1To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 19 April 1785 (Washington Papers)
Encouraged by the friendly Notice with which you have upon every Occasion been pleased to honour me, I take the Liberty of recommending to your kind Attention my Friend Mr Pine, an Artist of acknowledged Eminence, & who has given the World many pleasing & forcible Specimens of Genius. Zeal for the American Cause has brought him over from England, to secure, whilst it is yet possible, faithful...
2To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 3 March 1789 (Washington Papers)
I could, if the Subject was worth so much Attention, justify my Musick against your Complaints —for I insist that it is as good melting Musick as could be expected at that severe Season of the Year, and would have found its way to you by water if you had but allowed a reasonable Time. A Lover who is all over Flames will require two & sometimes three years to melt the frozen heart of his...
3To George Washington from Francis Hopkinson, 1 December 1788 (Washington Papers)
There is all the Difference in the World between a Thing done, & a Thing to be done. A Thing to be done is exposed, like our new Constitution, to all Manner of Criticisms, Objections, Oppositions, Reasonings true & false, with Arguments & Apprehensions founded on future Consequences, possible and impossible. On the Contrary, a Thing done, unless it is a very bad thing indeed, is not only...