Flaxman-1-12

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July 19.^th 1797

Dear and Kind Friend

Many thanks for the speedy attention which you have given to the Subject of my last letter, the Sentiments are I assure You as perfectly Satisfactory to me as they are parental & friendly & as they contain whatever is most essential on the Subject so they almost preclude the necessity of an answer, which I only send that the whole of our opinions \on this Subject/ may be fairly stated, compared, & reconciled, I wish my Dear Friend that the Character of the Master answered in any degree to Your highly concieved [sic] description, but at the same time that I am humbled with the contemplation of excellence which I heartily delight in, but which I am conscious that I do not possess, I cannot be otherwise than gratefull [sic] for Your kind partiality, & wish that my conduct if it cannot rise to the standard which you have assigned, may be such at least as not to Cross or Shock Your expectations, this I hope has been my motive in the whole of my conduct respecting Thomas, whenever I have been anxious for his health or his improvement, Your & His Happiness have been my Object, & so it will continue to be; when I expressed my doubts concerning

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his happiness in London, it was not on account of any discontent or wayward disposition of his, but only the Strong prepossession prepossession that he has for Solitude & his native Spot made me doubt how far he may ever be reconciled to our great scene of Action, his conduct as I have always told you has been amiable & pleasing, his Even Temper, Modesty & patience are remarkable & You well know his talents for his profession could not fail to satisfy me: I have uniformly discountenanced Time being frittered in trifling employments as the bane of excellence \as we see/ particularly in the higher & lower ranks of Society, but when the health required attention after having eluded the power of Medicine as is Thomas's case, it seems that his Native Air &c is the only remedy & it my [sic] serious wish that he may follow his present regimen 'till his Constitution is confirmed which will give him the best chance of proceeding in the study of his profession with adequate Success when he returns to town; as to his being removed from our family, believe me my Dear Friend we never had the most distant Idea of it, much less of giving you the trouble & expence of sending M:^rs Mary to town we only wish his health to be restored that we may go on according to our first intention, & I wish him as much felicity & success as Yourself in all his undertakings, one Thing I must hint which may have something to do with his present Complaint illeg

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illeg, he stoops, brings his Shoulders \forward/ & contracts his Chest whether Sitting or Walking — let him be taught to throw back his Shoulders & walk upright by the Sergeant at Petworth — I heartily wish a speedy return of perfect health to Thomas & the continued enjoyment of it to You & all the household with every other good, I have the honor to remain

Dear Sir

Your much obliged
& affectionate J Flaxman

Dear Tom Many thanks for the kind care of visiting M:^r Reid & sending me the Water Lilley as also for the Solicitude concerning the Lord Mayor, thank God! we were enabled, after \some/ difficulties (with which you I believe was acquainted I believe before you left town) to raise & complete the work in its place, much to the Satisfaction of the inhabitants as well as my employer, the Inhabitants & Clergymen testifyed [sic] their approbation by an Unanimous desire that I would direct the repairs of their Church which I undertook with great pleasure as the inside is perhaps the finest Modern building in town, in return for their extraordinary Civility to me I charge nothing for my advice & without adding more than Ten Pounds to their expence I think their Church will become an object of great beauty — so much for Self — I can add nothing to the directions for Study at Petworth, the more you follow them the greater your improvement will be

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I wish you heartily health happiness & Success in whatever you undertake, do Me the favor to remember me kindly to the worthy D:^r Andre & be assured we shall be happy to see you again when prudence dictates your return to town — your Affectionate friend JFlaxman
M:^rs Flaxman's kindest remembrances to the Bard & Yourself

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William Hayley Esq^re
Eartham
near Chichester
Sussex

writing two long letters is an effort so much out of the way of my usual employments that you will not expect to hear from me very soon