Letter from William Gilpin, Vicar's Hill, to Sir George Beaumont, 1802 February 16 : autograph manuscript signed.

Humorously addressing Beaumont as a member of his "privy council" and saying "I cannot adorn you with the title of right honourable: but that is of no consequence, as I have no doubt, but that title is conferred upon you by all, who know you"; asking Beaumont's advice about the catalogue of his drawings, in connection with an upcoming sale (see MA 1581.55 for background on the sale); saying that the existing catalogue lists the drawings in the order in which he executed them, but that he thinks this may not be the most effective way to arrange them, especially for a three-day sale; offering to send Beaumont the catalogue, with his remarks on some items included; writing "I speak only of their relative excellence. Far be it from me to speak of them, as I hope you & all my friends will announce them, as 'such exquisite works, as afford the curious collector an opportunity of inriching [sic] his cabinet, which he may never have again'. Perhaps you may think of some more splendid introduction"; commenting at length on the retirement of a mutual friend into "splendid banishment" (the person is not named, but based on the description of him and other letters by Gilpin, it is probably John Freeman-Mitford, who had just been appointed Lord Chancellor of Ireland); sending his respects to Lady Beaumont; writing in a postscript: "One of my friends told me, he thought a parliamentering spring might be an objection to the time [for the sale]. Others said, No. What say you?"