Letter from David Wilkie, London, to Sir George Beaumont, 1821 February 16 : autograph manuscript signed.

Asking for his help and that of Lady Beaumont in recommending him to the Marquis of Hastings in an effort to secure a promotion for his eldest brother who has worked for the East India Company for 20 years; relating news of the current exhibitions in London with a detailed commentary on the work of John Martin; saying "I shall have two small pictures one of which is for General Phipps a subject of his own suggestion, which I shall have much pleasure in showing to you - both he and Lord Mulgrave appear much assured with its progress - The Duke of Wellington's Picture is however at a stand & cannot be done till the year after - The composition has been altered very much, but is now nearly all settled. The British Gallery has been some time opened. There are a number of pieces in a small way good. Ward, Etty, Stark, Crome, & Landseer are successful tho' in no great effort but Martin is certainly the first both in effort & in success. His picture is a phenomenon. All that he has been attempting in his former pictures is here brought to its maturity, and although weak in all those points in which he can be compared with other artists, he is eminently strong in what no other artist has attempted. Belshazzar's Feast is the subject - and in treating it his great elements seem to be the geometrical propertys of space, magnitude & numbers - in the use of which he may be said to be boundless. The great merit of the picture however is perhaps in the contrivance & disposition of the architecture - which is full of imagination. Common observers seem very much struck with this [picture] indeed more than they are in general with any picture, but artists so far as I can learn from the most considerate & impartial of them do not admit its claims to the same extent. I hear the Directors have presented Martin 200 guineas as a present which as I believe it is a considerable attraction is perhaps well bestowed on that account as well as for the merit of the picture. Haydon has nearly finished his Picture of Christ in the Garden which he has done with unusual rapidity for him and with much in it that will do him credit;" presenting his compliments to Lady Beaumont. .