pictures, must be introduced into the country, for taste is only acquired by a close study of the merits of the old masters.  In Philadelphia I am happy to find they have successfully begun.  I wish Americans would unite in the thing, throw aside local prejudices and give their support to one institution.  Let it be in Philadelphia, since it is so happily begun there, and let every American feel a pride in supporting that institution; let it be a national not a city institution.  Then might the arts be so encouraged that Americans might remain at home and not, as at present, be under the painful necessity of exiling themselves from their country and their friends.

“This will come to pass in the course of time, but not in my day, I fear, unless there is more exertion made to forward the arts than at present....”

In this he proved a true prophet, and, as we shall see later, his exertions were a potent factor in establishing the fine arts on a firm basis in New York.

“I am in very good health and I hope I feel grateful for it.  I have not been ill for two days together since I have been in England.  I am, however, of the walking-stick order, and think I am thinner than I was at home.  They all tell me so.  I’m not so good-looking either, I am told; I have lost my color, grown more sallow, and have a face approaching to the hatchet class; but none of these things concern me; if I can paint good-looking, plump ladies and gentlemen, I shall feel satisfied....

“We have had a dreadfully severe winter here in England, such as has not been known for twenty-two years.  When I came from Bristol the snow was up on each side of the road as high as the top of the coach in many places, especially on Marlborough Down and Hounslow Heath.”

His friend Mr. Visger thus writes to him from Bristol on April 1, 1814:—­

“It gave me pleasure to learn that Mr. Leslie sold his picture of Saul, etc., at so good a price.  I hope it will stimulate a friend of his to use his best exertions and time to endeavor even to excel the ’Witch of Endor.’  I think I perceive a few symptoms of amendment in him, and the request of his father that he must support himself is, in the opinion of his friends here, the best thing that could have befallen him.  He will now have the pleasure to taste the sweets of his own labor, and I hope will, in reality, know what true independence is.  Let him not despair and he will certainly succeed.

“Excuse my having taken up so much of your time in reading what I have written about Mr. Leslie’s friend; I hope it will not make the pencil work less smoothly.

“It gave us all great pleasure to hear that Mr. Allston’s ’Dead and Alive Man’ got the prize.  It would be a great addition to our pleasure to hear that those encouragers of the fine arts have offered him fifteen hundred or two thousand guineas for it....

“There is an old lady waiting your return to have her portrait painted.  Bangley says one or two more are enquiring for Mr. Morse.