Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-07-22
TO THE PUBLJC-


2Sxsz Ersz,-.-- ---4->.--------..,s
TO THE PUBLIC.
THE subscriber is Obliged 10 rive summary
of his conduct to the public, particularly to the
distinguished characters, the generous. and r,er
sons of merit, who do their greatest endeavo,,rs
to encourage artists and fix them, with a father
" affection, in this country, lie is forced to
make this public appeal in consequences of m nm.
iustifablc attack made upon HIM bv the Editors
Of the Raleigh Star and the Virginia Patriot
Those editors have stated him TO be ss ON limos
tor of the first grade" because there has been =
delay IN The publication of his piece OF tho Sicre
gf York-Iozcn The delay attending its execIr.
ton has not been produced by any sinister mo.
tive ofthe Subscribers. because he has never 1T
the slightest opportunity pass BY which could
conduct him to the happy and ilIistr;ous issue ne
his undertaking, without availing himself of it.
Had lie have been wiling to sacrifice his ,epIia.
ton and the interest OF his SUBSCRIBERS had he
been less delicate or less expert III his art he
might have delivered to the public miserable
engraving, (. Car catufe, a blotted work instead
o. picture OF merit, destined to consecrate 70
posterity the memory ofthe great men OF Arne
rca who have she'd their blood and sacrlGced
Their fortunes IN the defence of their, Country
None ofhs subicy bers would have been satisfied
to have pad ~ dollars for a sheet Of paper fitted
20 grace Stable a BarbeI's Shop IA her than
the ParlOr OF an American. The d fIicuIt,es at
tending the quick execution OF ibis piece were
unforeseen by the Subscriber Those WHO have
stamped hm with the Char .cter of 50 an i,npostor
of the first grade" should have taken INTO Won,
the difficulty ofhavr;s a work of this sort on.
5raved n this country. and ofhavinp il even well
printed as well black as in other colours e,,;t .
able TO the different nations reDTesenied which
up n be ng so done, his subscribers have engaged
TO pay one half more. They ought also to hive
considered mat there has not as yet appeared in
TINS country an artist who could undertake the
engraving OF q picture of this con er,tence N tha
manner required by the proposals. II re1,,,ras
what we have not, an experi eneraver IN tie thrce
kinds OF painting, figure, landscape, architecture
and perspective. Again, they ought to have con-
sldered that the wars have mult,plied obstacle
ms picture Is entangled with national c;rcp,n
stances, but IS execution has never been aban.
doned. They should have considered that II ;s
nc AUTHOR VINO IS the most Yexed, and suffers
>'vst rpm nlS ue''y Tor though the subscribers
Should the piece not be execItedy you'd Ioss
or 5 dollars (Which he trusts the,, viii ro,N he
would lose 81 or $4,000 dollars, besides his Ia
Dor, did he not pers s. d he not accom,Jisb ,Ia
PLAN This work has never been ol,euIcned nor
never WIN, unless occasored By the dea.b If the
'uDscr per OF ms children, OF by the work be.ne
ocean. ''o N'S
When the subscriber first issued rro,,,oo,. G..
he y" S'ese Of Yort 1o7vn," Knowing The eynorso
'h4t would attend it, he determined n obts;1
" "peT" SUBSCRIPTION, otherwise the cxnensos
Wouiu N inc ilrst instance fall upon him; an ev-
Pense ne was lily able To- ben since ne had beo
entirely stripped Of his property bv FIRE and tbe
~ tI' dHes % wt'' N ST Domingo. The sum VIII cb
~ e1ul,eu 70 oe pad at the time Of subscribing
uoiiar) ne found not s,ific emf to mas, b;e IT,
vel NC expenses, The expenses of men ernrio,,sJ
To carry The picture, and The pre- o sir t,;ro ar
the prospectus. His subscrintior r,roJ,coIh -,
only $500 dollars including about so oftbe Iaa.
SaDscT bess, who PAID ) dollars in advance-I,t
as II took h,m considerable time 10 collect Il he
- Po'i.Ne u mas cost him upwards of 5000 ,l,I.
s, WIZ ne raised himself IN his different iour-
lteys, by selling great number of ELEGANT r,St
ne theh possessed, and making besides several
pieces OF work. ~ be necessary, this con lie
proved by hs account book The srhscr I,e, !:
then losing, LIST. TIE expenses atte,I.n no. ti,1o
and ahalt years labor 1.-THE Yors NV. The nro.
duce OF t.le sale Of more than 500 prints NJ & 4
aou collars eachi and 3dly, Of several other
pieces o. WORK he made, valued at 500 dollars
! each, winch have been sold for the Subsistence
OF himself and his family Consequently fbe rrc,.
IL realized by Ann and ready to be deposited ~
The FIRST grade" - 1''9''''o' q
IN his different journies he made repeated NJ.
tenpG 70 procure good engraver In Pb;lo
delpha he visited Mr.. Thieba,ft and desired -,
% introduce him TO Mr.. Murray, 20 whom he
made app cation to execute the engraving. Mr.,
"a rePl'ed mat all has time was employed III ex-
ecutng bank bills for the different bart -, al,
I'm ted States, and consequently he could No.,
undertake 4 unless the subscriber would consent
20 have texccuied by his apprent ces, VIII ch was
oy no means suitable TO The wish of the subscr,
Der Aher this artist, none other renamed IN
| rnuadeipha but Mr. Thiebaut, who informed the
subscriber that he vas constantly occup ed IN en-.
'rSVmg tle Plates for the Encyclopedia, that he
vas N i'll health, and could not undertake IN en-
raying ofsuch magnitude, which would co,'f;re
m tor considerable time, and perhaps reduce
I'm to the grave, should be rash enough to pre-