Volume 1

The Farington diary / edited by James Greig.

  • Farington, Joseph, 1747-1821.
Date:
[1922?-1928]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

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

    110/464 (page 68)
    to American Ambassador], who said if matters are accommodated with America He may stay some time. August 14.—At 8 this morning went with C. Offley [wine merchant] to the Green Man Blackheath. After breakfast went to the Observatory where on my mentioning Mr. Dowsinss name, Dr. Maskelyline [Nevil Maskelyne, Astronomer Royal] shewed me the Camera at the top of the Observatory. Finding it wd. answer to me to trace the outline of the view of London from it, I procured the Doctors leave. Mr. Frazer assisted me in managing the Camera. Mr. Newton [R.A.], late Secretary of the Academy, died. He had dined with some magistrates in the neighbourhood of his House at Barton, in Somersetshire, and was a little affected by liquor, but on coming to his carriage He found his servants much more so, which caused him to put them into the carriage and He mounted the Coach Box. The night was very wet and He neglected when [he] got home to use any precautions against cold, the consequence was an immediate fever which killed him in two days. August 18.—Went this morning to Lambeth & from the top of the [Church] Steeple begun a view of London. August 19.—Rigaud is to have £300 for the four Fresco paintings in the Common Council room. Hamilton had £200 each for two of the Shakespeare pictures which He painted of the size 9 feet by J,—but the Alderman thought it too much and expected Smirke wd. only expect 150 for the Hearnes Oak & Gadshill.—In the evening I communicated to Smirke the above, & He was satisfied to settle the matter on terms satisfactory to the Alderman, but the picture of Sly cost him much trouble, & I said He was entitled to £200 for that. August 20.—Bowyer wrote to Smirke expressing a wish that Heath should undertake the plates of Charles the 2d. in the Forest.—I said it could not be better executed by anybody. August 28. —Left Lynn at 5 this morning in the Post Coach> breakfasted at Brandon, & dined at Harlowe, and arrived in London at 8 o’clock. The fare of the Coach £1 10s. od. August 31.—Dr. Matthews [physician and poet], and his Son, who He has brought tp London for advice, breakfasted with me. He recommends making two volumes of the Severn & Wye. He mentioned Combe, who married in the year 1776, the year in which Dr. Matthews went to Edinburgh. He thinks the style of [Combe’s] the History of the Thames too flowery, and that incidental compliments to individual persons in a work of such a nature is injudicious. Dr. Matthews thinks Mr. [Uvedale] Prices book [Essays on the Picturesque] is written with information & spirit. He thinks very moderately of Mr. Knights [“ The Landscape ”], which is a Didactic