Autograph draft of a letter signed with initials : New York, to Sir Thomas Lawrence, 1821 Apr. 5.

Discussing the completion of the portrait of Benjamin West, its exhibition at Somerset House and arrangements for packing and shipping it to New York at the close of the exhibition; expressing appreciation for his inquiries about the artists of the American Academy and commenting briefly about several of them; relating news of prominent buildings being built in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C, their architects and their merits; commenting on the state of engraving in the United States and enclosing "two prints (the best specimens which the Country has yet produced which will give you a good Idea of the portraits of Waldo & Jewett, as well as of Mr. Durand's;" commenting in more detail on the skill and potential of Mr. Durand; relating what he has been working on; saying "You may remember that many years ago I devoted myself to collecting materials for a work recording the principal Scenes of the American Revolution. This work was long interrupted; but I have lived to see the nation grow [illegible] importance and wealthy - and have been ordered to paint four of the Subjects which I then meditated to be placed in the Capitol; these pictures are 12 feet high by 18 long - they are to be placed in the Central Hall of the building, the vestibule of the Senate & house of Representatives;" describing the architecture of the space and concluding that "The Situation is all that an Artist can wish;" saying he has completed two of the pictures - The Declaration of Independence and the Surrender of Cornwallis in 1781 and discussing the composition of each; saying he is now working on the 3rd painting, "the Surrender of Gen. Burgoyne" and the "Fourth Subject is the resignation of Gen. Washington at the Close of the War;" giving details of the composition of each painting; saying he hopes "to have all these finished by the Time the Room is finished & sufficiently dry to receive them;" asking if he would be willing to look at some paintings he has left in London that he believes are "too valuable to bring to this Country & which I therefore wish to sell;" asking for his opinion of them and asking for his help in finding a buyer for them.