Letter from Uvedale Price, Foxley, to Sir George Beaumont, 1803 October 23 : autograph manuscript signed.

Saying that Beaumont's kindness and good humor have made him regret even more not being able to come visit them, and discussing a possible visit in February; mentioning that his health is improving; praising a portrait of James Cranston: "it has all the accuracy in respect to features of a drawing made immediately from nature, & yet from the momentary expression of the countenance, one might suppose it drawn from memory. I assure you I give you full credit for your magnanimity in parting with the original"; praising George Dance's talents and manners; asking Beaumont to send him a sketch of "the elevation of your intended home" and relaying Cranston's enthusiastic reactions to the building plans; discussing at great length the question of different "aspects" (referring to the direction a house or a room faces), what he prefers and dislikes ("a western aspect I abhor"), and what he has done in his own home; playfully suggesting that Napoleon could "order your place to make a little pirouette" for the advantage of an eastern or southeastern aspect, but objecting to the idea that Napoleon might spin the whole island around because of the problems it would cause for his own aspects; discussing the possibility of a French invasion and mentioning that he has been reading Pietro Giannone's history of Naples, which has given him certain insights; including and discussing several passages from Giannone's history; sending Beaumont an unpublished poem by C[harles] H[anbury] Williams that retells an old fable: "When I had it copied, I did not think only of you & Lady B. but also of the place where you would receive it."