My lord, I am sensible how little time your lordship can have to throw away on reading idle letters of compliment; yet as it would be too great want of respect to your lordship, not to make some sort of reply to the note(216) you have done me the honour to send me, I thought I could couch what I have to say in fewer words by writing, than in troubling you with a visit, which might come unseasonably, and a letter you may read at any moment when you are most idle.  I have already, my lord, detained you too long by sending you a book, which I could not flatter myself you would turn over in such a season of business:  by the manner in ’Which you have considered it, you have shown me that your very minutes of amusement you try to turn to the advantage of your country.  It was this pleasing prospect of patronage to the arts that tempted me to offer you my pebble towards the new structure.  I am flattered that you have taken notice’ of the only ambition I have:  I should be more flattered if I could contribute to the smallest of your lordship’s designs for illustrating Britain.  The hint your lordship is so good as to give me for a work like Montfaucon’s Monuments de la Monarchie Francaise, has long been a subject that I have wished to see executed, nor, in point of materials, do I think it would be a very difficult one.  The chief impediment was the expense, too great for a private fortune.  The extravagant prices extorted by English artists is a discouragement to all public undertakings.  Drawings from paintings, tombs, etc. would be very dear.  To have them engraved as they ought to be, would exceed the compass of a much ampler fortune than mine; which though equal to my largest wish, cannot measure itself with the rapacity of our performers.

But, my lord, if his Majesty was pleased to command such a work, on so laudable an idea as your lordship’s, nobody would be more ready than myself to give his assistance.  I own I think I could be of use in it, in collecting or pointing out materials, and I would readily take any trouble in aiding, supervising, or directing such a plan.  Pardon me, my lord, if I offer no more; I mean, that I do not undertake the part of composition.  I have already trespassed too much upon the indulgence of the public; I wish not to disgust them with hearing of me, and reading me.  It is time for me to have done; and when I shall have completed, as I almost have, the History of the Arts on which I am now engaged, I did not purpose to tempt again the patience of mankind.  But the case is very different with regard to my trouble.  My whole fortune is from the bounty of the crown, and from the public:  it would ill become me to spare any pains for the King’s glory, or for the honour and satisfaction of my country; and give me leave to add, my lord, it would be an ungrateful return for the distinction with which your lordship has condescended to honour me if I withheld such trifling aid as mine, when it might in the least tend to adorn