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Darlington M.emorial Library
COLLECTIONS OF
THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
FOR THE YEAR 1930
THE JOHN WATTS DePEYSTER
PUBLICATION FUND SERIES
LXIII
COMMITTEE ON PUBLICATIONS
ALEXANDER J. WALL
R. HORACE GALLATIN
FRANK WIENER
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WILLIAM DUXLAP (1766-1839)
By Himself
(In the Theodore Sali.-'burv Woolsev Collection)
DIARY OF
WILLIAM DUNLAP
(1766-1839)
THE MEMOIRS OF A DRAMATIST,
THEATRICAL MANAGER, PAINTER,
CRITIC, NOVELIST, AND HISTORIAN
VOLUME II
JANUARY 1- SEPTEMBER 21, 1806
MARCH 17 -MAY 6, 1811
NOVEMBER 23, 1812 -MAY 7, 1813
OCTOBER 15, 1819 -FEBRUARY 13, 1822
NEW YORK
PRINTED FOR THE NEW YORK HISTORICAL SOCIETY
MDCCCCXXX
Fug
fA >-
Printed in the United States of America by
J. J. LITTLE AND IVES COMPANY, NEW YORK
OFFICERS OF THE SOCIETY
For Three Years ending 1932
PRESIDENT
JOHN ABEEL WEEKES
FIRST VICE-PRESIDENT
J. ARCHIBALD MURRAY
SECOND VICE-PRESIDENT
ARTHUR H. MASTEN
THIRD VICE-PRESIDENT
R. HORACE GALLATIN
FOURTH VICE-PRESIDENT
WILLIAM D. MURPHY
FOREIGN CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
ARCHER MILTON HUNTINGTON
DOMESTIC CORRESPONDING SECRETARY
THOMAS T. SHERMAN
RECORDING SECRETARY
B. W. B. BROWN
TREASURER
GEORGE ALBERT ZABRISKIE
LIBRARIAN
ALEXANDER J. WALL
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
FIRST CLASS — FOR ONE YEAR, ENDING 1931
AUGUSTUS C. HONE DE WITT M. LOCKMAN
FRANK WIENER
SECOND CLASS — FOR TWO YEARS, ENDING 1932
THOMAS T. SHERMAN W. GEDNEY BEATTY
ERSKINE HEWITT
THIRD CLASS — FOR THREE YEARS, ENDING 1933
SAMUEL V. HOFFMAN ROBERT E. DOWLING
JOHN HILL MORGAN
FOURTH CLASS — FOR FOUR YEARS, ENDING 1934
HIRAM SMITH LEONIDAS WESTERVELT
ARCHER M. HUNTINGTON
SAMUEL V. HOFFMAN, Chairman
ALEXANDER J. WALL, Secretary
[The President, Vice-Presidents, Recording Secretary,
Treasurer, and Librarian are members of the Executive Com-
mittee.!
CONTENTS
PAGE
Letters and diary of William Dunlap, January 1 — Sep-
tember 21, 1806 (Memoirs 23) 363
Dmry of William Dunlap, March 17 — May 6, 1811; No-
vember 23, 1812— May 7, 1813 {Memoirs 31) George
Frederick Cooke, the Tragedian 415
Diary, October 15, 1819 — April 28, 1820, Norfolk, Virginia
{Memoirs 2^) 473
Dl^ry, August 8, 1820 — February 13, 1822 Montreal, Can-
ada; Norfolk, Virginia {Memoirs 26) 541
ILLUSTRATIONS
William Dunlap (1766-1839) Frontispiece
By himself
Ivory, H. 3V4; W. 2% inches
In the collection of the late Theodore Salisbury Woolsey,
of New Haven, Conn. Reproduced by courtesy of Misa Edith
Woolsey, Theodore S. Woolsey, Jr., and Heathcote Muirson
Woolsey. This miniature was formerly in the collection of
the late Mrs. William H. Carmalt (Laura Woolsey Johnson).
FACING PAGE
Margaret Dunlap (1791-1837) 372
By her father, William Dunlap
Oval ivory, H. 3% ; W. 2% inches
0\vned by Mrs. William Tidball (Margaret Johnson) of
Media, Pa.
Mrs. William Dunlap (Elizabeth Woolsey) (1768-
1848) 388
By her husband, Williarn Dunlap
Canvas, H. 30; W. 25 inches
Owned by Mrs. Henry McKeen Ferriday, of New York
William Coleman (1766-1829) 400
Attributed to Willia77i Dunlap
Wooden panel, H. 29; W. 23% inches
Owned by The New York Historical Society, to which
it was presented in 1930 by David L. Osbom, Esq., of Hack-
ensack, N. J. Mr. Osbom received this portrait from Mrs.
Coleman Gray, to whose husband it was bequeathed by his
father, William Heniy Coleman Gray.
George Frederick Cooke (1756-1811) 416
Pen and ink sketch, with pencil shadings, by William
Dunlap, in his manuscript Memoirs 31, in the Libraiy of
Yale University.
Lx
X ILLUSTRATIONS
FACING PAGE
George Frederick Cooke (1756-1811) 440
By William Dunlap
Oval ivory, H. 2%; W. 2% inches
By courtesy of The Players, New York City, to whom the
miniature was presented in 1902 by the Rev. Stephen P.
Simpson.
Compare the stipple engraving by Leney, from a minia-
ture by Dunlap, the frontispiece of the first volume of Dun-
lap's Memoirs of the Life of George Frederick Cooke (N. Y.,
1813).
Thomas Abthorpe Cooper (1776-1849) 446
Attributed to William Dunlap
H. 4% ; W. 31/2 inches
By courtesy of The Players, New York City, to whom
the miniature was presented in 1902 by the Rev. Stephen P.
Simpson.
Mrs. Thomas Abthorpe Cooper (Mary Fair lie) . . 454
By William Dunlap
Canvas, H. 30; W. 20 inches
In the Collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleve-
land, Ohio, the gift of J. H. Wade. Formerly owned by Mrs.
Benjamin Thaw.
Niagara Falls 470
"View Sept. 8th 1815 from the bank above the old stone
house (or old distillery)."
By William Dunlap
Water color, H. 9; W. 11 inches
In the collection of the late Theodore Salisbury Woolsey.
Reproduced by courtesy of Miss Edith Woolsey, Theodore
S. Woolsey, Jr., and Heathcote Muirson Woolsey.
This was one of the series of water color views by Dun-
lap sold at the Henkels auction in Philadelphia, March 10,
1905. Catalogue No. 927, no. 24.
Mrs. Aaron Olmsted (Mary Langrell Bigelow) (1758-
1826) 492
By William Dunlap
Oval ivory, H. 3^Aq; W. 3% inches
Owned by Miss Mary O. Marshall, of Charleston, South
Carolina.
ILLUSTRATIONS XI
FACING PAGE
Mrs. Motte (or De Motte ) , of Long Island . . . 492
By William Dunlap
Oval ivory, H. 2i%«; W. 2%6 inches
By courtesy of The Rhode Island School of Design, Provi-
dence, R. I.
Portrait of a Gentleman 512
By William Dunlap
Oval ivory, H. 2%; W. 21/8 inches
Courtesy of Albert Rosenthal, of Philadelphia.
This was one of the ivory miniatures (no. 6) by William
Dunlap, sold at the Henkels auction, in Philadelphia, March
10, 1905.
PORTR.\IT OF A GeNTLEMAN 512
By William Dunlap
Oval ivory, H. 2%; W. 21/8 inches
Courtesy of Albert Rosenthal, of Philadelphia.
This was one of the ivory miniatures (no. 12) by William
Dunlap, sold at the Henkels auction, in Philadelphia, March
10, 1905.
William Dunlap (1766-1839) 544
By himself
Canvas, H. 15%6; W. 12 inches
In the collection of the late Theodore Salisbury Woolsey,
of New Haven, Conn. Reproduced by courtesy of Miss Edith
Woolsey, Theodore S. Woolsey, Jr., and Heathcote Muirson
Woolsey.
John Joseph Holland (c. 1776-1820) 574
Attributed to William Dunlap
Canvas, H. 24; W. 20 inches
Owned by Miss Elisabeth Marbury.
This is believed to be the portrait of which Dunlap wrote
in his Arts of Design (I, 276-277) : "In 1814 ... I painted
one of my best portraits, which is now with the widow of the
subject, (J. J. Holland, Esq.) at Vice Chancellor McCoun's."
Portraits of Ladies 580 and 584
By William Dunlap
Pencil sketches of unidentified ladies, probably drawn in
Norfolk, Virginia, 1820-1822.
In Dunlap's manuscript Memoirs 26, in the Library of
Yale University.
LETTERS FROM WILLIAM DUNLAP TO
HIS WIFE
January 1— March 6, 1806,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington
and
DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
July 3 — September 21, 1806,
Perth Amboy, New York, and Boston
(Manuscript volume lettered Memoirs 23 owned by
Yale University Library)
MEMOIRS 23
Copies of letters to my Wife made by my desire by
my little girl
Phil January 1st 1806
My dearest Bess
A happy new year to you and those around you. I have
had serious thoughts of passing this day with you, noth-
ing but the expence deterred. What a contrast this to the
last. Oppressed with a debt which destroyd mind & body,
but I will not think of it now. If you was but with me
I should be content.
Yesterday was our first winters day, and was preceded
by a storm that did much mischief in this harbour. I
have nearly finished all the pictures I have begun here
and if no new ones offer I shall start from this place
on monday.
I look for a letter from you to day, & hope to find
you have recieved the 45 dolP. If it is not so you shaU
have another check by Saturday,
I did intend to have writen you a long letter for a
New Years gift, but the morning has slipt away and I
must go out to finish by appointment Mrs. Harwood's
picture. Adieu my dearest
WD
Phil: Jan-^ 3^ 1806 Friday
I received yours, and am very sorry Mr. P has been so
negligent. I do not understand whether he has the acc^
and receit or not. If not, I think you had best send it to
him If he has it, let him know that I left the acc^ with
you, supposing it the same as cash and that you want the
money.
The cold weather makes me more anxious for you. if
363
364 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
you get the money from Mr. P. provide yourself with
plenty of wood while the roads continue good.
As to my pictures I have painted three for money, the
fourth Mr. Bache is out of town. I have done one Wash-
ington's head & begun another: these I look on as Cash.
I have painted at our friend Brown's at Mrs. Wignels
and at Mr. C Clays, where I am from the kindness of
Harwood & wife, and the frankness of Mr. & Mrs. Clay,
quite at home. The sketch I made of Mag. is of great use
to me, as it is the admiration equally of the ignorent &
the Connesseur (I cant for my soul recollect how to spell
the word)
I have succeeded highly with Mrs. Harwoods picture,
& expect it to aid me at Washington as I am to carry
letters from her to Mrs, Maddison. I have bought me a
waiscoat $5.50, A box of colours, of paris preperation and
very fine $10. Ivories & pencils &c. $10. Dont think me
extravagant. I really think I shall never part with a dol-
lar but for a necessary — these things were so to me.
I have employ'd a man to collect subscriptions for this
City, at 16 per cent upon what he collects, he delivering
the first volume & recieving the money. It is as low as I
could get it done & with difficulty found a man fitting.
You need be under no apprehension for the expence
of the engraving. Independent of the additional currency
it will give to the Volume, I doubt not as many prints
may be sold in the print shops as will pay the Engraver.
I wish you to tell Mag. to look for the 23d Volume of
those little books in which I journalize, and copy in a
neat hand, all my letters, begining at the 1st January
1806. it will improve hir writing, and spelling, and I
wiU journalize by letter to you, which will add to your
entertainment.
Pray sell your butter, try to get the money and buy
plenty of wood, that I may at least think of your being
warm, if you cant have all the comforts I wish you.
Adieu my love, with best love to our mother and daugh-
ter. John has not yet written to me.
W D
LETTERS FROM PHILADELPHIA, 1S06 365
Phil INIonday Jan-^ Gth 1806
I recieved yours of Saturday this morning. You see I
am still here. I am very glad you have received the
money; I shall not want any of it sent to me. For Mrs.
\V[ignell]'s child's picture I recieved 25 dolP & she is so
well pleas'd that I am employ'd to paint a second at the
same price. I have sent by Dr. Irving, a Washington's
head to D[avid] Longworth to sell for me, and am far
advanced in another, much finer than anything I have
done. If I do not get employ at Washington I shall not
stay there, and I shall when there ask 25 dolP for every
head I paint — my present stile of painting will justify
it. As to doing without a female servant, I say no — you
must not think of it so much by way of answer.
It will be Wednesday or thursdy before I leve this.
Your next letter must be directed for me at the post office
Baltimore.
Some days ago, a traveling quaker, a traveller and a
writer of a book of travals, called to see my friend Brown,
& I was introduced to friend Samson. Anxious to have
his book praised in Browns jMagazine he made his re-
marks and enquiries all tending to that point, but accom-
panied with a truly quaker self-sufficiency. I do not know
wether you know what I mean, but I think there is a kind
of priggish self-full smiling impudence, which is peculiar
to the vain of that sect. Such a one is friend Samson. He
is large, florid, healthfull, rich, has travel'd in England
France & Italy; talks of Authors and Artists; has a col-
lection of pictures; and is any thing but a wit, a Con-
noisseur, or a gentleman, perhaps I am too severe, it is
best to believe I am. Brown carried me to see his collec-
tion of pictures. The best is a small picture about 2 foot
by 1, said to be by Reubens. I never saw anything so
small by Reubens. Be it whose it may it is very fine.
The subject, Christ paying the tribute money, "Give (or
render) unto Ceaser that which is Ceasers." He has a
Magdalen said to be by Guido and some sea pieces &
Landscapes.
[Benjamin] Trot[t]. finds sufficient employment here.
366 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
& has raised his price from 30 to 40 dolP. he is a man of
genious, with excentricities; has misspent much of his
time, but is now inclined to make the most of the re-
mainder ; he has shown me some little things, since I have
been here, of consequence in the mechanical, or prepara-
tory part of the art.
This stormy day, the first snow we have seen I have
pass'd, in steadily painting. Beginning a portrait of Mrs.
Brown, and finishing one of Jefferson. I find it necessary
to destroy the one I painted of Mrs. B in July last, as
you may suppose. The one I have begun is, in compari-
son, light to utter darkness.
Tuesday [Jan.] 7th
I have painted stedily to day without going out of
the house the streets being very wet. The evening has
passed in playing Backgammon with Charles, and read-
ing AnquitiVs Lewis 14th a very entertaining and most
valuable book. There is a vast display of nature both in
her hideous & amiable forms. The intrigues of an in-
triguing Court & the characters of Fenelon & his pupil
the Duke of Burgundy Lewis's grandson. The Authors
principally quoted are St Simon & Madame de Main-
tenon, the first is remarkable for his talent of drawing
characters. Maintenon's letters must be well worth read-
ing. There is every reason to believe that she was married
to Lewis & it is certain she was a great nay a good
woman. But "what is Hecuba to you or you to Hecuba"?
