The Sun.
London, England, 1823-11-17 00:00:00

THE TOPAZ CUP AT FONTHILL.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Sea—l have forborne to reply to the various
attacks which have been made by interested per-
sons upon the property wlkith I have had the
honour to submit to the Public for .sale, at
Fonthill A bbey,, from a conviction, which the
feoult ,has clamed, that the property would
'ultimately vindicate itself ; but a direct and
personal attack, by which my reputation is ma-
terially affected, I cannot suffer to pass with
out notice. In the affair of the Topaz Cup I
have been accused of unfair dealing in bolstering
up a fraudulent description by a falsehood—
with the description given of the Cup, or the
fate of it,l have nothing to do, for it is precisely
that which was given to Mr. FARQUHAR when he
purchased It, and which was in Mr. CHRISTI"'"
Catalogue of the Sale * intended to have taken
place last year ; and if, contrary to my
expecte
tions, and the deliberate judgment of many erili"
nent mineralogists, it should prove to be an
thing hut an Hungarian Topaz, it will be rk.e"
turned to Mr. BECHTORD, as not answering tile
description he gave of it when lie sold it.
The assertion which I made respecting Pro'
fessor BUCILLAND'II opinion of it, whether true or,
false, could have had no influence on the sale of
it, as it was not made till after the cup will
knocked down, when it was communicated to
me for the first time by authority which
could not doubt. The subjoined letter from*.
BUCILLAND will sufficiently exonerate me from
all blame.

Some allusion has been made to one of ml
conditions of sale. I have only to remark in re'
ply, that it is a condition which I have used fur
many years, and which is to be found in effect is
every catalogue that ever was published, end I,i
in many instances much more summary and deer
sive, being frequently summed up in these veil
comprehensive words—" The lots to be te"
away with all faults+." My conduct and cha;
racter have been long enough before the wetly'
and the large share of its favour which I ho"
gratefully received, seems to render any defence
of them unnecessary ; but I think the expleov,
tion I have given is due to those friendsja"
patrons with whose confidence I have bee'
honoured:

I am, Sir, your very obedient Servat„
H. PHILLIP:*
London, Nov. 1'
Stit—As I find the statement you made of my having !oen,
at Foothill and seen the cup said to be of topaz, arose entitelle
from erroneous information given you by a most respeemb
individual in that neighbourhood, I feel satisfied that thisster,
tion was made on your part under a conviction of Its being eest,
rect, and that the error rests with the individual at whoa Nilo
I was on a visit some time since, and who had imagined thLii
it was during the public exhibition of the furniture at Font
Abbey in the last year.
I remain, Sir, your obedient servant, rt.
To Mr. Phillips, WM. BUCICLAN."
Bond-street, London. .
' See last year's Catalogue, page 42, lot 50, sth day
t Conditions of last year's sale.

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