Flaxman-1-16

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Oct:^r 1st Buckingham Street
1798 Fitzroy Square

Dear and Kind Friend

The constant Subject of my letters to You is to ask, or return thanks for, favors, I would not be under less obligation to You were it in my power, because I am delighted with the kindness of so excellent a friend, but I heartily wish I could make You some return for a Series of friendly offices contined through so many years; you have no need to thank me for my attention to my Worthy Thomas who I have always loved and esteemed and for whom I should always be happy and ready to do anything in my power, I wish I could have had him longer with me in town and I wish to God I could render him any essential Service I am grieved to the heart for his Condition I think of him Continually and always with Sorrow, may the Almighty be pleased to grant him a happy restoration! to such a Condition our Minds can only be reconciled by the reflection that the present life is but a short and troublesome pilgrimage, but which however conducts the virtuous to a better and happier existence; but to return to the Subject of favors, I have always found that I never could

shew friendship

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or even civility to you, for "whoever gives a Greyhound to Lord Tyrnon, he quickly in return sends back a beauteous Steed" I say this in relation to the Noble quarter of Venison which you sent, for altho you are Self-denying, You are willing to feed others whether firm or infirm, Youthful or Aged, with dainties, this Noble \present/ we could not invite any one to partake with us because the smell of paint was so offensive in Our house, we therefore divided it in three equal portions, one we sent to my father, one to friend Stothard, and one we feasted on ourselves it was a delicacy indeed, bit 'tho I would not be less obliged to you than I am, I wish I could stop your hand, for indeed your Liberality gives me pain; I am glad your Marine Cottage is finished to Your liking, I wish it may be a Source of Comfort and Wealth to You, and may those and other blessings increase upon You as You advance in life! you have heard from my Worthy Thomas that the King has appointed me to make an Insulated Monument in Westminster Abbey for Captain James Montague, and I have besides been making Designs and Models for a New Coinage which together with those produced by other Members of the Academy are to be laid before the Privy Council and His Majesty —

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I have not seen Romney since his return from Bognor, he called on me when he came from the North, only for a few minutes to tell me how much he had been overcharged by a person I sent to him when he was very much in want of Such assistance, and which person I have always found to [sic] honest in the course of three years employment altho his Charges to me me were always the same as to M:^r Romney; since you wrote to me I have not written to M:^rs Lushington because I wait for a final settlement of the place payment for the place of her Monument: pray remember me most kindly to M:^r Guy's family and beg of him to let young M:^r Guy visit me in a family way when he commences his Studies in town — with every kind wish from Nancy, I have the honor to remain

Dear Friend
your most obliged
and affectionate

J Flaxman

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William Hayley Esq^r
Eartham
near Chichester