With all love, good, my next from Baltimore
W D
Phil Jan^ 9th 1806 Friday [sic]
Here I am my dear wife. And now for the why and
the wherefore. After sending off my last letter Harwood
called to tell me that Mrs. Jos Clay wished to sit for hir
picture to send to hir husband who is in Congress. Of
course my Washington's head was laid by and yesterday
I began the picture at Mr Curtis Clays where to day I
shall continue to work at it & to morrow finish it. I shall
therefore remain here at least until monday.
LETTERS FROM PHILADELPHIA, 1806 367
I have taken my usual early walk to the Shuylkill this
morning which I found frozen completely over. Winter
has at length mounted his throne but I hope his reign
will not be long. He has cast his white robe o'er his shoul-
ders and shook his glassy sceptre over us in terrorum. I
hate him heartily.
The good Citizens of this place are giving dinners to
the Moreaus, Eatons & Decaturs. I see by a news paper
that Capt Bainbridge was at one given to Decatur, and
is enumerated among the guests. It has not been my lot
to meet him any where. I have made three efforts to see
Mrs Levy [?] but have been unsuccessfuU. Last eve-
ning Harwood had a party of musical people of the The-
ater to commemorate his wedding day; I was with them
untill a very late supper and then ran away for the party
was not musical to me.
I hope to recieve another letter from you while I am
here, pray take care to get plenty of wood & every thing
that is within reach that is good and comfortable. With
love to our mother and daughter. Adieu
WD
Phil Jan>- 14^^ 1806
My dear Bess
I rec*^ yours of Saturday yesterday. I lament the situa-
tion of the family you allude to I see not where there
misery is to terminate.
I have finished Mrs Clays picture and shall be on my
way to Baltimore when you recieve this. The account of
my labours here stands thus
Mrs Wignels Child ... 25 A Washington sent to
A copy begun to finish New York to sell ... 20
on my return 25 D° much superior for
Mr C Clay 20 which I would not
Mrs J Clay 20 take 30
Mrs Crosskeys 20 ~~T^
$100 certain
50 uncertain
368 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Heads of Mrs Wignell Mr Harwood Mr Jefferson for
myself
Half length of Mrs Harwood to be carried to Wash-
ington & exliibited, but ultimately to be presented to
Harwood
Head of Mrs Brown for hir husband
And all this done in less than 5 weeks at a season when
the days are at the shortest
I have recieved a letter from John the composition
very respectable, the hand writing not so mutch im-
proved as I expected.
I dined on Saturday at Conrads with a party of literati.
Fessendon^^ (the auther of Tractoration), Denny, **^ Mr
John Vaughan (member of the philisophical Society of
this place) Doctor [Nathaniel] Chapman (one of the
founders of the Edinburg review) Brown and myself.
Fessendon is a huge heavy fellow as big as Coll Hum-
phrey's, with features as heavy as his person, and an
address rather awkward; but his conversation, tho' fabri-
cated a la yankee is agreable & evinces an amiable dis-
position. He is a mechanical as well as a poetical genius,
and when in England was concerned in erecting floating
mills upon the Thames, similer to those used in France
and Germany. Denny is a small, neat man, an entire
contrast in appearance and manner to the foregoing. He
appears to be about 45 years old & is well bespater'd with
grey hairs. Tho' a Masacusets man he has freed his con-
versation from yankeeism's, and speaks with as much
facility and correctness as he writes. He is poUte in his
address, attentive to the etiquette of conversation and
studious so to suit it to those with him as to elicit those
sparks which might other wise lie dormant, with all this,
I confess I did not hear those brilliant things which I
44 Thomas Green Fessenden, author of Terrible Tractoration, a poetic
cal petition against galvanizing trumpery . . bv "Ciiristopher Caustic",
London, 1803; N. Y, 1804.
45 Joseph Dennie, editor of a weekly magazine published in Philadel-
phia, called The Port Folio.
LETTERS FROM PHILADELPHIA, 1806 369
expected from the mouth of the editor of the portfolio.
Mr Vaughan, talked much & sensibly but not pro-
foundly.
Doctor Chapman has an agreable intelligint countin-
ance & speaks with precision and elegance, but is not
fluent, owing, as it appears, to some defect of the palate
or other organ of speech. Brown tells me, he wrote the
criticism on John Davis's travels, which pleased us so
much last winter.
The winter has broke up with us, and I suppose the
Ice of the Deleware is sunk by the rain of last night.
Added to all my antipathies against cold, I was very
anxious on account of Armet Brown who has a ship laden
and ready to sail, which if not liberated from the Dele-
ware would have proved a great loss to him.
Our friends in this house are well. They have re-
peatedly desired their remembrances to you. The boys
continue to grow and to crow & to be beauties. Adieu
with love to mother and Mag, who I suppose laments the
flight of the snow.
I am glad you mention'd the little dut<;hman, who is
in my feelings, a part of the family.
W D
Phil Jan^ 17*^
Still in Philidelphia, my dear Bess, but positively to
leave it to morrow at 8 OClock. After dispatching my
[blank] I sat down to put a finishing hand to my Wash-
ington, when behold, his black velvet coat was pealing
off from the ivory and all in holes & patches, I am obliged
to give him an entire new one. Then came on snow and
frost so intense as to make me congratulate myself that
I was by a friendly fireside. Yesterday was an excessive
severe day. The water froze in my pencil, not two yards
from the fire, so that several times when I attempted to
put colour to the ivory, it was mingled with icy christals.
This morning is milder, I have been to the Deleware sup-
posing it frozen over; but it was free, and the warmth
of the sun at 8 OClock promised that it will continue so.
370 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
I thought yesterday of your Behama neighbours.
Imagination brought their shivering figures before me;
but it reminded me that you might be shivering too ; for
I fear you cannot keep your large open appartment warm.
In Philidelphia, where the emancipation of the Blacks
originated there are more free people of that colour than
in any other place in the union. Most of them are de-
graded & vicious but there are many useful and respect-
able. They are hired servants by the month, Cooks for
occasional dinners or parties ; Waiters of the same discrip-
tion; Mechanics; (one in particular a rich sail maker,
having many journimen & apprentices under him) and
one Clergiman. I have seen funeral processions led in
solemn state by this black and all black gentlemen. Early
associations made it appear ludicrous to me. It seem'd
like mimicry. Some days ago, I cross'd the Skuylkill at
the great bridge and walk'd along the bank to the upper
floating bridge, above or north of the City. In the way
I pass'd unexpectedly through a rural cemetary beauti-
fully situated, on a spot more suited to the living than
the dead. I soon found that It was a place of rest for the
children of Africa, and read the following Epitaph.
To the membory of who departed dis life
eage
From this you may infer that in addition to my list,
there [are] black teachers of orthography & black manu-
facturers of tombstones.
Adieu my dear Bess, with all love to those around you.
W D
Baltimore Jan^ 20'^
I am now 104 miles further from you than when I last
wrote & in health and full imployment.
On friday evening I left our friend's and lodged at the
stage house to be ready for starting. Next morning, after
breakfast, wrapt up in my great cloak & my feet guarded
by my mockasons I left penns City for an untried route.
My companions were a tall Scotsman and a short scots-
man, two frenchman, the one a giant the other a de-
LETTERS FROM BALTIMORE, 1806 371
formed dwarf, a little frenchwoman, the wife of the lat-
ter, and a little Fiddy lap dog.
The heart of the woman was in possession of the lap
dog, and the occupation of hir Husband was to nurse its
possessor.
After passing the villages of Darby & Chester, we
entred Deleware State and arrived at Wihuington. This
town has nothing of the neat & handsome style of the
northern & eastern villages. It is little more than one long
street on the declivit}^ of a slope, at the extremity of
w^iich is Christiana or Christine Creek, which runs into
the Deleware.
Shut up in a close carriage one gains little knowledge
of a country by passing through it expecially at this
dreary season, at a village called Newport we dined.
About 10 OClock we arrived at the Susquehana, which
is here a mile in width. It was hard frozen, and we crossed
on foot, our baggage being drawn over in a sleigh by
negroes. This passage and the detention of supping made
it 12 OClock before vve left the banks of the river. The
night was by no means severe and occasionally it snow'd.
It was daylight before we reached Baltimore. The country
in the neighbourhood is rude & presents none of those
appearances which usually indicate the vicinity of a
City. About 9 OClock we were set down at the Stage
house in Baltimore.
After cleaning and breakfasting, I sallied fourth to
view the town whose first appearance is by no means
agreable, but I must have further opportunities of seeing
& judging before I attempt a discription of the Capital
of Maryland.
Having been recommended by Mrs. Wignel, to Briden,
the keeper of the Fountain Inn and Coffee house, I sought
him and took up my abode with him, having a convenient
room appropriated for painting. Before I went to bed for
the first time in Baltimore I had two pictures engaged,
Mr. Briden's and Mr. Jenning"s. This morning Mr. Jen-
nings sat to me & I have worked all day, having promised
to finish the likeness by tomorrow night.
372 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
I recieved your letter dated 16th at the post office &
was recognized as an old acquaintance by the post master
Charles Burr ell.
Your letter has made me quite melancholy. But the
severe wether I hope is over, and I hope we shall have no
more long seperations. It is a subject I wish to avoid — it
is useless to dwell upon it.
I am here utterly alone. As soon as I can I will seek
Elijah Rattoone. In a few days I will write again & fully
as to my situation & prospects. Divide my love with Mag
and my mother. Adieu
William Dunlap
Baltimore Jan^ 25th 1806
My dearest Bess.
I have recieved yours of last Sunday & tuesday. You
before this have mine with the information of my arrival
in this place. Monday Tuesday & Wednesday were em-
ploy'd in painting a picture, for which I have recieved
the money.
Wednesday evening I drank tea with Mrs. Rattoon.
during a part of the time, the Doctor was out, and she
introduced the subject of his troubles in this place, which,
whether, I ever heard of them or not, were quite new to
me. Reports have been spread very much to the detri-
ment of his character; which reports she attributes to the
ill will of your old acquaintance Doctor Behn. Such how-
ever was the dissatisfaction of part of the Episcopal con-
gregation that Docter R. thought proper to resign his sit-
uation, and intended to leave Baltimore but his friends
insisted upon his remaining and Mrs. R. says, a church is
to be built for him. I have since heard Docter R. spoken
very hardly of in publick and it seems the spirit of Di-
vision runs high in the church.
Young [James] Inglis of N. Y. son to the china dealer,
is settled here in the presbyterian Church, & it seems that
on his introduction a schism took place & another Church
was built.
The Winter appears to have flown. It is here like spring
MARGARET DUXLAP (1791-1S37)
By William Duxlap
(Courtesy of Mrs. Williinn Tiillmll )
LETTERS FROM BALTIMORE, 1806 373
& I presume is so with you, for when I came here I found
as much snow & ice as I left in philidelphia: I therefore
presume that when it is cold here it is cold at Amboy
and vice versa.
The Man of the house Mr. James Bryden & his wife
have both sat to me for their pictures, and I understand
I am to paint their daughter Mrs Behn, wife of a german
Merchant now absent, but the last mentioned is not yet
engaged. I have two pictures already engaged for Wash-
ington City when I shall arrive there, a Mr. & Mrs.
[Charles] Love.
I have subscription papers out here, what will be the
result, I cannot say. I have employ'd a man to collect
names on the same terms as at Philidelphia, I am now
certain of publishing the first Volume if no more and
shall make preparations on my return to philidelphia.
I drank tea again last evening at Mrs. Rattoons. where
in the conversation of Mrs. R. & Miss Bull, a fine old
lady, I find something approaching to what I love most.
Your last excited a variety of sensations, but upon
the whole pleasure predominated, I hope my mother may
continue to find the winter a favorable one to her health.
Mag does not presume to neglect the copying I prescribed
for her. I feel grateful to every^body that contributes to
your amusement. Tell Theodosia that if she continues
good she shall still call me father.
In my next I shall attempt some discription of this
very thriving city. I have as yet but a superficial knowl-
edge of it, I fear the house I am in is a expensive one,
but the people seem anxious to employ and throw im-
ployment in my way. it is probably better than a cheaper
and more obscure situation.
Adieu my dear Good night.
WD
Baltimore Jan^ 29'*^ 1S06
My dearest Bess
It was my intention to have written you a long jour-
nalizing letter to morrow, and it has but now occur'd to
374 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
me that if I do not put a line in the Office tonight you
will not hear from me until next tuesday, I therefore
merely sit down to say I am well, that I may go & de-
posit my letter before I go to bed.
I am painting on my fourth picture; after finishing
which say next Sunday I shall go on to Washington which
is but 45 Miles further; a short days ride.
Direct your next of course to the post office at that
place.
I am very weary of this place. I am very weary of my
days work & the lack of faces in which I can take intrest.
Good night. I had better seek rest that weary my self
with telling you that I am weary. Adieu.
WD
Baltimore Feb^ P' 1806
My dear Bess.
I shall leave this place tomorrow after two weeks resi-
dence, which has enabled me to form a pretty accurate
estimate of the town & its inhabitants as compared to
other City's of the United States.
Baltimore, so called from the first proprietor Cecilus
Calvert, Lord Baltimore, is situated about 200 miles from
the Atlantic Ocean almost at the head of the great bay
of Chesapeak, and near the mouth of the river patapsco.
The State of Maryland is divided into Eastern & Western
by the Chesapeak and is watered by the streams which
flow into it, among the largest is the susquehannah, flow-
ing from the north & which I cross'd in coming hither,
and the patowmac from the west, having its source in
Virginia & dividing the two states. Among the smaller
is found the patapsco which flowing from the west falls
into the Chesapeak to the southward of Baltimore which
is built round a bason made by an inlet from the river
thus.
[Space left blank. Margaret did not copy her father's map.]
The length of the town from Fells point quite around
the bason is about 3 miles; its breadth irregular. It has
LETTERS FROM BALTIMORE, 1806 375
had the most rapid growth of any place on the continent
and ranks as the fourth in size and third in commercial
consequence in the United States.
Annapolis, nominally the capital of the state, is 30
miles to the Southward and is as rapidly dechning as
Baltimore is increasing. Fells point is the place where
the shipping lie and are built, and is of course the ren-
dezvous of Sailors and those that live by their vices.
