I have sent you a draft on Lisle Street as more convenient to what I apprehend is your Residence

Arthur Champernowne to Towne, 20 Mar 1786

Arras. March 20 1786

Be so good as to excuse this Scrall as I am obliged to write in a hurry -

Sir
As there is an English Gentleman going from this place to London, I trouble you to chuse me a dozen of the best Camelshair pencils of different sizes, & a half a dozen black led sliding ones: if you will be so good as to have them made up & directed to me I shall take it as a great favour, & to save you any farther trouble someone will call on you for them from a Merchant here who has all the custom of the English as he smuggles great quantities of contraband goods. -

I have long intended writing to you to give you an account of my travels hitherto. You will say indeed I have not proceeded far. We crossed from Dover to Calais in about four hours. Were persuaded by a Lady in the Paquet to come here instead of Lisle where there are so many English that we should never have learn't French as not one of them keeps any French Company. Were very gay here for about a fortnight while the Parliament (as they call it) met. This is the freest of all the Provinces in France They have no Farmers General and are not taxed so much as the rest. During last Summer We went to Lisle, Ghent, Antwerp and Brussels. Lisle is a very regular well-built Town. The Rue Royale a mile long, the fortifications the finest in Europe. - Ghent is not so well built but is I believe larger than Lisle. The Emperor has lately destroyed the fortifications. Saw many very fine pictures by Rubens and all the Dutch and Flemish Painters. Bought some very pretty Sea pieces, two battles by Brydell etc. Observed in how great a degree the dirt and filth of the French decreased the nearer we came to Holland. Antwerp is a very pretty town. The tower very beautiful. The pictures very fine, especially the raising the Cross in the Church of the Saint Sepulchre. Saw many private Collections which are very fine. Went down the Scheld to Lillo which is now destroyed the Dutch having ceded it to the Emperor together with a handsome bribe. The view from the River very fine as we could see nothing but banks of mud with half starved yaffers grazing thereon A melancholy sight to see a river so well calculated for trade destitute of ships The road from Antwerp to Brussels very beautiful for a flat Country. Went a league in a Coche d'eau before we came to Brussels. After seeing Brussels all the other towns vanish from my thoughts. The buildings and the toute ensemble as the French saw is superbe, particularly the Park. but not to bastardize the English language with any more French words I will only tell you that I shall continue my journey thro' Germany. Shall be very happy to hear from you any hints about travelling down the Rhine & thro' Germany which will greatly oblige. Sir your most obedient
humble Servant
Ar Champernowne.

You will oblige me by shewing Some of your drawings to the Bearer an Officer in Col Simco's Regiment. My Father's best Compliments

James White to Towne, 8 July 1786

Exeter July 8th 1786. -

My dear Sir,

The daily Expectation of seeing you for some time past is the only Reason for my not having written to you sooner - but as your Business may detain you longer than you expected I risk these few lines just to inform you that yesterday Mr Merivale & I fixed the plan of our Northern Expedition in which we Both most heartily wish to have you for a Companion, the Sketch of which follows -

We intend to set out from hence either the first or second week in August most likely the first - to go in the Common Carriages from hence through Bristol Birmingham & c to Manchester, and to stay there a couple of Days, where you may meet us if it shou'd be more convenient to you to go from London than to set out from hence, all together. Afterward to pursue our Adventures either in Diligences on Horseback or on Foot, just as we find agreeable - I shall take Richard with me, and we propose to be absent about ‘Five’ Weeks Do let me hear from you by the Return of the Post that we may be able to settle the Plan more thoroughly - If you should see Mr & Mrs Calamy before you leave Town do remember me to them both most kindly and say that I am very glad to hear so good an account of them as I lately did from Mr Barblett. Remember me also to Mr Downman & believe me to be your affectionate Friend

