To George Washington from Solms, 4 August 1785
From Solms
de la Fortresse de Konigstein en Saxe 4 Augt 1785
Sir
I owe you this Satisfaction the more Complete, that I have tried it for a long time My General, & My Heroe I have Just Received your Picture, & I am entirely taken up to give it a Sufficient embellishment by Placing it between the King of Prussia, & his Illustrious Brother Henry. You See, that this is a Trio very Harmonical, I would willingly have thank’d you for your great Complaisance, but I dare not, as I Could not have express’d myself in Writing in Proportion to the thanks that is due. It must be that the Picture resembles, for I regard it, as the greatest Ornament of my Fortress. I Shew it to all the Strangers, amongst whome Some are French & Some are English, many have had the Happiness of Being acquainted with you.1 I am with the Greatest Respect Your Excellency’s Most Obedt Servt
Le Comte de Solme
I must yet inform you, that for to Complete my Happiness the Picture of your Excellency arrived in Saxe upon my Birth Day.
Translation, DLC:GW; LS, in French, DLC:GW. A copy of the original letter is in CD-ROM:GW.
1. The portrait of GW that Solms hung on the wall of his castle was done for him by Joseph Wright. See GW to Solms, 3 Jan. 1784, nn.1 and 3.