Though it is regularly laid out, it is with the exception
of a few houses, a mass of wretchedness and infamy; yet
through this medium flows the commercial wealth of
Maryland and part of Virginia. Is not such the channel
of all commercial wealth? Next to fells point comes Old
town the original Baltimore, divided from the remaining
and principle part of the City, by the mouth of a stream,
call'd Jones's Falls, over which are several bridges. From
Old town, proceading west, we enter the main or Balti-
more Street, which is the seat of the retail trade of the
town, is spacious, and the greater part well built; it is
parelel with the head of the bason & is cross'd at right
angles by streets running to the water. The present di-
rection of the growth of the City appears to be westward.
In that quarter is the market for produce which is
brought in cover'd waggons, as in philidelphia, but with
very inferior teams. The horses are generally small and
driven 2 abreast: 4 to each team. Trucks are used for
the transportation of goods. Hackney Coaches are used
here more than any where on the Continent except
Boston.
Of the publick buildings I can say little & I believe
little is to be said places of Worship are numerous for
the size of the place but none remarkable for size of
structure. The Court house is a wTetched old building,
standing in the center of a street, with an arch'd gang-
way under it beautiful by a pillory and whipping post.
The dansing assembly room or house, is the handsomest
building in the place and the proprietors have allotted a
lower [sic] in it to the City Library company: thus
literature is kept in due subordination to dancing & card
376 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
playing. This observation leads me to manners, which
are such as might be expected in a society formed of
commercial adventurers from all nations and in which
slavery exists on the old colonial establishment. I have
seen several counting houses open on Sunday with the
clarks at work ; & Billiard tables publicky notefied by sign
boards. From the first I onely infer that less attention is
paid to appearances here than to the northward ; & from
the second that gambling is not in such general disrepute,
A Raffle was held at the house I live in some days ago
and many of the first merchants of the place mingled in
attendance with professed gamesters & surrounded the
table. Some watches & a clock were raffled for; which
done, the company threw the dice for money until 2
OClock in the morning. An informer, however was pres-
ent, and all gameing or betting above 5 dolP being pro-
hibited by law of the corporation, these gentlemen had
the mortification of appearing as culprits before the
Mayor & recieving sentence of punishment by fine.
Having yesterday finished my painting, I walked in
the afternoon to the Fort [McHenry] which commands
the entrance of the harbour or bason of Baltimore. It is
three miles from the town on a neck of land formed by
the inlet (the head of which is the bason) on one side
and the petapsco on the other. As you go to the Fort,
on the left is a promontory which overlooks the town,
the harbour and entrance south of the bason and the
river On this height is a house called the observatory
where signals are made of the approach of vessels as at
the narrows of N. Y. Harbour. The Fort is at the ex-
treme point of the neck, and is a strong fortress with
brick walls surmounted by earth and garrison'd at pres-
ent by a captains guard. The barracks are within the
walls and could contain some hundred of soldiers. A bat-
tery is below the Fort at the edge of the water, which
was formerly the only defence of the harbour, until the
United States erected the present fortress.
I may have mentioned in a former letter the unim-
proved appearance of the country in the vicinity of this
WASHINGTON, D. C, 1806 377
place, as we approached from philidelphia no cultiva-
tion ; no country seats. But on the other side of the town
and on the banks of the patapsco are many dehghtful
villa's and snug retreats, with all the attention to deco-
ration and delight which is usual in the neighbourhood
of populous towns.
I pass'd an hour to day in the Library, which tho'
small is well chosen and well arranged. My attention
was principally taken up with a view of Modern Rome:
another of St. Peters, and the Vatican: and a third of
the inside of St. Peters. The two last well design'd and
engraved.
Doctor R. has just left me. He says the subscription,
is open for building him a church & filling very fast. He
talks freely against his enemies & ascribes his persecu-
tion to envy of his popularity.
Groomrich is here. I called to see him and he return'd
my call. He talks as much as ever and Correggio &
Reubens, Titian & Claude, Vandyke & Kneller, roll off
his tongue with the rapidity & incessancy of a Mill tor-
rent. He show'd me a few good pictures; One by Sir
James Thornhill (Hogaths farther in law) one by Knel-
ler and one (perhaps) Vanduke, with two Landscapes by
Italian masters, whose names I cannot recolect.
Adieu, my best love attends you and those with you
ever. ' ^ p
My dearest Bess Washington Feb' 5- [1806]
Here I am safe and well and employ'd in painting in
Georgetown near Washington owing to which I have seen
nobody I know. I write this in the most hurried manner
that I may walk up to Washington and see Mitchill *^ &
others, at a season of the day when I cannot work.
I recieved yours of the 1st this morning by walking 2
miles for it and must do the same to deposit this.
Adieu ^ j^
•*6Dr. Samuel Latham Mitchill was a U. S. Senator from New York,
1804-1809.
378 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Washington Feb^ 6**^
My dear Bess
My last was mearly intended to prevent your unesiness
from not hearing of my arrival. I now sit down to com-
municate, what if, known before I could have given you
full information would have caused you much uneasiness.
I was one General Heard's securities, and could not until
this moment assure you or myself that I should not be
prosecuted as such; but I am now assured that no steps
shall be taken against me. I have this morning seen Mr.
Gallatin, the Secretary of the Treasury, respecting my
situation, and recieved his directions how to act, in preas-
ance of Mitchell, who introduced me. Mr. Gallatin has
full power in the case. As to Heard, he is removed, and
will be prosecuted and I presume (if not able to pay
arrears) imprison'd, from which situation nothing but
an act of Congress can relieve him.
You will perhaps feel hurt that I have not communi-
cated the circumstance of my suretyship to you. When
I first became Gen' Heards security, I thought it but a
form; it almost pass'd from my mind, and when it was
brought back with some apprehensions of danger, the
disorder & intricacies of my affairs, and the certainty of
bankruptcy again drove it away. After I had become in-
solvent, I wrote to Doctor Mitchel and stated my insuffi-
ciency to be a surety to the Government, which letter he
inclosed to Mr. Gallatin and assured me that other surety
would be demanded of Heard, and that I should probably
hear no more of the matter. Though I felt in some meas-
ure secure in these assurences I dared not mention the
circumstances to you as I knew your apprehensions
would be a source of torture. Heard never gave me a
hint that he was in arrears, and I long flatter'd myself,
that some other surety had been demanded & given. I
had likewise determined upon visiting Washington and
knew I could then gain information of the real state of
the business. Heards arrears are $3455 so that if I had
not been brought to insolvency by my own misfortunes
I should have had now to undergo all its horrors, for the
WASHINGTON, D. C, 1806 379
misfortunes or misconduct of another. As it is, I am but
as I was. I seize the first moment after my interview
with Mr. Gallatin to disburthen my mind and to make
you secure against the circumstance of accidentally hear-
ing that I was one of the miserable man's suretys. Now
you must forgive me for having risqued property, when
I had it, by becoming any persons bondsman; and for
having, out of tenderness for you, kept the transaction
from your knowledge until I could tell the event of it:
and then I shall feel perfectly reliev'd.
Feb^ 8'^ My journy hither was performed with little
fatigue, on monday last, and though it rain'd and the
roads were heavy we came the 45 miles from Baltimore
to George town between the hours of 6 in the morning
and 4 in the afternoon. The country is poor through
which I pass'd. There is said to be but one good farm
from Baltimore to Washington: that is after passing the
immediate vicinity of the first. About 7 miles riding
brought us to a ferry over the patapsco, passed in a scow
guided by a rope drawn tight to stakes on either side.
Five miles from Washington we cross'd the eastern
branch of the patowmac, at Bladensburgh, a poor Village
once of some trade. The river is here a mere mill stream,
at Washington 74 gun ships ride in security. On entring
the City of Washington from the north or east the first
object is the Capitol which when finished will be an im-
mense and superb building; One wing is now finished
and another carried up but not cover'd in. In the finished
part Congress sits. A few houses appear near the Capitol
but when you arrive at the summit of the hill on which
it stands, you see all that is built of the City particularly
the publick & private buildings streaching along at in-
tervals 3 Miles to George town, which is likewise seen
from this spot. I went directly to the latter place as being
the residence of the gentleman who had engaged my
pencil at Baltimore.
I put up at McGlaughlin's hotel, George town, where
many members of Congress reside from the scantiness of
380 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
accomodations at Washington & are convey'd backwards
and forwards by Hacks which makes the Pensylvania
Avenue (for so the road or street from George town to
the Capitol is call'd) very lively. This road is a finished
turnpike road with good foot paths or side walk, and
planted with double rows of poplers. On tuesday I found
Mr. Love, and began to paint. In the afternoon sought
Mitchill, but he was out. I found Miss Templeton at Mr.
Smith's the printer of the ministerial gazette *'^ but as she
was engaged to a party at Mr. Madisons, I return'd to
George town to tea.
Wednesday afternoon I found Mitchil and made the
appointment with him to see Mr. Gallatin the next morn-
ing the result of which visit I have already mentioned.
I would have you take no notice of Heards business
whatever. I thmk I shall by this post write him, not to
mention my arrangements or situation arrising from my
previous insolvency, but to know his statement of his
accounts & what resources he has for deminishing the
debt, though I presume he has none.
Continue to direct to me post office Washington, as it
is probable I shall remove to that City in a few days
where I can board about as low as any where else. I
cannot well raise the price of my pictures as I intended
I fear it would prevent employment & Mr. Love having
engaged at Baltimore at 20 dolP had mention'd my price
as such. I have another picture bespoken and more talked
of.
The first part of this letter was wTitten on the Capitol
hill at the quarters of our Connecticut friends with whom
I dined that day and after passmg part of the evening
at Mitchills quarters among the oposite party walk'd to
George town to rest.
with all love to you and yours
W D
^'' The Universal Gazette was published in Washington, D. C, by
Samuel Harrison Smith, 1800-1810. Brigham, "Bibliography of American
Newspapers", in Proc. American Antiquarian Society, new ser., XXIII,
367, (Oct., 1913).
WASHINGTON, D. C, 1806 381
Washington (George town) Feb'' 9'^ Sunday
My dear Wife
This is a cold day and makes me think that you must
have a return of winter with you. I have just return'd
from a walk of 3 miles up the western branch of the
potomac the scenery of which must be in summer ex-
tremely beautiful. Near George town is a cannon foun-
dery '^^ belonging to a methodist preacher of the name
of Foxhall A whimsical combination of employments,
Casting Cannon & preaching the Gospel — and casting
Cannon at preasant for the Dey of Algiers.
About three miles up the river is the lesser falls of
the potomac which have rendred a Canal and locks neces-
sary. I never saw the mode of lock navigation before.
An Encyclopedia can better discribe the mode of pass-
ing boats through the locks than I can. Fifteen miles up
the river I am told are the great falls and locks. By means
of these produce is brought 150 or 200 miles to George
town & Alexandria, which last town is 5 miles lower down
the river than this place. Washington is situated in the
fork made by the East & west branches of the patomac ;
a small stream runing through it formally called Goose
creek, now the Tiber as it leves the foot of the capitol
hill. This stream falls into the potomac about a mile and
a half from the Capitol oposite the presidents house &
the publick OflBces, and makes the scene very pictur-
esque, the point made by its joining the great river re-
minded me of the point of Statin Island opposite to
Amboy another small stream divides Washington from
George town & is call'd Rock Creek; several bridges over
it make communication easy. This last stream is the seat
of many mills & its high banks afford pleasant scites for
a number of Gentlemens villa's.
The situation of Washington is certainly very fine, but
it has long been ascertain'd that people cannot live much
less grow rich upon prospects, and the prospect of future
48 The Columbian Foundry, established by Henrj' Foxall. See Madi-
son Davis, ''The Old Cannon Foundry above Georgetown, D. C. and its
first owner, Henry Foxall", in Records of the Columbia Historical So-
ciety, (1908), XI, 16-70.
382 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
prosperity has not been strong enough to keep those
mechanics as inhabitants who first remov'd to the City at
its foundation. No houses are building; those already
built are not finish'd and many are falling rapidly to
decay. I believe there is not a knocker or bell to any door
in Washington. It reminds me of the Cities founded by
Catherine 2d in Russia; tho' it is not so bad as some of
hers with houses and no inhabitants & others which exist
merely in name & on the map. The shops and Stores
which supply the inhabitants of Washington are prin-
cipally in George town.
Feb^ 12*'' 1806 I am still in George town and have been
for some days at the house of Mr. Charles Love for whom
I am painting 2 pictures. I am in the family of Love. Cer-
tainly I am in a family of kindness & hospitality. Mr. &
Mrs. Easton are next door neighbours and have been in
to see me. He writes in one of the publick offices. She
made many enquiries concerning her old acquaintances
in Amboy & seam'd fond of the subject. She remembred
and reminded me of Bangle's designating her as the
"woman that talk'd night and day,"
I have called at the post office Washington several
times in hopes of a second letter, but in vain. I hope when
I deposit this to find one. Until I leve George town I
shall not be able to do anything with my subscription,
tho' I will try & make arrangements this afternoon for
seeing the president.
Adieu my dear, with love to our Mother & daughter
W D
[At this point the handwriting changes. Evidently Margaret
stopped copying her father's letters, and the following were tran-
scribed by a more mature and experienced hand.]
Washington Feb^ 13
Never, never, my dear Bess, will I be seperated in this
manner from you again. I endeavor to console myself by
imagining the pleasure of my return home, but all in
vain. Neither does the number of Men, I see around me,
who are absent from their homes their wifes & families,
WASHINGTON, D. C, 1806 383
give me any consolation; tho it is generally supposed
that fellowship in suffering lightens pain. Mitchell says
he writes to his wife every day. It may be so for the mem-
bers of Congress have not only opportunity but tempta-
tion for letter writing. They are seated with each one his
pen ink & paper before him, & while one idle fellow is
idly talking upon an idle subject, the rest who must sit,
to avoid hearing him & fill up the time write letters.
I have drank tea with Miss Templeton & as you may
possibly feel some curiosity respecting the illustrious
Ambassadors from the Osages & Tunisians I will give you
her account of their appearance at the City Dancing As-
sembly. The Indians, dressed as they commonly are
among the Whites, that is in Cloth Coats & pantaloons,
with their national ornaments were seated at one end
of the Room. The Turk a handsome old man, with a
white beard, superbly dressed & attended by his two
secretaries both richly vested in the Oriental style, placed
himself opposite the Osages & thro the medium of their
interpreter, in the French Language, put various ques-
tions to them in this manner. Do you believe in Jesus
Christ? No, dont know him. Do you believe in Mahomet?