James White

To Mr Towne
No 79 St James’ Street
London

F Eleanora Louis to Towne, 25 Jan 1794

Drumsheugh, 25 Jan. 1794

Dear Sir

I am much obliged to you for your letter & kind congratulations on my Sister’s marriage an event which cannot fail of affording me the sincerest satisfaction as she has so great a prospect of happines in her union with so worthy & excellent a man as Mr Woollcombe for whom I have the most perfect regard & respect, & I feel it an additional pleasure in the general approbation of all our friends on this occasion. - I mean’t to have thank’d you for your letter before, but I have been prevented by a variety of engagements which have occur’d since Lady Grace & Mr Douglas have been with us, & I am not always Mistress of my own time. I think however you will do me the justice to believe that I am never insensible to the Attentions of my friends which are always most flattering. I was highly entertained by the account you was so obliging as to give me of the several Excursions you made thro’ Kent & Devon in the course of the last Summer. My partiality for the latter County increases I believe in proportion as I am absent from it. I see nothing but what seems to sink in comparison with it, tho’ our last Summer Excursion presented many scenes to my view perfectly new to me & beautiful in their kind & I daresay would have been wholly gratifying to people of taste & judgement. I do not pretend to much in either in spite of what your politeness would attribute to me, & could I have supposed that my imperfect descriptions would have fallen into the hands of so Great a Connoisseur I am sure I should have felt great diffidence endeavouring to describe my tour. I feel all my obligations to your polite indulgence, & am confirm’d in my opinion that nobody can put people in better humour with themselves than Mr Towne. We are not[sic] preparing for an Excursion infinitely more interesting to my feelings & I have reason to hope that a very short time will bring me at least 400 miles nearer to my friends, & that before I return to Scotland I shall have the happiness of seeing my friends in Devonshire. I may thank the present times for this gratification for nothing else would I believe have drawn Lord Moray from home, to which he becomes more attached every year. ‘Tis an ill wind that blows nobody good" - We have had our Share of Alarms here, & a few seditious Gentlemen have been tried & condemned to pass the next 14 years in Botany Bay, where I hope they will have all the amusements they can expect from the desire they have manifested to go there. - Their Adherents threaten’d loudly to pull down the Prison, & to avenge their worthy Leaders - but their attempts have been fruitless, & many of them have been doom’d to a temporary confinement. The Town is perfectly quiet & I understand the number of the Seditious are so few, & they are so despicable that there is nothing to fear. I beg to be kindly remember’d to all friends and to assure you that I am dear Sir

Your much obliged friend & faithful Servant
F. Louis

To
Mr Towne
Exeter.

Towne to Richard Cosway, 21 Dec 1800

[side one, left]
To ['To' underlined]
Richard Cosway Esq
Stratford Place
Oxford Street [to the right of 'Street' is stamped "EXETER"]
London
[this sheet has been folded into an envelope and closed with a seal; to the left of the seal is a printed postmark, in a circle: "A / DEC23 / 1800"; to its right is the name "F.Towne", not in Towne's hand]

[side one, right]
St Peters Church Yard
Dear Cosway Exeter Decr. 21st. 1800

I hope you have enjoyed your health since
I last saw you, & that you availed yourself with
a change of Scene, the last summer, which was
certainly a fine one, I have done myself the plea
-sure of sending you a Turkey, & pot of Devonshire
cream, this morning by the Balloon Coach, which
goes from the Hotel Exeter, & Inn's at the Saracens-
Head, Snow hill, & should be delivered at your
House tomorrow, I hope that you will receive
'em safe, & that they will prove to be of the very best.
I shall be glad to hear from you as soon as
you can, & likewise to hear from you the
present state of the Arts, & Artists, in these
times as tis but too true that I never saw or
knew such before, every necessary article of
Life is so raised here, that its not to be be-
-lieved but by those only who know the fact,
& where it will end God knows) I came down
to Exeter the latter end of last July - and

[side two, left]
& excepting one day, have remained here ever since,
but I want a change of scene, I intend being in
London sometime in March next, I desire to
be remembered to Mrs. Cosway in the kindest
manner, & wish you both a happy new year
when it comes, remaining your sincere
Friend
Francis Towne

Towne to Ozias Humphry, 23 Nov 1803

Exeter
Novr. 23. 1803

My dear Friend

I had your letter this morning just as I was ['painting' crossed out] sitting down to paint on a picture, I shall bring to London with me when I come, which may be about Christmas or a little ['later' crossed out] after, I could not sleep till I had done myself the pleasure of writing you an answer. Give me leave to return you my thanks for your vote at the election of associates and for your friendship which you have shown me, but you call me a provincial drawing master!! ['provincial drawing master!!' underlined] you will permit me in answer to this to give some account of myself, at fourteen years of age I began to paint in oil, before I was twenty I had the premium for the best drawing of landscape, at the Arts and Sciences after that I set out in the great World, & painted several views from drawings after nature, and some of these pictures were of a large size, I was an Exhibitor at an early period, and if I had gone over to those of my friends who had joined the party which afterwards formed the Royal Academy I might at that time been one of them after this Sir Wm Chambers who had said some handsome things of my pictures said I should have his vote to become a member of that body, this he told a particular friend of mine, after this time I went to Italy, its now twenty two ['two' inserted from above] years since my return to England

I had yearly Lodgings in London, Piccadilly and in St James' Street for six or seven years & London was then my home, After that I rented by the year, apartments in Leicester Square for near seven years, at both of these I lived from the month of February, to August, and sometimes to the end of October before I went out of Town (I hope you will allow a Landscape painter to see nature sometime in the year) London is now my only home, I have only a Lodging by the Week in Exeter, as long as I stay.

