To James Madison from James Warrell, 27 May 1816
From James Warrell
Richmond 27th May 1816
Sir
The laudable zeal you have invariably manifested, for the honour, dignity and improvement of your native country, induces me to hope that the Museum of Virginia, about to be established in this Metropolis, will find in you a patron. I therefore take the liberty to forward to you the sub-joined proposals, conceiving should I neglect to do so, that I would be deficient in respect to yourself and attention to the establishment. I have the honour to subscribe myself Sir your Obedient Servant
James Warrell1
RC and enclosure (DLC). RC docketed by JM; appended is a two-page prospectus, issued by Warrell and Richard Lorton, soliciting subscriptions for shares to establish a Virginia museum for the promotion of medicine, agriculture, commerce, and the fine arts in the amount of “not less than ten thousand dollars.” The shares offered were priced from $10 to $200. On the same day, Warrell sent an almost identical letter to Thomas Jefferson at Monticello (Looney et al., Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series, 10:82–85).
1. English-born James Warrell (ca. 1780–ante–1854) was an artist, dance teacher, and museum proprietor who had settled in Richmond by 1799. In February 1816 the Virginia General Assembly authorized the establishment of a museum “on part of the public Square in the City of Richmond” ( 1:294, 295 n. 3; Looney et al., Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series, 10:85 n.).