No dont know him. Are you descended from Ham, Shem
or Japhet? Dont know them. The Turk then remarked
that their Heads were shaved in the manner of his own,
that is, all off except on the top; & that they resembled
the Bedouin Arabs. He then asked one of the Osages if
they had such handsome women among them as the
ladies present. The savage replied "y^s, But not so hand-
somely dress" & retorted the question to the Tunisian,
who smiling & turning to the ladies, said, "they, the dis-
ciples of Mahomet, were promised such beauties in para-
dise." You see by this that his Tunisian Excellency is a
polished courtier: Yet so little has he of diplomatic
Dignity that he is a vender of Otto of Roses (& other
knic knacks) which his secretaries sell at $.50 per phial.
He has dismissed one of his Attendants for striking an
insolent blackguard Barber of the city, & before sending
him off, bastinadoed & requested to know of the Secre-
384 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
tary of State whether he wish'd him put to Death as he
was impowered (& I suppose perfectly willing) to take
his life.
Mrs. Smith,''^ with whom Miss T stays was a Miss
Bayard of N. Brunswick. She is clever, but very senti-
mental. Her husiband is a little man & reminds one of
C B B, but Brown has I think the air of a Philosopher,
while S. looks like a Monkey turn'd Barber.
Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury is a thin
man about my height or taller, with dark hair, coarse &
bushy, yellow complexion, long nose, hideous mouth &
teeth, but a black, intelligent & piercing eye. The day I
called upon him with Mitchell about Heards affairs, he
was somewhat disturbed by the news of the sailing of
the Leander from New York with men & arms and a
clandestine expedition under General Miranda, supposed
to be against the Caraccas. Being a Genevese his native
language is French, but he speaks English, with great
correctness altho with a Foreign Idiom. That same day
I saw the Vice president [George Clinton] in the senate
chamber; he said he should be glad to see me at his
house : but I have not been. I attended the congressional
debates one morning, but was heartily tired. Randolph
who is almost an Orator in the House of Representatives
did not speak, those who did were miserable animals. You
can scarcely conceive any thing so mean, as connected
with a great national Assembly.
Feb^ 15"^
I see Mrs. Eston daily. The day before yesterday, I
drank tea with her. He has very politely invited me to
stay at his house, but I must take a room in the City or
I shall do nothing. I am now without employ — happily
for some days, I have been without expense. Mr. Joseph
Clay, member for Philadelphia called upon me with a
polite letter from Mrs. Harwood, enclosing an introduc-
49 Margaret (Bayard) Smith, daughter of Col. John Bayard and wife
of Samuel Harrison Smith (founder of The National Intelligencer.) Her
letters were printed in 1906, with the title The First Forty Years of
Washington Society, edited by Gaillard Hunt.
WASHINGTON, D. C, 1806 385
tory letter to Mrs. Madison, wife of the Secretary of
state & leader of every thing fashionable in Washington.
This letter I yesterday delivered & was very politely re-
ceived by the Lady, who is a fine Woman & a handsome
woman, tho not a young woman. She advised my removal
from Georgetown to Washington, expressed her wish to
have Mr. Madison's picture (who was not at home)
show'd me Stewarts pictures of Messrs. Washington, Jef-
ferson, Madison & herself & invited me to call upon her
with Mrs. Harwoods picture.
On my way back to George town I called on Mr. &
Mrs. [Joel] Barlow, who appear very friendly indeed.
She spoke much of you of your Mama & of your poor
Brother John of whom she speaks with gratitude & the
affection of a sister. She expresses a strong wish to see
you & desires her love &. remembrance. He appears to be
a very clever man ; plain, frank & intelligent. He show'd
me some proofs of plates which are engraving in London
for a superb edition of his Columbus. I call it Columbus
tho he says it is so altered as to be an entire new work.
It is to be printed in Philadelphia
I rec'd yesterday your short answer to my short letter
on my arrival here. I have neglected poor John but will
not continue so to do. I am glad to hear of him what you
communicate. How is it for money with you? had I not
better pay your postages too? Adieu.
Washington Feb^' 17^^
After being really oppressed by a sultry atmosphere,
behold to day, a thorough tho not a very cold snow
storm. In my last I mentioned a visit to Mr. & Mrs. Bar-
low— a few more words of them before I take another
subject. They had been intimate at Mr. West's & among
other anecdotes relative to him Mr. B. told one in which
Stewart was concerned which mark the unhappy connec-
tion in this instance of talents & turpitude. S. professing
great esteem & much gratitude for Mr. and Mrs. West,
painted a very fine portrait of the former & presented it
to the latter. The picture was much admired & highly
386 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
valued. Not long before leaving England, S pretending a
wish to alter or more highly to finish some part, prevailed
upon Mrs. West to send it to his rooms, & immediately-
sold & delivered it to Alderman Boydel, who supposed it
his property. S went off & West almost by force recovered
the picture. In Dublin this same eccentric & immoral
Artist being lodged in Jail for Debt, began the pictures
of a great many nobles & others, receiving the half price
at the first sitting, & after thus getting enough to release
himself, mov'd off, & left their Irish lords imprison'd in
efiigy.
[Feb.] 18th I rec'd yours to day in which you lash me.
Well! I kiss the rod. With it I rec'd a letter from the
miserable Heard, showing some agitation & a hope that
by promises his fate may be averted. Alas it is too late.
He has been a week removed & I suppose by this time,
his successor Manning has received his Commision. Tho'
it snowed all yesterday, the ground is already naked &
the temperature mild & benignant. Tomorrow I am to
quit the family of Love. Love is here eternally present to
the sight & hearing. Every spoon, every towel, sheet &
pillow case is marked with Love. But it is not my love.
After some Difficulties, & various walks to the City, I
have hired a Room at a Hotel, not finding one at a pri-
vate House to suit. I am to pay $10 per Week, for lodging,
boarding, fire & Candle, having a Chamber to myself.
Feb^ 19^" This is my Birth Day. I am forty years old
& you are thirty seven. Here is a theme for reflection,
but I will confine my speculations to this, we are both
well & I am wiser than I was. I am just settled in my
new habitation, at Semmes's Hotel, City of Washington.
From the Window where I am writing, I see the Capitol
at two Miles distance, towering like some antique Ruin,
& wanting nothing but some Colossal columns with their
heads at their feet, to remind one of Rome or Persepolis.
On Monday I sent Mrs. Harwoods picture to Mrs. Madi-
son & received her compliments, thanks & assurances that
WASHINGTON, D. C. 1806 387
it was very like. I have this morning called upon her a
second time & taken away the picture. Nothing more was
said of Madison's miniature being wanted. She said she
had mentioned me to Mr. Jefferson & his daughter. I
requested permission to copy Mr. Jefferson's picture by
Stewart & Mr. Madison's; which was obligingly granted
& the first immediately sent to me.
This day is sultry. The frogs have already commenced
their town meetings, tho their Orators do not yet exert
their throats to their full extent.
I was interrupted by a call to dinner. This is the land
of Hog, homminey & hoe-cake. At the public houses they
have homminey at Breakfast, homminey at Dinner &
homminey at Supper, at Mr. Love's we had usually three
kinds of Bread at Breakfast & tea (or supper) Vizt
Bakers (& often 2 kinds of that) Hot biscuit home made
& hoe cake (or as they call it Corn bread) The District of
Columbia, a territory of 10 Miles square, or 100 square
miles, comprehends a portion of two States, Maryland &'
Virginia, ceded to Congress, & placed under its peculiar
government, to the North of the Potomac, in this district
is Washington & Georgetown; to the south of it, Alex-
andria. The two first in Maryland the last in Virginia.
From Rock hill, on the Banks of Rock Creek, just back
of Georgetown, the three Cities, are in view at one time
& make with the noble sheet of water which the Potomac
here spreads a beautiful & magnificent prospect. The
Potomac above George town soon dwindles & is inter-
rupted by falls & the Navigation aided by locks, & at
George town itself, the channel is injured by the deposits
from the stream. To remedy this defect, the inhabitants
by a stone dam have joined a pretty little Island of a
mile & half in length, call'd Mason's Island to the main-
land on the Virginia side, to reduce the waters to one
channel with a view of deepening it & the hope of re-
moving a Bar of sand which prevents ships from freely
entering. This experiment will not receive its trial until
the freshets when they expect the great flow of waters
will wash away the Bar. In the mean time the people of
388 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Georgetown are much alarmed & agitated by a project
of throwing a bridge over the potomac, below them, ren-
dering the communication between Washington & Alex-
andria more direct & shorter by 5 miles, and (as they
fear) injuring still more the navigation of Georgetown.
Feb^ 20 I have mentioned that I yesterday heard the
croaking of the Frogs for the first time; Mr. Jefferson
informed me that he heard them 10 Days ago, & noted
down the circumstance. Yes, I have seen, touched & heard
the great man. A fresh sheet of paper must be devoted
to him, & all he said & all he did. I this day began to
copy Stewarts picture of him; so that my poor head is
full of Jeffersons.
Saturday 22. I kept this till to day because by sending
it one or even two days sooner, you would not gain time
in the receit. I have one picture begun for pay. I have
obtained the presidents name to my subscription. In my
next perhaps I may guess the time I shall be on the
return.
Adieu, with love to all with you.
Washington Feb^ 25
Thank you m}^ dear Bess for your letter, with the detail
of your family oeconomy & arrangements, I received on
Saturday. I will now proceed to recount the wonders of
Washington City. And first — Thomas Jefferson, is a tall
man, say 6 feet & thin. His hair which has been red is now
grey & is worn in negHgent disorder, tho not ungracefully.
His complexion is ruddy & his eye (a hazle) very ani-
mated. He converses with ease & vivacity, possessing true
politeness, which places his guests perfectly at their ease.
During the short period which we past with him, ren-
dered shorter by the certainty of having interrupted him
in study or Business (for he came into the room en dis-
habille & slippered) he talked of the early approach of
spring, of gardening French & English, prefering the lat-
ter & praising their great taste in laying out their ground.
MRS. WILLIAM DUXLAP (ELIZABETH W()(JLSEY) (176S-1S4S)
By "William Duxlap
(Courtesy of Mrs. Ilemy McKeeii Kerriday)
WASHINGTON, D. C, 1806 389
censuring Gen' Mason the proprietor of Mason's Island
for the bad taste he had displayed in laying out that
charming spot; Gardening led to notice of jNIr. Parkins,
an English gentleman residing in Virginia, an excellent
Draftsman & skillful adept in disposing of pleasure
grounds, this to painters &c.
I have been to visit a Chief of the Rickaraw Indians
who was mentioned by IVIr. Jefferson as an extraordinary
man, speaking many Indian tongues & likewise convers-
ing by signs. He has come to the seat of Government,
from a distant part of the Louisiana territory — 200 miles
beyond the residence of any tribe that has yet had inter-
course with us, this immense journey he undertook as a
deputy from his nation & others, accompanied only by a
French trader as an interpreter & guide. Mumford who
had seen hmi before was the leader of Mitchill & myself.
WTien we entered the house which is a boarding house
appropriated to Indians, we found the interpreter, the
Rickaraw & 2 or 3 Osages, in a small front room with the
2 matrasses & a Bear skin on the floor. The Osages went
in & out the room during our stay or occasionally
stretched on the floor. The interpreter entered into con-
versation with us in French. The great man was seated
cross-legg'd on a mattrass scrapmg & cutting Guinea-hen
feathers & did not deign to raise his eyes to us. His dress
was a second hand blue, military coat, without facings,
but with two large gold epaulets, a flannel shirt, dirty
light colored pantaloons & shoes covered with mud of
many days standing. He had rings in his ears & a blue
cotton handkerchief, tied about his head in the French
manner with a buckle disposed in the front. He is a large
old man & nearly as dark as an American born negroe,
but with light hazle colored [eyes]. His hair was covered
by the handkerchief. After conversing some time with
the Interpreter, Mit^chell desired him to inform the
Rickeraw that a Senator of the U. S. from the great City
of N. York having heard that he was a learned traveller
&c &c had come to see & become acquainted with him.
This harangue the interpreter delivered in a loud & dis-
390 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
tinct voice & at great length. The learned savage con-
tinued during the whole solely occupied in cutting &
trimming feathers, occasionally whistling in a whispering
key as he attended to his work, & without once looking at
us or appearing to hear the interpreter. The interpreter
finished & the Rickeraw continued at his work. We con-
cluded that he w^ould take his own time & therefore turn-
ing from him entered again into conversaton with the
Frenchman. By & by the old man smiled & made a sign
to a young Indian who went out & brought him a pitcher
of water. He then pointed to the litter he had made in
cutting & the young man took it away. The Rickeraw
now very deliberately put away his knife & work & began
to prepare some tobacco for smoking. We continued to
converse with the Frenchman. At length having prepared
his pipe, lighted it, placed a chair in the middle of the
room & seated himself, the chief appeared for the first
time to notice us. Still he spoke not, but pulled from
under his belt, or out of a pouch or pocket hanging in
front, he pulled some papers & presented one of them
to Mitchill who read it aloud. It was a certificate & recom-
mendation from Gen^ [William] Clark & Cap' Merri-
weather Lewis, the gentleman who has been for many
months exploring that country by order of the president.
When Mitchill in reading came to the Rickaraw's name,
he gave an assenting gutteral sound the first he had
uttered & so to the names of Clark & Lewis. The paper
was returned & we shook hands with him. He then pre-
sented 3 pieces of paper, which joined lengthwise, pre-
sented a map of his rout, of his country, the course of the
Missouri, the relative situations of a great many Indian
nations, & Captain Lewis's encampment.
Feb^ 26"^ Wedn^
I have just rec'd your letter of 22d & the tone of com-
plaint in which it is written has changed the current
of my Ideas too much for me to continue the foregoing
subject. When I shall get home I do not know, when I
shall leave this place I cannot yet tell. I must obtain
WASHINGTON, D. C, 1806 391
some leading names for my Book & it is a very uphill
business. If it is best that my mothers furniture be re-
moved to Amboy, I should suppose it may be done im-
mediately. I see no prospect of using it in New York. I
shall go there on my return & wish you to go thither
likewise; & from thence with me to Philadelphia.
I calculate for you to receive this letter next Saturday,
& on that day I think I shall put a letter in the Office
to tell the day of my leaving this place for Baltimore.
It is not my intention to stop to paint in Philadelphia,
but to do that work on my return thither with you. I
enclose $10 for fear you should be short of Cash. With
love to all. Adieu.
Washington Feb-^ 28. 1806
My dear Bess
This is the last letter I hope that I shall write to you
from this place. I begin a picture of Mr. Baldwin to-
morrow which I will finish on Monday & leave W. on
tuesday. If there is no work waiting for [me] at Balti-
more, I shall be in Phil, on Friday. Here I must buy
paper for the first volume of my work & set the press a
going if it can be done without delay.