Therefore if any person but yourself were to direct or call me a Drawing Master I should tell them that my profession is that of a landscape painter, I beg leave to make another Observation that is I never in my life Exhibited a Drawing ['Exhibited' and 'Drawing' underlined]

I called on twenty nine of the Academicians and the answer I had at the houses of those whom I did not see, was that they were gone into the country, for three & two of them for six months, so I find they do business in the country as well as London.

I never asked a Favour of any man in my life and after what I have troubled you with in the short account of myself, you must give up calling me a provincial Drawing Master ['provincial Drawing Master' underlined].

I never meant not intended to go through life but professing myself a Landscape Painter ['Landscape Painter' underlined].

I know very well what is going forward with Artists in London, I have the satisfaction know that I have as many material.... My profession as any artist, my past.... And present Industry, is one of the great.... I have to say of myself, as a professional Man. I should not have troubled you with talking of myself, but that I confide in your wishes for my welfare, and success, having come to the end of my paper I will now conclude by wishing you health and happiness remaining

Yr most truly

Francis Towne

P.S. I will thank you the first time you see....

Towne to James White, Mar 1815

[side one, left]
To / James White Esq.-
North Street
Exeter

[side one, right]
31 Devonshire Street
My Dear Friend March Portland Place
London
I received your letter the 28th of last Month
I am sorry to hear of the accident you met with
but I hope you will soon be perfectly well again
& have no Gout to follow it, I went Yesterday
& bought Miss Podgers Sixteenth share in the
ensuing Lottery, at Richardsons; Goodluck & Co
Charing-Cross the No of the Ticket is 14m776 I
fixed on a high number as she desired & I
hope to wish her joy of the two drawn [?]Blanks
the first Da[y], such will receive 1,000 Guineas in
Gold!! I p[ai]d for the Sixteenth, one pound
Ten shilli[n]gs, so that I have now remaining
of your mo[n]ey in my hands, three pounds
nine Shill[i]ngs. There is an Exhibition
of Lucien [Buo]napartes Pictures for sale by private
contract [...................]Gallery No 60 Pall Mall
[..................................]Gallery Admittance one Shillg
[...............................E]ighteen pence, the number
make 19[..................]set out with an intention
to be sold [as one] Lot, but now they allow the
Collection itself to be separated, this Exhibition
will close the beginning of next August.---

[side two, left]
So that it will be open when you come to London,
in this Collection there is a great variety, many
Pictures of the Italian Schools, but my own opinion
is that there are some good Pictures, but no capital
ones. The Exhibition of Pictures at the British
Gallery is now open to the Publick I have two Pictures
in it, the one is a view near Whitestone looking
towards the River Exe, the other is the Fall of
the Cayne in Merionethshire, both of which you
have seen; tho’ not since they have been finished
when the Exhibition closes, the Rooms are to
be hung with most splendid Crimson velvet
the expense will be several hunderd pounds
& in May next, its to open with the most
Capital Pictures of the Flemish & Dutch
Schools, that are in England, the Prince
is to send thirteen Pictures, & the celebrated
Picture of Silenus from Blenheim, &c its
imagined the Rooms [.........] crowded from
morning till night [...............] since I saw a
very fine Picture of the [..........Parm]igiano
Sharp is now engrav[ing.............................] the
Grand Altar-piece of Fra[ncesco Ba]rbieri called
Guarcino da Cento, from the Church of St Grisogano
at Rome; a most magnificent Picture indeed, in point
of effect & splendour of colouring, this subject

[side two, right]
Represents the Apotheosis of St Grisogano who is habited
in the costume of a Soldier, & who like St Sebastian had
also become a Martyr to the Christian Religion, when I
paid my attention to it (which I did for an hour) I was
struck with wonder, it displays the great school in
the highest degree, the drawing & colouring are
especially fine, the light striking on the figures of
the two angels, in the clouds passes on to the principal
figure & is carried across the Picture in a great Style
of Historical Painting, this Picture is 16 high by 91/2
feet broad, its said they ask 6000 pounds for this
picture, what vast intellectual powers must
such an artist possess, to invent, put together,
& execute so great a work as this Picture [.....]
is, & when I [re]flect I am lost in Wonder, [...]
Italien Scho[o]ls are of a much higher Gusto
in regard to [t]he fine works of art, than any
other, & requ[ire] a much deeper knowledge of
the highest [wa]lk of Art, for which reason they
are not [.................................] the Dutch & Flemish
P[ainters...................... gener]ally of a more familiar
[............................................] case th[e] generality
of [......................................] believe by this time tired
you therefo[re] coming to the end of my paper
with my kindest remembrances to Miss Podger
I remain yr most sincere & affectionate
Friend Francis Towne
PS - the bordered
parts of this letter
read afterwards

