shall do somthing near what you propose. Your c[a]utioning me against doing anything from fancy I take very kind, being sensable of the necessity of attending to Nature as the fountain head of all perfection, and the works of the great Masters as so many guides that lead to the more perfect imitation of her, pointing out to us in what she is to be coppied, and where we should deviate from her. In this Country as You rightly observe there is no examples of Art, except what is to [be] met with in a few prints indiferently exicuted, from which it is not possable to learn much, and must greatly inhanch the Value of free and unreserved Criticism made with judgment and Candor.

It would give me inexpressable pleasure to make a trip to Europe, where I should see those fair examples of art that have stood so long the admiration of all the world. the Paintings, Sculptors and Basso Releivos that adourn Italy, and which You have had the pleasure of making Your Studies from would, I am sure, annimate my pencil, and inable me to acquire that bold free and gracefull stile of Painting that will, if ever, come much slower from the mere dictates of Nature, which has hither too been my only instructor. I was allmost tempted the last year to take a tour to Philadelphia, and that chiefly to see some of Your Pictures, which I am informd are there. I think myself peculiarly unlucky in Liveing in a place into which there has not been one portrait brought that is worthy to be call'd a Picture within my memory, which leaves me at a great loss to gess the stile that You, Mr. Renolds, and the other Artists pracktice. I shall be glad when you write next you will be more explicit on the article of Crayons, and why You dis[ap]prove the use of them, for I think my best portraits done in that way. and be kind anough to inform me what Count Allgarotti1

1 Francesco, Count Algarotti (1712-1764), author of Letters upon Painting.

means by the five points that he recommends for amusement and to assist the invention of postures, and weither any prints after Corregios or Titianos are to be purchased. I fear I shall tire Your patience and mak you repent your wrighting to one who makes so many requests in one letter.

But I shall be exceeding glad to know in general what the present state of Painting in Italy is, weither the Living Masters are excellent as the Dead have been. it is not possable my curiossity can be sattisfied in this by any Body but Yourself, not having any corraspondance with any whose judgment is sufficent to sattisfy me. I have been painting the head of a Decenting Cleargyman and his friends are desireous to subscribe for it to be scraped in mezzotinto in the common size of 14 inches by ten, but I cannot give them the terms till I know the price. I shall take it kind if when you see any artist that You approve You menshon it to him, and Let me know. I have seen a well exicuted print by Mr. Pether 1 of a Jew Rabbi. if You think him a good hand, be kind anough to desire him to let me know by a few lines (as soon as convenient) his terms, as the portrait weits only for that in my hands, and I shall send it immediately with the mony to defray the expence when I know what it is.

1

I am Sir with all Sinceri[t]y Your friend and Humble Sert. J: S: COPLEY.

DEAR COPLEY,

Captain R. G. Bruce to Copley

LONDON, 11th June, 1767.

I have received your two Letters of the 16th and 18th of Febry. last, but the former Letter you refer me to I have never

1 William Pether (1738?-1821). His "Jewish Rabbi" appeared in 1764.

received, so that I am quite at a loss how to dispose of the Picture which was exhibited last Year.

I am greatly obliged to You for the Portrait you have sent me. I have but just got it, as it was detained at the Custom House, and I had some difficulty, as well as Expence, to recover it; which made it unlucky that you did not send it, with the other, to Mr. Hale. I have not yet seen it, the Box not being opened, as Mr. West has desired it may be sent to him, that he may see your Performance in Crayons.

Your Picture arrived just in time for the Exhibition, and Mr. West did it all Justice, having the principal Direction of placing the Pictures there. I have been assiduous to collect the Connoiseur's Opinions of your last Exhibition. Mr West will tell You his in the Letter which I herewith send You; and the general opinion of the Society of Artists you may judge of by their Electing You a Member; their vote for which I also herewith send You. The general opinion was that the Drawing and Execution exceeded the last, and some went so far as to say it was the best Portrait in the Room in point of Execution; but you have been universally condemned in the choice of your Subject, which is so disagreable a Character, as to have made the Picture disliked by every one but the best Judges who could discern the Excellence of the Painting; so that it has not so universally pleased as last years Picture. I'm astonished that you should have suffered [Mr. Powel's vanity]1 to lead you into such an error. I waited on Mr. Rennolds on purpose to get his opinion, as of more Consequence than all the rest. He exclaimed against the Subject, but approved of the Painting, and perseveres in his Opinion that you only want Example to be one of the first Painters in the World. He dislikes your Shades; he says they

The words in brackets have been erased and are almost illegible.

want Life and Transparency. He says "your Drawing is wonderfully correct, but that a something is wanting in your Colouring." I begd him to explain it, that I might communicate it to You, but he told me "that it was impossible to convey what he meant by Words, but that he was sure (by what you have already produced) he could make you instantly feel it by Example, if you was here."

You have his own words and may therefore judge what use to make of them. If you do not come over Yourself I hope you will still continue to exhibit, and establish a Reputation already so happily begun. At any rate I hope you are already enabled to raise the price of your pictures. If you have not I think you ought immediately. I hope You will be at some Pains to chuse a pleasing Subject for your next Exhibition, for it is not agreable to hear Dislikes exprest by even the most stupid and ignorant from such an accidental Cir

cumstance.

I expected to have revisited America this Summer, but I beleive I shall now spend another Year in England, where I should rejoice to see You, and to render You every Service in my power. I hope your Mother and Brother are well. I doubt not but the latter is making great Progress in your Art, which he seemd to have so fine a Genius for. Your old Friend Capt. Traille is at Gibraltar, where he went about two Months ago. He continues to remember You with much regard, and is still assiduous in the Labours of the Pencil. He has parted with his Wife I believe totally. She lives with her Father in Somersetshire. A happy Riddance.

I beg you will continue to let me hear from You, and command any Services I can do You here. Mr. West seems much your Friend, and would be useful to You if you come to Europe.

He is making great Progress in History-Painting, and produced some capital Pieces this Year. He is at the same time a very agreeable amiable Young Man.1

1

Your last Year's Picture is still at Mr. Reynolds's, but I shall take it from thence in a few Days, and take great care of it till I have your Orders how to dispose of it.

I wrote to Mrs. Melvill and Mr. Scollay last Year, but I find my Letters never reached them. I write by this opport'y to Mr. Scollay and Mr. Kennedy and send the former a Sett of Mr Strange's last Performances.2

Remember me to your Mother and all Friends and believe me, D'r Copley, Your sincere Friend and humble Serv't.

R. G. BRUCE.

P: S: I must give you one Caution, which is, that if any of the Critical Reviews, Examinations etc., of the Exhibition (which have been published here) should fall into your Hands, to pay no manner of Regard to what they say, as they are most execrable Performances and universally condemned. The Artists depend on another Exhibition from You next Year. They already put you on a footing with all the Portrait Painters except Mr. Reynolds. If You have been able to attain this unassisted at Boston, What might you not atchieve in Europe? Your coming home as an Artist travelling for Improvement will cost you very little. I shall therefore hope to see You bring home your next Exhibition in Person.

This was first intended to go single but as I now enclose it and have not time to write it over again you'll excuse my scribling over the first Direction.

1 West was born in 1738.

2 Sir Robert Strange (1721-1792), an engraver, and long a friend of West.