Continuation of the Rickeraw
Having displayed his map, he traced his rout with his
finger, & by means of signs, sometimes explained by the
Interpreter, he made us perfectly understand him. So ex-
pert are the western Indians in pantomime that we are
told they sometimes hold council in which not a word
is spoken. "Here" says he "is my country. Then he
pointed out the situations of the neighboring tribes, re-
capitulating their names & marking by signs their dis-
tinguishing characteristics. Among the rest he named &
described a nation of whites, with blue & grey eyes &
light colored hair. This the interpreter corroborated. He
traced his rout to the place where he met Cap" Lewis.
Then told us that he guided him westward & returned
again with him. When in his rout he came to a village,
392 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
his sign for entering was, to raise the left hand & arch it,
& then to pass the right hand with the fingers somewhat
pointed under the arch, the back of the last touching
the palm of the first. When he came to a mark of a River
running into the great River — Missouri, he signified his
crossing by the action of rowing. In this manner he
marked the whole of his route, ending it by a rude figure
signifying the presidents house in Washington; beyond
which he had drawn a gun, a sword, powder, ball & to-
bacco as the presents he expected.
A part of the country on this side the Rickaraws, he
described as volcanic, & near this burning soil, he had
marked a cavern the properties of which partake of the
marvellous. If a man was to be thrown in ''says he by
signs" he would be thrown out again by the force of the
wind. Take a tree & throw it in, it will descend for some
time & suddenly be tossed out, thrown into the air &
scattered in pieces.
He had two other marvellous spots on his map & his
account of them is in the true Mandevillian Style. The
first is a lake in which a monstrous amphibious animal
resides, with horns like a Cow &c & The second is like-
wise a lake, the waters of which have such an attractive
relatively to stones, that all the stones for a certain dis-
tance around it have gradually forsaken their old beds
& taken up their abode at the bottom of this lake. This
must be all true for in the first place he saw the stones
at the bottom of the lake, & in the second the Rickaraws
never lie. His sign for speaking truth & the contrary is
very expressive, he draws a line with his finger from his
heart to his mouth & thence straight to the auditor or
spectator ; for falsehood the line comes crooked from any
part of the Abdomen & on issuing from the lips, splits,
diverges & crosses in every direction.
When he returns he says, all the natives around will
assemble to hear his report; & what he sees & hears, he
shall treasure up in his head & faithfully recount.
After a pretty long interview we shook hands & parted,
much pleased with the novelty of the exhibition & the
WASHINGTON, D. C, 1806 393
animation & intelligence of the old savage, who compared
to the stupid Indian of the North is a civilized man. Is
it not probable that these Western & southern Indians
retain more of the civilization of the Mexicans & Peru-
vians from whom all the tribes have originated, & that
the farther others have wandered from the parent stocks
the more they have brutalized.
I this day returned the presidents picture to Mrs.
Madison, but did not see her as she was not well. I saw a
Swiss artist there an old man, who draws profiles on
vellum very prettily in water color & pencil lines at $3.
Doctor [William] Thornton superintendent of the
patent office has treated me politely & presented me with
some pamphlets. The Doctor draws very well but he
writes abominably. His lady ^'^ paints very prettily & is
an accomplished woman.
This place has been from its commencement & still is
the resort of speculators <k projectors. It is absolutely
melancholy to see the waste of labor & materials in this
speculatively great city. It is a composition of disjointed
members which are falling to decay, because removed
from & disconnected with the heart. First round the un-
finished capitol stand some good buildings finished & in-
habited at least in winter. Then proceed a mile south is
the navy yard & arsenal & a cluster of mean but inhabited
buildings. A mile southwest of the Capitol is a row called
the 20 Buildings left unfinished & without window
sashes. A mile from these directly west is Greenleaf's
point, near which are 40 houses, at least twenty of Brick,
some inhabited but most unfinished & decaying. In a
line West from the Capitol is the pensylvania avenue, a
well finished road with houses scattered along it & termi-
nated by the magnificent house of the president, on each
side of which but at some distance, are two handsome
Brick buildings in which the public offices are kept. I
have hardly left room to say adieu
50 Anna Maria (Brodeau) Thornton. Her diary, kept in Washington
in ISOO, is printed in Records of the Columbia Hu?toricaI Society (1907)
X, 88-226, from the Thornton MSS. in the Librarj- of Congress.
394 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Washington Feb^ 28 Continued.
Around these public buildings are various clusters of
Houses, an unfinished brick church & the walls of an un-
finished house. On one side of the Pensylvania avenue is
an unfinished large hotel without window sashes, pro-
ceeding from the Presidents house to George town north-
westwardly, we find disconnected Rows of houses in
Brick which are inhabited, 4 6 & 7 together, designated
the 6 Buildings &c. then comes a void of half a mile
which brings you to Rock creek & Georgetown. The origi-
nal speculators ^^ [Robert] Morris, [John] Nicholson,
[James] Greenleaf & [Samuel] Blodget, failed & left the
master builders to pay their workmen as they could &
abandon the work to decay. Still say existing speculators
if the Canal navigation is continued from the lower falls
of Potowmac to Greenleafs point, abandoning the River
at the falls & thus making it safe for the Canal Boats,
quite to the junction of the Eastern Branch of the River,,
Washington must become the depot of the Western
produce & with Capitallists a great commercial place. It
is like any thing else at present.
March 1st Saturday
Last night it froze with a high wind & to day it is
very cold, on Thursday last it was not only like spring
but summer. A gentleman told me that 20 miles from
this his Peach Trees were all in Bloom. I should suppose
the severity of the Frost would destroy the trees as well
as the fruit. Blodget the speculator called on me to re-
mind me of former acquaintance in London & New York
& to make a long talk. He is an eternal proser. He has
plan'd a great national University to be established here,
the Colledges to be placed around a monument erected
to the memory of Washington, that the students may
have ever before their eyes the image of the founder of
their Liberties. Congress are called upon to erect the
51 For early land and building speculation in Washington, with ac-
counts of these men, see W. B. Bryan, A History oj the National Capital
(N. Y., 1914) Vol. I.
NEW YORK, PHILADELPHIA, AND PERTH AMBOY 395
Monument & the public at large to build & endow the
Universities, subscriptions he says are already obtained
for $18000 which as fast as received is placed at Com-
pound Interest by being vested in Bank Stock, the
Cashier of the National Bank, ex officio, being Treasurer.
This is a great scheme but the man is a great Talker.
March 2d Paint on Mr. Baldwins picture. Walk for
exercise to the Mouth of the Tiber. Write on my Comedy
of the Father &c. which I have almost re-written. It is
very cold.
Tuesday evening March 6
I have this evening, this moment arrived in Baltimore
on my return home & my thought running before the
clumsy Carriage tells me that if I do not put a line in
the post office immediately, you will not receive it before
Tuesday. Therefore I hasten with this Adieu
[At this point, the copying of his letters ended, and Dimlap him-
self resumed daily entries : ]
Amboy July 3d 1806
I have long omitted journalizing. During this interval
I have travelled a great deal between this place, New
York & Philadelphia; let me endeavour to recollect the
principal events of the period.
In passing thro' Phil: last March on my return home
I only stop'd one day. On y^ 25th I again return 'd to
Phil: to paint some pictures & my wife & daughter went
to New York. I remained at my friend C B B's 3 weeks.
I at this time met Cooper and he inform'd me that J. K.
Beekman had engaged to purchase the Theatre for him
at $50,000, & to advance 15,000 for alterations or more
if required. We talk'd over his plans & he proceeded to
Charleston S. C. About the middle of April I rejoin 'd
my Wife at New York & we return'd hither the last of
the Month, leaving the town in commotion about the
death of John Pierce who was kill'd by a British Frigate
at Sandy Hook. The purchase having been made by
396 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Coopers friends I have communication with them & write
to him. I return to N. Y. & stay a week & bring home my
daughter & Maryann Woolsey. <Go to Philadelphia
about the middle of May and return'd the beginning of,
June (4th) > Visit New York in consequence of a letter
from Cooper dated 2d May from Charleston which see
p: [blank] Was landed in consequence of Easterly storm
at Eliz: point & w^alked to paulus hook the storm en-
creas'd & drench'd me in rain. Next day got to N. Y.
where I attended to Cooper's wishes in respect to per-
formers; and then went to Phil: supposing him to be in
Baltimore. C B B's hospitable mansion is filled by
N[athaniel G.] Ingraham, his wife & her sister Miss
Phoenix. Examine the interior of Bank of pensylvania.
Meet an old acquaintance at Hardy's where I lodge, in
Thos Seaman. Return home June 4th. Visit N. Y. where
I find [Edward G.] Malbone and receive some hints from
him in Miniature painting. I[n] consequence of a letter
from Cooper appointing me to meet him in Phil: Satur-
day June 21st I leave N. Y. on friday, & arrive next
morning, we met, & I persuaded him of the necessity of
his presence in N. Y. Sunday we leave Phil: & I arrive
at Amboy Next Morning. Thursday next I join him at
N. Y. and enter into the business of arranging his busi-
ness anew. With great difficulty make Ciceri listen to
staying with Cooper on Acc'^ of C's having spoken to
[John Joseph] Holland to direct the alterations. Mrs.
Jones engages. Johnson & wife throw obstacles in the
way & the negociation being broken off, C asks me to go
to Phil: & see Mrs. E B Hamilton & if I think fit engage
her. On the 30th June I set off & next morning saw the
lady, in y® evening heard her read & recite & next morn-
ing saw her again. I found her excessively vain, with
some talents, a fine voice, and a good faee, but without
knowledge of the stage or of the necessary modulations
to give effect to her voice, without feeling, with a clumsy
person and an idea that if she appear'd on the boards all
actors past present and to come would be eclipsed — and
as to emolument 100 or 200 dolP y^ week seemed to[o]
NEW YORK CITY, 1806 397
little. We parted & [I] return'd to Ainboy arriving this
morning, having written C an account of y® failure of my
mission. On y* day of my arrival in Phil: I dined with
[John] Watts, Denny's publisher, an Author, scholar &
printer. Isaac Riley of N. Y. & Mr Meredith (I believe
Wm) present. I made final arrangements for the publish-
ing 1st Vol of my works. Cool day & afternoon rain.
July 4th. Very pleasant & cool. Walk up to the farm
once mine now Aaron Bloodgood's & sell to Aa: B: an
old sled $1, to James Compton An old Wheelbarrow &
2 Cart Wheels, to be valued according to the iron but
not to be less than $2. Compton is likewise to have an
Ox-chain at its worth. I saw some woodcocks in my walk
but shot none. The Thrush, the robin & some smaller
birds are still vocal.
Leave Amboy at 10 OClock & walk to Woodbridge to
take the Mail Stage for N. Y. but it had already past.
Sleep at Brown's tavern, finding my way to a bed cham-
ber without being able to wake any body. ,
[July] 5th Take the stage at 6 & arrive in N. Y. at
11 OClock. Find Cooper at Hoggs and immediately go
to work for him. During my absence it has been reported
that I had sail'd for England, & my appearance is quite
a cause for surprize.
[July] 6th Sunday. Breakfast with my son, at G M
W's, whose family are at Phillipsburg. Call on W John-
son. C B B has return'd home.
[July] 7th Attending to business with Cooper Secure
copy right to my work. Cooper offers & I accept a yearly
salary of Three hundred pounds sterling e i 1312.50 dolP,
and to secure me 400 doll^ from a benefit. Sleep at Os-
borne's on a sopha.
[July] 8th As yesterday. Write by Colemans desire to
see if a place can be had at Compton's, Amboy, for Mrs.
Jones. Visit Mrs. Morree, to talk of an engagement.
398 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
[July] 9th As yesterday employ'd. Mr & Mrs Johnson
after having broke off are seeking their engagement.
Even^ at the Gardens or Summer Theatre, they play'd
Animal Magnetism & sung some songs. About 300 people
present.
[July] 10th C having insisted that Mrs Johnson should
give a part of her business to a lady, if she comes from
England, who was written for in consequence of <their>
her refusal, she again refuses to engage, & he has let his
house & taken passage for the family. Take a short ride
with Cooper.
[July] 11th Friday. Finish & deliver to Mrs. Jones her
picture, preparations are making to execute a man for
murder. A regiment of militia are under arms. An execu-
tion is a very rare occurence here. I went near the County
Gaol to see the crowds, it was an instructive spectacle. I
am told the man Banks died with the most perfect com-
posure & firmness — never changing countenance at any
period of the preparation, & officiating to hook the rope
himself.
[July] 12th Leave N Y with my son at Vo past 8 after
breakfast at G M W. Read Miss Edgeworth's Leonora.
"I fear I can give you but a birds eye view of this New
Word tho' I would willingly dive deep enough to give
you sometimes a fish eye view as somebody has express'd
it e i a peep at the bottom." arrive at Amboy at i/o past 2.
[July] 13th Sunday, paint. Evening leave home ; walk
to Woodbridge & take the pilot stage & reach p: hook
before 4 on y^ 14th. Wait for ferry men. Get to bed at
1/^ past 5 in N. Y. arise at 8 & attend to business. Meet
at 3 P M W W W & his Mother at G M W's & appoint
to go with him to Bloomingdale this evening.
[July] loth Return from Bloomingdale by I/2 past 8
this morning. Write to the Palmers to send me on 400
Copies of first Volume. Make Call books for Cooper.
NEW YORK CITY, 1806 399
[July] 16th Attend to Cooper's business.
[July] 19th In the evening met Colman and walked
with him to Mrs. Jones's where to our astonishment we
found R. T. Paine. Coleman took his leave soon but
Paine was pressing for an interview with him & they ap-
pointed an hour after. I soon retired & went in search
of Cooper, whom I found & told the news to. C met P &
then ran down to Hoggs & appointed to see Cooper at 9
next morning, & ran to Mrs Jones's to get the start of P
whom he suspected of intending to return thither.
[July] 20th Sunday. C says he got into Mrs. J's house
& had just time to extinguish the light & fasten the door
when P. came, but finding all fast went off. C stay'd w'^
her, of course in the dark, until 12 OClock. Coleman de-
tails P's intentions to Cooper viz. to make Mrs. J. offers
from Powel of 50 dolP a week & endeavour to prevail upon
Cooper to give her up, or at least to give up 1 or 2 years of
her article. P: professes to have brought a lawyer's opin-
ion by which Mrs. Jones is to see the necessity of return-
ing to Boston to obtain her divorce, &c. &c. Cooper deter-
mines if possible to prevent P's seeing her again and to
urge the immediate setting out on the projected journey
to Virginia. With these views he left me at Hoggs with
Colman. Staying longer than we expected C who went
to look for P by appointment & found that he had left
his quarters, concluded that he had gone to the lady's &
that they had met. After waiting again some time C left
me & return'd saying he had met P, who told him he
had been to Mrs. J's & received answer that she was gone
to walk with Mr Cooper. This Coleman supposed was un-
true, & that Cooper was still with at her house. Coleman
again left me to go on an errand into the Bowery and
soon after Paine called at the door & enquired for Mr
Cooper, and Mr Coleman, questioning the boy if they
had been at the house (Hoggs) to day & if they had been
together. Being answer'd in the affirmative he left the
house. I look'd out of the window & saw his manner hur-
400 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
ried & agitated. Cooper now return 'd and I found that
in this short interval he had carried the lady off & lodged
her at Hoboken. While talking on business Paine call'd
again and Cooper went off to avoid him. Paine came up
to me. He was agitated and heated. I was seated with
Hugh Pownal making a memorandum of business to be
done by him for Cooper in England. Paine enquired for
Cooper? He is not here. Has he been here lately? Yes.
