To George Washington from John Trumbull, 18 September 1798
From John Trumbull
London Septr 18th 1798
Sir
By the Ship Nancy, Captain Davidson bound to Alexandria, I have sent a small Box, addressed to you, and containing the Four Pair of Prints for which you did me the honour to subscribe so long since, and two Volumes which I was requested by my friend Mr West to forward to you with his best Respects: the prints are the finest impressions and, for security are rolled, and enclosed in a Tin Case. I hope they will come safely to your hands, and meet your approbation.
I hope also that the pair which I had the Honour to send to you by the Suffolk, Capt. Lovell to Alexandria, in March last, came safe.1
In common with my Countrymen and the World, I am happy to see you again the Defender and Guardian of our Country; and I earnestly hope that the result of the Task which you now assume will prove as beneficial to mankind, and as glorious to yourself as was your former Command. I beg my best Respects to Mrs Washington, and Am, with the highest Respect, sir Your most obedient and Obliged Servant
Jno. Trumbull
ALS, DLC:GW.
1. Trumbull sent to GW in March 1798 proofs of his first engravings of his paintings The Death of Gen. Warren at the Battle of Bunker’s Hill and The Death of Gen. Montgomery in the Attack on Quebec. At that time Trumbull promised to send later the four copies of each engraving for which GW had subscribed and paid in part in 1790. See Trumbull to GW, 6 Mar. 1798. GW wrote John Trumbull’s brother, Jonathan, on 6 Feb. 1799 saying “four copies of the Prints of the Deaths of Montgomery & Warren” had “just arrived.” For GW’s payment for the engravings, see GW to Joseph Anthony, 17 Mar. 1799, n.1. In his letter to John Trumbull, 25 June 1799, GW indicates that the two volumes that Benjamin West had Trumbull forward were Uvedale Price’s volumes on the picturesque. See also Price to GW, 31 Mar. 1798, and note 1 to that document.