“Bath, Ap. 30th, 1776.
“To Mr. Wright, Surgeon, Derby.
“ ... From the month of June till the latter end of September there is no company in Bath. I intend to follow the fashion this year and go to Derby, & it will give me an opportunity (if the old room is disengaged) of painting the sea-piece, or some blacksmith’s shop which will bring company to my rooms next season, for there is some advantage arising from their seeing only; there has been given at the doors £22 already, wch more than pays a qrs. rent.
“ ... Little Pop is well, talks a little English, a little Italian, and a little French.
“JO. WRIGHT.”
“Bath, May 8th, 1776.
“Dr. Brother,
“The season is almost over here, and there is but little company in town, therefore have but little reason to expect any more sitters. Have in hand a small full-length of Mr. Miles, brother to Capt. Miles I painted at Derby some time ago. He is now in Town, but will be here, I expect, in a day or two to have his picture finished; a day will compleat it, and if I have nothing more to do, shall leave Bath in a fortnight or thereabout. I shall go round by London if the Exhibitions are open at the time....
THE ANNUAL GIRANDOLO AT THE CASTLE OF ST. ANGELO, ROME.
(From the Original Sketch.)
“There has been offered for my picture of the Girandolo a 100 guineas, but the man who is appointed in the room for the transacting the business knows neither his name, place of abode, or anything about him, thro’ which carelessness I shall in all probability lose the selling of my picture. If I do, I will never exhibit with them more.
“I am yours,
“JO. WRIGHT.”
“Mr. Wright, Surgeon, Derby.
“Bath, March 9th, 1777.
“Dear Brother,
“From the cast of that part of your letter wch relates to these rascally watermen, I plainly perceive they do not intend making me restitution. I think if Mr. Fallows would write them a letter telling them that I should not trouble myself any farther about the matter, but had desired him to inform ’em of the damage done me, wch if they did not immediately redress, to prosecute them, and advertize the affair in such papers as may most affect them. The threatening them with a prosecution, tho’ I don’t intend to throw away more money, may be of use, but advertize them I certainly will. Give my compliments to Mr. Fallows and tell him, as I spent a day over his picture, he will, I doubt not, do me this favour. The carrier that brought my things from Bristol is esteemed an honest man, he was present when the goods were weighed, that their weight was 3 cwt., what they were at other places he has no account. I am confident the theft had been committed some time ere the things were delivered, from this circumstance: I had occasion to pack in the hamper a piece of armour, wch I had some trouble with on account of the fulness of the hamper, and could manage it no way but by putting it with the concave side upwards down by the side of the hamper. This I well remember, and Mr. Haden will too. When I unpacked the hamper the armour was in the middle of it, with the concave side upwards, and the hay where it lay fresh and green, an appearance you must have observed when anything has lain long and undisturbed upon hay. From hence, I doubt not, the mischief was done in the beginning of the voyage. But it matters not, I shall look to those people to whom the goods were first committed, let them seek further, pray don’t trifle with them, that the affair may be made public while recent. The account of the things taken, wch upon proving the bottles, I find very different to that I sent before.
Eight bottles of old rum, at 13s. per gallon 1 6 0 Four do. Brandy, do. 0 13 0 Two of Shrub 0 7 6 Ten bottles of wine 0 16 8 Twenty-three bottles 0 4 9½ A Cheese 17 lbs. weight, at 4d. per lb. 0 5 8 Basket for ditto 0 0 4 3 13 11½ “N.B.—One of my bottles was returned unto ye hamper filled with water. Sent from Derby 146 bottles, received at Bath 22 bottles.
“You have heard the melancholy account of my good friend Hurleston’s death. ’Tis a loss indeed to me, he was ever ready to serve me. I never heard his Asthmatic complaint was so bad as to endanger his life, it used in the thick winter weather to be troublesome; perhaps the fall he got last year, of wch he complained at your house, hastened his end. Peace to his soul. Since Mr. Ward is dead, we are happy Miss Ward did not regard our importuning her to stay here, pray make our compliments to her and all friends. My little boy and girl are well. Jo is about his teeth and cross at times. We expect to see his fourth every day. He has drove about his creed, sometimes furiously, & can walk 4 or 5 yards with a slack dade. He grows very strong & handsome. His nurse, to whom give our service, would be proud to see him. Pop is an engaging little girl, everybody that knows her loves her.... I have a sitter, the first this year, but, thank heavens, I have other employment wch I will tell you of in my next.
“I am yours,
“JO. WRIGHT.”
| Eight bottles of old rum, at 13s. per gallon | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| Four do. Brandy, do. | 0 | 13 | 0 |
| Two of Shrub | 0 | 7 | 6 |
| Ten bottles of wine | 0 | 16 | 8 |
| Twenty-three bottles | 0 | 4 | 9½ |
| A Cheese 17 lbs. weight, at 4d. per lb. | 0 | 5 | 8 |
| Basket for ditto | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | 13 | 11½ |
There is no date or address to the following playful letter from Wright to his sister Nancy, but judging from its contents, it was written from Bath about 1775–6, as the second picture of the “Smith’s Shop” was exhibited in the former year:—
“‘What can this lazy, idle, good-for-nothing brother of mine be about?’ ‘Why, writing to you, if you’ll only be civil, and not abuse me at this rate. I am not idle, I assure you, nor lazy, nor good-for-nothing, tho’ I am sorry to say it myself; but that is because here is no one to say it for me, or I assure you, if I thought it worth convincing you, I could find vouchers enough. Are you satisfied, Miss Nancy? am I good for nothing or something?’ ‘Oh! quite satisfied my dear Bro’ that you are good for something—nay, for that matter very good.’ ‘Well, now, that is prettily said, and as becomes you; faith, you wou’d always talk in that manner, if you knew what charms it diffused o’er your countenance. I think that prettily said, too, & now I am even with you. I hate compliments; but to dispel a lady’s frowns, & get out of the gloom, I would swear, lie, compliment, or do anything. Now we have shook hands, & are upon a good footing again, I must tell you I have had very good health of late, & have made too much use of it; have worked very hard, have finished my Smith’s Shop—’tis as good or better than the last. Have upon the Stocks the young Nobleman, whose avarice caused him to break open the Tomb of his ancestors, in hopes of finding vast treasures, from an inscription there was upon it—“In this tomb is a greater treasure than Crœsus possessed.” This, I think, will be a favourite picture. Burdett’s tour to France proves highly advantageous to him. He is to etch plates for Wedgewood & Bentley to be printed upon their ware—an employ that in all probability will last him for life—by which he will or may make four or six hundred a year. I know your honest heart will make your pulse beat high at the news.’”