Very lately? Yes. Within 20 min^^? Yes, within less time.
He wanted to see me, C, & Coleman together. Where
should he find Cooper? Where did he live? &c. Having
received a direction to Cooper's place of residence, he
departed. About 2 OClock Cooper return'd & ask'd me
if I would go with Mrs. Cooper to Hackinsack. I agreed.
We went to his lodgings. Paine had been there & could
gain no intelligence even of the time Cooper intended
leaving town for Mrs. Cooper supposed the period two
days off. Mrs. Cooper immediately prepar'd to go with
me. A Coach was called & we drove to the state prison
Greenwich St. stop'd at a public house & discharged the
Coach. We soon cross'd the Ferry to Hobocken & I hired
a coachee & arrived at Hackinsack before 6 OClock.
[July] 21st Hackinsack. Walk about the Neighbour-
hood. Mrs. Cooper expresses her dissatisfaction at being
made the companion of Mrs Jones whom she represents
as the mistress of Coleman: however she determines to
comply with her husbands wishes & treats her with
politeness. At 5 OClock P. M. Cooper arrives with his
servant in a top chaise for Mrs. J and himself & Placide
in a Curricle for Mrs. C. Placide returns with me in the
Coachee & we arrive at N. Y. 9 OClock.
[July] 22d Principally occupied in making an arrange-
ment with Ciceri: a business I had abandon'd as hopeless.
[July] 23d Go by packet to Amboy. dispatch Ciceri's
terms to Cooper with letter to Phil: & duplecate to Balti-
more.
WILLIAM COLEMAN (1766-1829)
Attributed to William Dinlap
(Owned hv The New Voi'k Historical Society)
NEW YORK CITY, 1806 401
[July] 24 paint. Fish.
[July] 25th paint.
[July] 26th last night Mrs Witherspoon died. Occu-
pied in attending upon her family.
[July] 27th paint, read. Attend funeral.
[July] 28th Return to N. Y. with my son, Jacob Stout
Jun' & Mrs Terrill.
[July] 29th Receive letters from Cooper in which he
negatives that part of the terms I had proposed for Ciceri
by which Ciceri is empower'd to object to any other per-
son painting for the Theatre during his engagement.
Ciceri of course determines to go off.
[July] 30th See Ciceri again. He gives me to under-
stand his wish to return & be employ'd. If Cooper chuses
& I write to him he will engage for 2i/^ or 3 years at
40 dolP all the year <fe the privilege of getting up a pan-
tomime, for benefit, still however insisting on the dis-
puted power: but by this arrangement any body may
paint for the Theatre in his absence. C likewise brings
me drawings by [blank] to judge of as an Assistant.
[July] 31st Ciceri calls on me. He will waive the stipu-
lation respecting benefit rather than break for it. His
direction "Charles Ciceri" To the care of Mr. James
Vidalot No. 71 Broad St. or 10 Murray St. Duplicates to
be made. Mem : Hodgkinson's last offer ''You are to have
the engaging & discharge of all necessary Carpenters,
Scene shifters, & Painters employed in the New York
Theater during the aforesaid periods & they are to be
subject to your orders."
Write to Cooper. That Ciceri will be at sea before he
receives my letter. That he feels himself a banish'd man
& wishes to return. That he (Cooper) had parted with
402 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
him rather from a determination to keep in his own
hands a power pernicious to himself or at least useless.
That I wished his instant answer to the question, whether
he would engage Ciceri if he return'd in Jan'' or Feb^
next for 2 and ^ years at 40 dolP y^ week paying all the
time — the benefit left to Mr Cooper to do the best — the
power respecting Assistants as expressed in y'' agreement
with Hodgk:
To Cooper for tomorrow's Mail.
You will have rec'd a letter from me dated July 31st requiring
to know if you will engage Ciceri from his return in Jan'' or Feb^
next for the purposes expressed in the propositions rejected by you
at &c In that letter I roundly asserted that the power &c &c I will
now explain. You want as your Architect, scene painter & Machin-
ist a man of Science an Artist & a gentleman, or, if you please
instead of the last a conscientiously honest man. Such a man, if
such a man can be found, must labour for you con amore if he
labours to any effect. His interest and your interest must be one.
He not only labours assiduously himself but he is the moving soul
of many subordinate parts: parts which cannot come under your
cognizance, which are without the sphere of your knowledge and
in short of which no person but himself is competent to judge. This
gentleman if he is such as you wish has a reputation to sustain. A
reputation like that of every other artist built upon years of toil
and as dear as that life which it is to support & render respectable.
Suppose that you had made an engagement with such a person for
the purposes before stated & he had neglected to shut out the
possibility of misunderstanding & had not stipulated for the full
control of his department. You feeling yourself at liberty would
perhaps accept the offer of another Artist to paint a drop scene or
some brilliant flat & would order it for exhibition. What would be
the effect of this treatment upon the gentleman you had entrusted
w*" so very important a branch of your business? Either he would
break through his article as considering it violated by you in its
spirit & intention, or he would say to you, "Sir, you can have no
view in this but my degradation, for you cannot be so blind as not
to see the effect this must have upon the public. The preference
you give to another artist over me will be infer'd & the pubhc
judgment will be guided by you to my inju^>^ If the Artist whose
works you wish to exhibit in the place of mine is really superior to
me, it is not your interest while you rely upon me for the support
of your spectacles, to weaken me by the comparison; and if he is
but my equal or even my inferior he will appear as my superior
first, by the preference < given by you> you manifest secondly
NEW YORK CITY, 1806 403
by the choice of pieces for exliibition. Certainly you must know,
Sir, that <arnong> of the many plays which are perform'd some
are better suited to give a painter an oppertunity of gaining repu-
tation than others as some are better suited than others to effect
the same purpose for the Actor; so likewise in almost every play
their is some one scene better calculated to procure credit, as there
is some one character better adapted to <procure> conamand ap-
plause; and will not this exotic artist chuse that which will most
strike? undoubtedly. While the subordinate parts must be supplied
by me under the pressure of invidious comparison. Sir, I consider
this as <a piece> an act of injustice tending to my ruin, with-
out adding to your emolument. It is true that by my article of en-
gagement I have not stipulated for the exclusion of any artist
inimical to me (for I must consider as my enemy any man who
without my consent, <or even> nor without my request would
make an offer of the nature we speak of) or for the power of
engaging & discharging assistants and therefore you can legally
proceed to destroy me but. Sir, you must henceforward ex-pect
nothing from me, but what my article legally obliges me to
perform."
I will not prolong the speech of my imagined painter; I will not
dilate or repeat; I only ask of you to read twice. What the business
is which a man in this situation may be obliged by his article of
engagement to perform, ask Mr Holland; who certainly spoke
from his heart the last time we dined with him. He told you that
an Artist w^as not bound to work by the hour like a mechanick. He
told you true. Where is the man who shall judge of the time re-
quired for designing a picture, or the number of hours necessary
for the artist to execute his design? Where is the article that can
bind a man to promote your interest at the sacrifice of his own
ease? Believe me my friend you can do better without the good will
of your best Actor (even tho' you were not an actor yourself)
than without the good will of such a man as we speak of. The
Actor will exert himself before the public for the recompense of
public approbation & thereby support your interest, but there is
no reward for the thousand services render 'd in secret by your
Scene painter & Machinist except what springs from the conscious-
ness of doing right & the pleasure of promoting the interests of his
employer.
If Mr Holland could or would have consented to abandon his
present situation & take all this charge upon himself, I should not
have mention'd the name of Ciceri so often to you. Mr H you say
is your friend, mutual confidence exists between you & I could not
have doubted <but that> your <have> full assurance that every
branch of this important department would be concluded to your
satisfaction. But you are directed to send for a stranger, of whose
competency as an artist you cannot judge until you have no re-
404 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
source in case of failure, & <o/> for whose honesty, delicacy &
honor there can be no voucher.
In speaking of the terms on which Ciceri will return, I forgot
yesterday to mention the Assistant. He wishes to have the power
if necessary to go beyond 14 dollars, as he hopes to bring an artist
who is a better landscape & figure painter than himself, and he would
hope you would trust 2 or 3 dolls per week to his discretion. Caton
(if that is his name) can be engaged if you please for one season
only if you think best, tho' it is my opinion that for the two next sea-
sons you will want two assistant painters.
If you determine upon engaging C. my letters will follow him
& reach him at Bourdeaux or Paris; If not be as particular in your
instructions relative to Pownal as possible. In either case direct as
to the employment of the Assistant here.
I presume my motives cannot be mistaken by you therefore I
wiU make no apology for giving my opinions & advice, they are
after all but opinions & advice & your orders shall be cheerfully
obey'd by
Your french Taylor has call'd on me. How is he to be furnish'd
with money.
Aug' 1st. Add to C's letter. "Placide has just been
showing me a proposition he is going to make to Ciceri
to induce him to return — at the same time ceding him
to you if you desire, did not send this addition.
[Aug.] 12th A great deal of my time has been occupied
in visits to my family at Amboy. I have been arrested
by the district Attorney of the U. S. as John Heard's
security. I returned yesterday from Amboy and found
the following letter from Cooper.
Peterburgh Aug* 6th 1806
Your two letters on the subject of Ciceri I received together this
morning.
[Two and a half pages blank; the remainder of the letter not
copied]
Write the following as instructions for Hugh Pownal.
You will please to engage for Mr. Cooper, a Scene painter who
is at the same time a Machinist, and capable of taking charge of the
whole of the department of Scenery & Machinery for the New York
Theatre. The terms you are authorized to offer, are. Six Guineas
per week for Eighteen months from the time of his arrival, or if it
is necessary to engage him for a longer period, make it two years &
NEW YORK CITY, 1806 405
six months. If possible let the engagement for the additional year
be to pay only when employ 'd; that is, to pay when the Theatre
is open, certain, & as many weeks as employment can be given
when it is not open. But let not this seperate you from a good
artist. Rather than not strike the bargain agree to give the salary all
the year round for two years & an half. You may further engage
that he shall have a benefit on the usual charges to performers, &
you may even go so far, ij necessary, as to engage that Mr Cooper
will secure $300 doll' profit upon said benefit. This gentleman will
please to procure for himself an Assistant, such as he thinks will
answer <best the purposes> to whom you are authorized to engage
a salary of fourteen doll' per week. You <icUl> may likewise
engage <jor> that Mr Cooper will pay the passages of both painter
& Assistant on their arrival. For a first performer capable of filling
the first line of Tragedy & genteel Comedy, you are authorized to
offer and Mr Cooper is hereby bound to pay a yearly salary of Four
hundred pounds Sterling <a year jor> during three years from the
time of arrival ; which is upwards of 40 dolP p"" week for 43 weeks his
services being at the command of Mr Cooper from the first day of
Sept' until the fifth of July following in each year. He will have the
choice of first Comedy business & in tragedy play the counterparts
& seconds to Mr Cooper. He will have a benefit each season, at the
charges paid by others. His passage to be paid by Mr Cooper on
his arrival & repaid by him in instalments during the period of
engagement. You will endeavour also to engage a first lady, & you
are hereby authorized to give the same terms as for the first gentle-
man. She will have the first line both in Tragedy & Genteel
Comedy. If you should not be so successful as to engage either in
the female or male a person of talents equal to this offer, and can
engage such as from your knowledge of theatricals you judge can
stand in the places, you are authorized to use your discretion &
reduce the offer'd terms accordingly. If Mr Talbot can be had, you
are authorized to offer him the same terms with an additional hun-
dred pounds per year, e i instead of £400 yearly, offer £500.
There is a powder used, in Theatres, especially on the continent,
for producing artificial flame, called Licopodium. it is collected
from a species of Moss in y' North of Europe, if you can procure
a few pounds it will be very acceptable.
With respect Sir I remain
Y' ob* Ser*
W D
Mr H Pownal
P S. I should be glad of a few doz Ivories for miniatures, about 3
Inches by 2^/2 or larger of best quality & not East India Ivor>'.
The best is unpolish'd & free from veins. Half a dozen pencils for
Miniature painting recommended by a Min: p: would be xery
acceptable.
406 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
N. Y. Aug* 12*" [1806]
To T. A. Cooper
Yours of 4th & 6th came duly to hand, & I have in consequence
given the letter of instructions to Pownal for engaging a scene
painter & Assistant according to your former instructions. You do
me injustice in concluding that I have not made due enquiry after
Caton & might with as much propriety, at least, suppose your
information respecting him erroneous. Mr Caton is not in New
York, nor has ever been fixed here as a painter. The most accurate
information I can obtain is, that having a fortune left him, he has
settled near Albany & is now building there. With much pursuit I
found a man of the name of Holmes, who has great pretensions &
httle merit, he would not engage except as principal & is not fit, I
fear, for an Assistant. Thus you see you must rely altogether upon
the arrangements you can make yourself. At Baltimore is a man of
the name of Grey who would in my opinion be an excellent Assistant.
He is by trade originally a Taylor but paints landscapes with
excellence. He painted the views in Brydens dining [room] at the
Hotel.
To T. A. C. to be sent tomorrow.
I rec'd a letter from Dykes declining the offer and recommending
Barnes. I wrote to Barnes making the offer Dykes had refused. I
waited upon J. C. Shaw as you request I made your apology. He
said that when he saw the other gentlemen he would consult them
& write to you the result. This is all buzz, fudge, or what you
please. I know the man. These gentlemen have no power over the
children; they are simply trustees of the money collected for them.
They would not accept any guardianship, power, or responsibility
for or over these children. I have seen Tyler on the subject, who
wishes the children bound to you; and says that Fanny importunes
him to be her guardian. On the other hand Mr Thos Hodgkinson
has sworn that his brothers children shall never be placed under you,
but that he will take them to his house & educate them, this Fanny
opposes, & Tyler "also" Placide, a few days ago told me that
Cullen alias Carpenter'^ (who is here & about to set up a <press>
newspaper in opposition to his friend Colman) has declared his
determination to take Hodgkinsons Children & that they shall not
go on the Stage. I have now told you all I know on the subject. At
present there is nobody to dispose of the Claildren: when you are
here you must see to the < fixing > appointing guardians, and
may I presume regulate the business to your wish. C has been al-
most distracted by the silence of Mrs J. Pray how is her health.