[The following five-part postscript written in the margins of the paper]

[left margin of side one, right]
The high Opinion I have always entertained of your taste & judgement in the fine Arts, has
led me to make the following observation, that is the two Pictures I have mentioned in this
Letter, first that [?]by Parmigiano I saw at Harris’s Room in Bond Street & with not a single human
being in the Room but myself, I therefore indulged myself with time, & all my attention to it, the
Picture of Guicino I did the same thing, except here was a Gentleman who I found had travelled
w[ho] flattered & thanked me in the politest manner for the remarks which I
made to him
& this
I practise
when
ever #
# I [?]would
wish to
see & b

[top margin of side one, right]
b such Stupendous works of Art as these two Pictures, & as its my
greatest wish to improve my judgement, I give it to you
on terms the most sincere
without the opinions of others but not so to other people as I have
ever been cautious - to say as little on the sub-
- ject as I can & this I have found highly necessary to
do therefore you may depend 1

[bottom margin of side one, right]
1 on my opinions to [y]ou are always sincerely given & the warmth
with which I h[ave] expressed them is the natural feelings I have 2

[left margin of side two, left]
2 Been impressed with, Living as I do in the greatest City in the World, I have an opportunity which
I am gratified in seeing some of the finest productions of art which leaves me nothing more to wish
for in a professional light in regard to my Situation, & whenever I have given you what
I have thought of works of art its been with that sincere intention that you
should have as much pleasure as myself 3

[left margin of side two, right]
3 I hope some time or other you will see these two Pictures, there is so much depends
[?]upon that the habits of the blind should be keept in motion; as well as the bodily
habits or else they both are too apt to rust - Adieu

Towne to James White [6 July 1816]

[side one, left]
To / James White Esqr.
North Street
Exeter

[side one, right]
[N]o31, Devonshire Street
[...]6 Portland Place
London.

My D[ear ?Friend]
[...................................]d by this time that you
& Miss [Podger a]rrived, & I hope safe & well,
the ackn[owledgeme]nt of the pleasure I had on
Tuesday, [?will be al]ways in my mind, & the [...]
weather w[as...] the enjoyment perfect,
the next day [& t]he following was bad & great
quantity of Rac[...], I got to Hounslow after [?and]
parted in good [t]ime, & set off directly, the driver
I had set out at a furious rate & continued
it some distance, & whether it was owing to
that, or to any sudden jolt, I found a diffi
culty in making water, indeed I had a little
between Salt Hill & Hounslow, but when I
came into Hyde Park, I could not make any,
after arriving at my House, I took a little walk
eat my supper, & went to bed, but not the
least sleep, & the most excuciating pain
I ever felt in my life the whole night.

[side two, left]
Early in the morning [.......] Mr Gilder, who
sent me some medice[n ..........]ock came with
a Gentleman who is [.............] foot Guards,
who has an[..................................] intends
& must have had gre[..................] with the
Catheter drew the urine [.......bla]dder, which
eased me from the pain [........] & at night, he
did the same & I shall [.........]ght of it, this
morning he has repeated it [....] is coagulated
blood as there is an obstru[cti]on at the neck of
the bladder, which seems to have had some
injury, whether from any sudden jolt there
is no saying, but I remember the driver as
I have said before setting off at such a rate, tho'
at the time I do not remember to have felt any
thing, I keep myself quiet & drink only Barley
Water, & take my medicens generally every
three hours, I thought I should do right in not
keeping this from your knowledge, at the
time I am writing this the weather seems

[side two, right]
To be gettin[g...............] will remember me
most kin[dly to Miss P]odger, & tell her how
much [..............................]d to her for the
goo[d......................sh]e gave me in regard to
my [.........?plea]sure of her company during
[.........................]London, & now believe me
when [.............]st affectionately your
sincere [........]
Francis Towne

Mr Carr who has been sitting with me
& is just go[n]e, desires his Compliments
to you & Miss Podger.