Flaxman-1-10

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April 3 1797

Dear and Kind Friend

It is not without shame that I remember the two last scraps of postscripts which I have sent to You in return for handsome notes or Letters, but You I am sure will believe they were produced by want of time & not of Affection to our beloved Bard; I have 24 hours in my day as well as other people, but my employments sometimes occupy my time so intirely [sic] that I cannot write, & then it is sometimes necessary that I should recruit my head & limbs with rest or leisure for further service. I don't say that that [sic] I employ my powers to the best advantage, but in some way or other they have nearly as much exercise as they will bear —

I feel your Benevolence both to the Memory of M:^r Hodges & the Distresses of his Family & shall be very happy if I can Contribute to your Noble Purposes, It is as you say but little good that we can do in this World, & I am sensible how little I have done for others in comparison with the good that I have recieved [sic] — Your reflections on M^r: Hodge's Character are liberal & Christianlike, it is sufficient that he was a good husband & father a worthy & industrious man, as to his powers they were \he had/ in common with his

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fellow creatures such as the Almighty was pleased to bestow on him & I wish we could always keep in mind, that whatever our powers are, we may be assured they are the best for us, & at the same time that we shall have no account to render concerning the greatness or smallness of our abilities, we must render a very strict one concerning the use we have made of them; his death, untimely, for his friends & family is to be lamented, & the Inheritance of Misfortune to his Widow & Orphans should be alleviated as much as possible; as soon as M:^rs Hodges's Brother has determined with her & you what they wish to be done respecting the Royal Academy you will command my Services but I must remind you that the Fund for the relief of Academicians, their Widows &c is not expected to be complete in less than two years to come & even then as this Fund is raised by Exhibition the application being made in behalf of a Constant Exhibitor, will weigh greatly in the Application however in the mean time there can be no doubt that M^rs: Hodges's Case being represented to the Academy would obtain a temporary present

If any Life \or Work/ of M:^r Hodges should be published I beg to set down my name as a Subscriber —

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now Dear Bard to a nearer Concern of yours. Tom is very good & diligent, he has had a violent cold great part of the Winter which has broke into our scheme of Study & thrown him backward he has been perfectly recovered for some time & I had hopes that the beginning of the Spring would have retrieved the loss, but alas! his Mind has now been on the Tenters for 5 or 6 weeks past & he has been able to do little or nothing to the purpose, peace of Mind, Dear Bard can alone enable him to excell, I find the comfort & use of it in the endeavours of every creature about me to make me happy & I wish his Mind to be as settled as my own — My Nancy writes in repeated thanks for your kindness & admiration of Your Benvolence as well as in every good wish – with many thanks to M:^rs Mary for her kind presents of remembrance to Socket & George I have the honour to be

Dear Sir

your most obliged Servant
J Flaxman

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P:S: Your recommendation to Dean Miller to advise his Rich Relation to raise a Monument to his deceased benefactor, is agreeable to your constant attention to the interest of others; but it would have made me happy to know that the 3500£ a year or the 90,000£ of ready money had been left to a Certain Friend of Ours in Eartham, on the Condition that no Monument Should be erected:

I forgot to mention that I have known the Royal Academy give as a temporary relief 20, 30, 5 or 50 £, occasionally even larger Sums, therefore when you have informed yourself of what it will be proper to do for M:^rs H: you will be so good as to let me know

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To
William Hayley Esq^r