^2 Stephen C. Carpenter was the proprietor of The People's Friend &
Daily Advertiser, from its establishment September 1, 1806, until August,
1807. William Coleman was editor of the New-York Evening Post.
NEW YORK CITY, 1806 407
What is her conduct, how far can you rely on her services? I think
you must engage Miss DeUnger to be ready to stop gaps.
Aug 13 Send off the above letter. See Mr Gallatin on
the subject of my suretys ship &c. He says that the 2
sureties ought to confess judgement. That previous to
an execution against them it is his duty to try every
means in his power to recover from the principal. On
my stating to him that Heard had an office under the
State Government & had hired a house in New Bruns-
wick within the limits & did not even express a desire
to remedy the evil he had occasion'd, Mr Gallatin ex-
pressed his indignation. He advised that the sureties
should join in a representation of facts to the Treasury
& if they had any offer to make for liquidating the debt
by instalments, to make it. That either this would be
accepted or execution taken out against them. In the lat-
ter case they must go into confinement when they must
apply to him for liberation upon an Assignment of their
property. He profess'd his wish to alleviate the case of
the sureties & promised to do all for that purpose which
the law would allow.
AugU4'^ To T A C[ooper]
During my search for Caton I <have> heard of a gentleman
<o/ the> by name <o/> Guhgher'" and last even^ saw & con-
•\-ersed with him. He is an artist of great merit as a painter gen-
erally and has been for some years past engaged in portrait painting.
He was the principal scene painter for the Boston Federal Street
Theatre at its first establishment (I mean the house that was
burnt) and painted all the scenery. He has the manners of a
gentleman & man of sense. He is willing to engage for one season
as principal Scene painter and waits <the> your answer to this
for your terms. I think you need not hesitate to engage him for the
coming season as the person Pownal engages, if he gets any, <ivorth
having > can not be here till late in the season, and then you know
you will certainly have your choice of "Tom and Dick".
If in the arrangement of your business you can find a place for
the Comedy I gave you "The father of an only child" which in get-
ting up will only require study, you will thereby promote my inter-
ns Christian Gullager. See the Bayley and Goodspeed edition of Dun-
lap's Arts o/ Design, III, 305.
408 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
est, as by neglecting it, the want of worth will be implied. I mention
this with great reluctance & would not do it, if I thought your
interest would suffer by it.
Yours truly
WD
P. S. I look for an answer respecting Guligher by the 23d after
which I ought to start for Nantucket & Boston if I go at all. Mr
Bullfinch the Architect is an object
leave N. Y. about 4 OClock & arrive at Amboy about
9, riding part of the way in Mr Carey's chaise for which
ride pd. 2 dolP.
[Aug.] loth Went with Mr A Bell to Brunswick to
enter special bail in the suit instituted by the Treasury
against Heard, and Drake & self as his sureties. See
Heard. He is very ''sorry" — cant do anything — is to peti-
tion Congress for relief — " &c. Return home ab* 9 OClock
[Aug.] 16th Write & read Johnson's lives.
N. Y. On Monday the 18th I return'd hither with my
Wife & daughter & next day went with them to Bloom-
ingdale where they remain.
[Aug.] 22d [John] Watts hav^ publish'd [Thomas]
Moore's poems brings a copy here with Cohnan & leaves
it with me. My indignation is rous'd. Amidst licentious
baudy songs to meet the most rancorous & vile misrepre-
sentation of my Country written by a man who was flat-
ter'd & pamper'd by the fools of that country while here
& has return'd to his home to vilify those who bow'd to
him because he had written some pretty bawdy songs
before he came here, makes me blush <for that society>
& feel indignant. "But the lays of his boyhood had stol'n
to their ear.^^* I blush not my countrymen for you col-
lectively, but for those pretenders to taste & science
who have flutter'd round this Will o' the wisp Eng-
lishman and by assuming the characters of the represen-
tatives of your Country's literature have justly brought
63a From Thomas Moore's poem, "Lines written on Leaving Phila-
delphia."
BOSTON, 1806 409
it into contempt with this Idol conscious of his own noth-
ingness. <Who can hlame> The admirers of [William]
Cobbett are the admirers of Moore; and Cobbett &
Moore dispise them for their admiration. Though not
wise or virtuous themselves they cannot but see the folly
& depravity of their admirers. Well may Mr M represent
that Country as "Old in Youth & blasted in her prime" ^^^
whose inhabitants can relish the mahgnant falshoods of
a ruffian like Cobbet, or the bawdy lays of a debauchee
like Moore. We are glad that these bawdy poems are not
publish 'd by an American and cannot blame a foreigner
who judging of our national taste by the avidity with
which Littles poems ^^ were received (by a certain class)
has eagerly published the poems of Thomas Moore.
The lines written on leaving Philadelphia, were dis-
tributed among the flatterers of the bard before he left
America: who but must smile at the impudence which
publishes them in connection with the other more honest
effusions of vanity which this Vol: contains.
The merit of Mr Moore is duly appreciated by the
writer of this communication, but he hopes he shall not
live to see the time, depraved as the American character
is in the eyes of Messrs. Cobbett & Moore, when pretti-
ness of versafication or even brilliancy of wit shall recom-
mend the impurity of the brothel to the toilette or the
parlour windows of the females of America.
Boston Sept^ 15'"^ 1806. After my Wife had remain'd
at Bloomingdale upwards of a week I accompanied her
& my daughter to Stamford & next day visited Shiphand
& ScoUy's cove & the day after return'd to N. Y. where
I received notice from Cooper that the Eastern journey
must be given up. Paint for improvem' in N. Y. Visit
Stamford again & again return to N. Y. on the 9th in-
stant. On the nth receive from Cooper orders to proceed
to Boston & bring or send off Mrs Jones Children &c. &
63b From Moore's poem, "Epistle VI to Lord Viscount Forbes, from
Washington."
5* Thomas Moore's amorous poems were published pseudonymously
in England in 1801, with the title Poems by the late Thomas Little.
410 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
to be in N. Y. by Monday 22d. Started from N. Y. on
Friday the 12th Arrive at 12 OClock at N Haven in c°.
w'^ Capt" Mix. Start again at 2 OClock the 13th with
Mix, Bliss & Bryers. Darkness, rain & Thunder. At Hart-
ford take in Lt Humphrey. At Springfield leave all my
Companions. A little further on took up B Booth (Who
lost his wife & child on board the Rose in Bloom) & his
brother. Arrive at Worcester at 2 OClock Sunday 14th.
Stay there until Monday Morn^ 15th 2 OClock & arrive
here about 10.
Put up at Thayers. Dine at Mrs Brown's. See [Henry]
Cabot & Bourne. West. Wells out of town. See R T Paine.
[Sept.] 17th See Wm. Wells who undertakes to pro-
cure subscribers. Leave with him a Vol: for the Anthol-
ogy. Go with Paine to Mrs Shamway who raises diflScul-
ties in respect Mrs Jones' Children See Mr [John] Hurd a
distiller twice and the 2d time after a communication
with Mrs Shamway he refuses to deliver the child that
is with him unless his Bill is fully pd ($98). Shamway
makes a bill of $130. I suspect Paine of deceitfully in-
stigating this Woman while pretending to forward my
views. I hope it is not so.
[Sept.] 18th Leave with John West 20 Vols: of "my
Works, with W: Well 20 Vols. Leave with [Joseph T.]
Buckingham, printer & Editor of Polyanthos a vol: &
promise him intelligence. Leave Russel a Vol: — R. T.
Paine has I believe shun'd me to day. I must depart &
leave the business to Harry Cabot.
[Sept.] 19th Paine calls on me early. Says that he
was all day out of town after Mrs Neat, who has under-
taken to accommodate matters with Hurd & will wait
for the payment of her own ace' Mrs Jones's time. I have
given Paine 130 dolls to pay Shamway: he is [to] give
his note to Hurd: to ship the furniture & send the key
of Bureau to me by post : Mrs Neat is to clothe the chil-
dren & find a woman to take charge of them & Paine
NEW YORK CITY, 1806 411
is to send them off. Bourne wished me to stay to day &
dine with him & a party but I conclude to depart at 9
OClock for Providence.
New York Sept^ 2P* 1808
Here is an Hiatus which I shall not attempt to fill up.
I was a few days ago releas'd from Brunswick Gaol
(where my confinement by the kindness of Mr Gallatin
was only nominal, going in to receive my release) on giv-
ing a deed for all my Estate, real, personal & mixt. My
situation in the New York [Theatre] has been reduced in
value from 1700 to 900 dollars (with the chance of a
benefit if I choose) but my time is my own 20 weeks in
the year. I open the book now rather to keep an ace*
of my mony than to Journalize.
[There follow twenty nine pages of accounts, of household ex-
penses at Perth Amboy, clothing, and travelling expenses, Septem-
ber 21, 1808 to June 28, 1811.]
[On the fly leaf, at the top, Dunlap wrote in pencil:]
To introduce Mrs. Arnold opposing her husbands trea-
son
When I became your wife &c.
I promised to love thee, honour thee, obey thee &c.
Can I honour a traitor
What gain'd my youthful! heart? Thy person? No &c.
Thy honourable fame
[At the end of the volume are the following memoranda, referring
to the printing and distribution of Dramatic Works of William Dun-
lap, I, Philadelphia, 1806:]
Rec'' from T & G Palmer 392 Copies 1st Vol:
vols.
Deliver'd to J. Osborne 110
D Longworth 10
I [saac] Riley 10
John West Boston 20
412 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Wm Wells d'' 20
W T Thayer (paid for) 1
in presents 4
Wm Blagrove Boston 5
Henry Gushing providence 5
Dramatic Works &c 1st Vol: 1000 copies
paper 80
printing 138.75
Engraving 35
D° inscription 2.50
Copper plate printing 10
D'' D° paper 4.75
Binding 500 copies 30
Copy right 1.20
302.20
printing proposals 4.
Advertising 10
pack^ Case, Freight & Cartage 2.50
p*^ for distributing 3
Rec*^ for Dramatic works &c
From Morgan Lewis &c &c at Albany 8
Thos A Cooper for Boston 40
J E Harwood Philadelphia 3
Hugh McLean 3
Supt" Collector 10
John Hogg 2
C B Brown 1
Wm Johnson 1
John West Boston (For Z Cook) 1
W T Thayer d'' 2
Sup'^ Collector 26
DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
March. 17, 1811— May 6, ISll
November 23, 1812— May 7, 1813
New York and Philadelphia
Notes on the Life of
GEORGE FREDERICK COOKE
(Manuscript volume lettered Memoirs 31 owned by
Yale University Library)
MEMOIRS 31
Notices of Cooke the Tragedian ^^
New York March 17th 1811. When Coopers letter ar-
rived announcing his having engaged Cooke at 25 guineas
or $116.66 per week to play wherever directed e i in New
York, Boston Philadelphia or Baltimore, and have the
amount of a benefit in ea" place [Stephen] Price was
extravagant in his demonstration of Joy triumphantly
repeating "Now is the winter of our discontent made
glorious summer by this son of York" again & again. He
hired a pilot Boat and went down to the Hook to wait
for his arrival, but came back disapointed. At length the
great man came & in the same vessel McFarland, Doige
& Smalley. They came up in the evening of the 16th
November 1810 & Price sent a note to the Theatre for
me to join him at the Tontine Coffee House where I
found the veteran of the Buskin sitting with the Manager
over a bottle of Madeira. I was pleased with his appear-
ance tho' disappointed. He lookd 60 years old. Mild &
polite in the manner of the old school; his sober suit of
grey, his grey hairs and the suavity of his manners gave
no indication of the eccentric being who had been the
theme of the English fugitive publications.
He dined the next day with Price sate late & got drunk.
I saw him next day in his bed. ''Cooper" says he "gave
me a great many cautions when I left him, but he forgot
to caution me against his partner."
On Wed'' the 21st Nov' he made his first appearance on
the American stage & play'd Richard with the enthusias-
ms The diary entries and memoranda in this volume were used by Dun-
lap in writing his Memoirs of the Life oj George Frederick Cooke, in
two volumes, published in New York by David Longworth, in 1813; and
in London by Henry Colbum, in 1813, and in 1815.
415
416 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
tic applause of the Audience. His entre was truly digni-
fied. I saw no vestige of the old man. His post[ure] erect,
his step firm, his eagle eye beaming fire. He retum'd the
salutes of the audience not as a player to the public on
whom he depended but as a King acknowledging the
acclamations of his subjects and yet before he went on
he trembled like an aspen leaf. The amount of the house
was 1820 dollars. There were 1358 persons in the Boxes.
On friday the 23d he play'd Sir Pertinax M*' Sycophant,
when notwithstanding a violent Snow storm the House
was 1424 dollars. After playing he sup'd & drank freely;
the consequence was that next day he had no voice, but
he thought that he could force it at night when he was
to repeat Richard. Night came, he began, his Voice broke,
the audience encouraged him, he tried every remedy, in
vain — ^he whisper'd Richard thro' & was at the end of it
pretty nearly drunk. Tho a Saturday night there was in
the House 1155 dolP.
He had now removed to Price's house by invitation,
where every attention was paid to him, and every en-
deavour made to keep him straight.
His fourth night was the 28th (Wed^) when he play'd
Shylock to a house of $1804. On friday the 30th he re-
peated Sir Pertinax to $1180.
The sixth night of his performance was on Monday
Dec"" 3d the play Glenalvon & Sir Archy Macsarcasm,
when notwithstand° a violent Storm the house was $1287.
Wed^ the 5th he play'd Zanga to $1367. This was a
failure ; tho' in passages very fine. His Eighth night, fri-
day the 7th Dec"" he play[ed] both Shylock & Sir Archy,
but in the latter his voice broke entirely. The house was
$1270.
On Monday, the 9th night, & 10th of Dec"" he per-
formed Macbeth but was thought much inferior to
Cooper. The house $1605. On Wed^ the 12th he play'd
Sir Giles Overreach in the New way &c. He was extremely
great in the great scene but the play did not please, the
house was $963.
GE0R(;K FREDERICK COOKE (1756-1811)
By William Dinlai'
<In Diiiiliiii's mamisciiiit Monoirs 31. in the Library of Yale University)
G. F. COOKE IN NEW YORK 417
He made his first appearance in the richest of the Fal-
staff's (1st p' Heniy 4th) on friday Dec"" 14th and was
deservedly admired. I generally dined with him on play
days & accompanied him to the Theatre. On our way
this ev^ we talked of Henderson & he said his best points
were only copied from him. The house was $1444. His
twelfth night was Monday Dec'" 17th & a repeat of his
Sir Giles to $798. After the play he sup'd as usual but
got unusually drunk, abused Price in the grossest terms
& finally caught up a Decanter to throw at him. P. seiz'd
him & threw him down violently. C exclaim'd "remember
I am in your own house Dont strike me" P. insisted
upon his going to his room, he went sullenly and as he
had frequently done sat up by the fire all night going to
bed in the morning. The next day he left an excuse w^
the serv' for not dining at home & went out. he rambled
about the streets of the City, dined at Brydens,^^ got
drunk & did not return to P's that night. He peep'd into
the Theatre at rehearsal ask'd the prompter if all was
well, & went to Prices with the determination of remov-
ing his trunks & leav^ the house. However he was dis-
uaded & upon being assured that Mrs Price was not
angry with him for his intemperence he was very happy
to be reconciled. In the evening when he saw me, he
exclaim'd ''Ah Dunlap! its all over now." He was so
wild from the previous excess that his Cato, to which &
for his benefit, an immense audience (1878$) of the first
of our people was assembled, was the most shameful!
exhibition ever witness'd in N. Y. I saw him when
dress'd for Sir Archy. "I was very much bewilder'd. do
you know that I could not remember one line after hav-
ing recited the other. I caught myself once or twice giv^
Shakespere for Addison. Heav'n forgive me. If you ever
heard any thing of me you have heard that I always
have a frolic on my benefit day. If a man can't take a
liberty with his friends Who the divil can he take a
5*5 James Bryden was proprietor of the Tontine Coffee House, on the
north west corner of Wall and Water Streets. N. Y. City Directory 1810;
I. N. P. Stokes, Iconography of Manhattan Island, III, V.
418 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
liberty with?" He play'd Sii' Archy perfectly well. The
words were so familiar that he could not trip in them
& he was somewhat recover'd from his intoxication.
Sunday Mar: 17th [1811] Dined at [Dr. David] Ho-
sack's with Cooke, [Dr. Hugh] McLean, E[dmund]
Pendleton, Cochran's, (James & Walter) T Morris &c:
Cooke by H's permission began his wine drinking again
but was moderate & hunself moved to return home about
8 OClock & I left him in his bed room appointing 9 as
the hour to wake him next morning to prepare for his
Journey: next morn^ when I call'd Bryden told me that
he would have a parting bottle w'' him & had sat up late
& gone to bed intoxicated. He however got up but was
restless & complain'd of pain in his breast. I sent off his
baggage & McLean & self walk'd with him to the packet:
he was now cheerful & chatty and sat on the Windlass
till we were nearly thro' the narrows. When the waves
running high & sometimes breaking over us, he went
down, chill'd with the east wind, he became sick but in-
stead of the usual nausea had chill & violent pain in the
breast. Sam gave him some strong rum & water & it
reliev'd him. He landed at Amboy cheerily, eat heartily
of Beef Steak & while I took tea drank 5 or 6 glasses of
Madeira: I took him from the wine under pretence of
seeing the Hotel &c and on his return he sat cheerfully
chatting to my wife & daughter with great pleasantry till
10 then ate some roasted Oysters drank 4 or 5 glasses
more & went to bed. At 8 on tuesday the 19th he arose
delighted with having slept (as he insists on it) better
than since his arrival in America and after a hearty
breakfast We began our land journey very pleasantly.
At Princeton we dined drank a little beer & a little wine
& proceeded to Trenton. The beer made me sick, filling
me with gas, I thought tea would help me he join'd me
& while we were taking it Price & Beekman arrived. My
sickness increas'd to chiU or ague & vomit & I went to
bed when after fever & sweat I slept and got up well.
Cooke had sup'd with P & B with moderation & was
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 419
next morning in good order. We walk'd with Commodore
Hunt & saw the spot where the Hessians were taken &
after breakfast proceeded, arriving at Phil: 1/2 past 2.
The old man was a little peevish about the time of our
arrival & somewhat wild. He saw in the Phil: paper at
Trenton that the Managers ^' had apologized to the pub-
lic for his absence & had advertized him for friday to
play Richard. 'I'll be damn'd if I do!" he exclaim'd, "if
I am too unwell to play Wednesday how do they know
I shall be well enough to play friday?" After dinner
Wood & Warren call'd. Cooke persisted in his determina-
tion & nam'd Monday as a day when he would probably
be recover'd. Wood went away to announce the further
disapointment to the public & Warren stay'd to show
us to the Theatre. The appearance of Cooke in the Boxes
took off all attention from the players who were per-
form^ the Busy Body, the adjoining boxes were crowded
with curious impertinents until he went to a private Box.
I left him, took a walk, look'd into the green room &
when I return'd found hun at supper with a glass of
punch. "So" says he "this is the widows third choice, he
is not the Warren I remember in England. What a fop
he is. did you notice the tassels to his garters? I never
saw any body else wear them. Upon my word the good
lady seems to descend with every husband: first Merry,
then Wignel & then Warren!" He went to bed at eleven.
Thursday the 21st March we breakfasted at 9 previous
to which I had taken a walk. Cooke attended a rehearsal
of Richard, during a part of which he threw out his voice
to the astonishment of those around him, whom he com-
manded & reprov'd occasionally with some asperity. I
visited Trot & Sully, and pass"^ some minutes at Mr S
Levy's. We dine by appointment with Wood. Rather a
Theatrical party & almost of course stupid. Cooke, tho'
he profess'd in the morning that he would only drink
wine & water, soon began to pour down port wine so
s' William Warren and William B. Wood, managers of the New The-
atre, corner of Chestnut and S. Sixth Streets, Philadelphia.
420 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
as to convince me he was determined to be drunk. I went
to Mr S[ampson] Levy's to Tea & retum'd to Wood,
between 8 & 9 & found C completely mad & Wood nearly
intoxicated. [Stephen] Price, [Benjamin C] Wilcox &
Irving had drop'd in. "Ah my dear D. I was mistaken. I
prophesied that you were in bed but you have been tak-
ing your tea. he owns himself a tea sot. He's the only
man that shall command, I put myself under his orders."
Wilcox who had been plying him with bumpers of port,
says to me "then I suppose your orders will be sailing
orders." These last mention'd three now went off pro-
fessing to prepare for a Ball. "A ball!" exclaim'd C "if
ever I have an oppertunity of quizzing the Americans
I'll remember this. Going to a Ball in Boots, just like
everything in the damn'd Country." Wood who was lo-
quaciously drunk explain'd that they now only went [to]
dress. "Don't talk to me Sir, pretty fellows for the com-
pany of Ladies, just from the tavern & the bottle, they
dont know what belongs to genllmen, my dear D. sit
down by me, dont leave me. didn't I throw out my voice
this morning. I gave it to them. I'll show these people
what acting is." "You frighted'd some of our young men.
they are clever lads tho' " "Are they? I wonder how you
are to find it out. But you're all alike." "But Mr Cooke
I've seen you act when you were surrounded by dire
dogs" "The worse of them better than the best of you."
"Jack Brunton now, he's a clever lad, but you wont say
he's an actor ; I love Jack, he's my friend but he's a dire
dog." "He's your friend? You take a damn'd queer way
to show your friendship. I feel inclined to be severe D.
I'll cut these fellows, dont leave me. Oh the night I slept
at Amboy I never slept before in my life, poor Billy Lewis
is dead. Sixty five, dont leave me." "Ah he was an actor!"
"How do you know?" "Why my dear Sir I have seen
him many a time" "You see him where should you see
him?" "In England Sir" "And what the more would you
know from seeing him. My dear D. didn't I throw out my
voice this morning? I'll show these fellows what acting
is, they talk of their Cooper their Idol, their Wooden
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 421
God. Haven't I stood the trial with John. What is your
Cooper?" "But Mr Cooke you are supposing a compari-
son that no one thinks of. Mr Cooper is a gentleman & a
scholar." "A scholar is he? How do you know it?" "but as
to a comparison with you nobody thinks of making it."
"They do Sir. I have heard it. A scholar. Sir he's no
scholar, he's no actor. A ranting mouther that can't read
a line. I appeal to you D." I look'd seriously & said Mr
Cooke, Mr Cooper is my friend." He said little of Cooper
after this but abus'd Wood as an Actor tho' he [had]
never seen him play, abus'd Price. Abus'd the Country
& continued to drink what was officiously poured out
for him, while a servant by his request went for [a] car-
riage. "Why don't you drink? to Wood "You dont drink
Sir." "I am waiting till this wine cools Sir" "So, and give
me the warm, damn'd polite!" The weather was sum-
mer warm & required the precaution of Coolers. "You
are all alike by God, Cooper & Price & you, all alike, a
set of Scoundrels!" "Sir, I never allow any man, what-
ever his situation may be, to make use of an appellation
of that kind to me." Cooke had used an expression which
convey'd the Idea of unfair conduct as it regarded him
& While he now seem'd conscious of having said some-
thing wrong Wood proceeded, "if you think there is any
thing unfair in my conduct in your engagement I relin-
quish it. Sir." Cook made some apology. "Sir you have
made use of an appellation which I will not suffer any
man to apply to me." Cooke disavow'd every thing,
back'd out most manfully, & they shook hands: I tried
to prevail on him to walk home, he refus'd. he ceas'd
drinking & turn'd his glass bottom upwards, the carriage
arrived, with the assistance of Hardinge I got him in &
drove to the Mansion house, H with us. Going out he
ask'd who he had quarrell'd with? "W^ere is our host?"
Wood having hold of his arm answer'd & another, nothing
can give an Idea of the wildness, the repeatitions, the
in coherencies, of his drunken eloquence. The time of
the ride was taken up in professions of esteem for me,
requests that I would promise him another nights sleep
422 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
in the same bed at Amboy, praises of my Wife & daugh-
ter & requests that I would permit him to send them
Heaven knows what as presents. He would not go to bed
till Hardinge went away, he would take my hand & turn-
ing to H say "this is my commander." "Sir you have no
commander." "Sir, but I have, but by my own choice
tho', Sir." I requested H to go & soon after he went to
bed, on condition that [I] would let him stay two days
& nights at Amboy & send ear rings, bracelets &c &c
to my Wife & Daughter & stay with him until he was in
bed. I assisted him to his room. "Sam did you ever hear
anybody say any thing against that gentlemen?" "Who
Mr Dunlap Sir?" "Aye, this good gentleman." "No, Sir."
"No, nor you never will. Sam get me a glass of brandy."
Sam went for it. "Dunlap it is strange but I can never
say or do any thing to offend you. I can't, we were bom
gentlemen, but that bullying fellow, before I leave the
country — I'm the best shot in great Britain. I never miss
my man — tho' its 20 months now. Sam brought the
brandy & holding it in his hand began in his way to per-
suade him not to take it. Cooke list^n'd & then smiling
says "Sam you make a damn'd long preamble, set it down,
get me another, go" Sam went & I persuaded him not
to take any. Sam return'd. I saw him in bed & carried off
the brandy.
Friday the 22d March. To my great surprize Cooke
was up by 1/2 past 8 and ate a hearty breakfast. "Come
to day we dine at home, dont we? I drink no wine, this
ugly pain in my breast troubles me. We'll see [James]
Fennel at Masonic Hall (I think it is) this evening. I
never saw him." It was accordingly arranged <that>
and Price calling in agreed to dine with us. In the eve-
ning he sat patiently under Fennells intolerably bad
recitations, but unfortunately Francis who we met there
return'd with us & sup'd. Cooke began by Cider & Francis
declared he would drink nothing but beer. However a
bottle of Madeira must be call'd for — "only to mix a lit-
tle Wine & Water warm with a lime in it." Old times
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 423
when he & Billy Frances were together furnish'd an in-
exhaustible topic & I seeing the Wine mixture made &
in use went to bed, but alas the friends couldn't part till
one oclock & Cooke got drunk to bed by two.
[March] 23d I had had my walk before C. got up.
He was ashamed to complain. "This pain troubles me a
little tho'. I must begin the water system, nine days
were we on water alone during our passage and I never
was better in my life, this is in favour of the Water sys-
tem. Ah, I noticed then when your mother gave me my
tea her hand was perfectly steady but mine was not so
in taking it. I ought to be asham'd. in truth I was
asham'd." He had staid the whole time at Fennell's read-
ing room merely because he knew he was observ'd, but
he was very weary of him. "mere school-boy ti-hem
hem-ti — school boy? Nay I would have whipt a boy that
could not have done better." We had a great deal of chit-
chat to day, that is he talk'd a great deal as he always
does, an incessant flow of anecdote & observation.
I call'd yesterday a second time on the widow of my
friend C B Brown & found her in & company with her
mother-in-law who is likewise a widow since my last visit
to this place. I saw the twin boys who used to be my
play things. I took them on my knees. I kiss'd them &
remember'd former days, poor things! Charles has left
another boy besides these & an mfant girl. I wrote a
note to day to Mr. P[aul] Allen who is engaged by B's
friends to write his biography appointing a meeting.
"What's that?" says Cooke "I am remarking" says
Francis "how well Mr Dunlap looks" "How can it be
otherwise" rejoins C "when he is under my care." "I
remember John Henry. He was once in the army. He
was one of three ofi&cers that for some youthfull prank
in Kingston Jamaica were brought to court Martial one
broke & the other two suspended for short periods, Henry
the shortest, but he took leave of the service. He play'd
one season at Drury lane, he made his first appearance,
an odd choice for a young man. in Adam in As you like it,
424 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
I remember — in Adam when he made it the first part in
the piece, but it was odd choice for Henry" and so he
runs on "sans intermission." He went to bed early &
sober to day & was up by 8 OClock on Sunday the 24th
March. After breakfast we walked over & beyond the
Schuykill bridge his tongue running incessantly with a
stream of pleasant & rare anecdote. "Digges was a very
pleasant & easy man when himself Manager but when
he became the agent of Daly he was the very reverse,
perhaps he thought to please Daly, he made himself so
hateful to the actors that they had a custom for many
years after his death when ever they went to Cork to go
& piss on his grave, it was abominable — some low-
comedy genius began it. yet it was common to ask one
another, "well, have you been to visit Digges yet? His
grave is near the north wall in the Cathedral yard at
Cork. Many of the Monuments in Westminster are very
beautif ull ; there is one of General which I never
liked, there is an Angel blowing a trumpet to represent
the last day, and the general is represented as rising at
the sound — the clouds around put me in mind of pieces
of paste — an old soldier who knew the general — perhaps
had serv'd under [him] when visiting the monuments,
seeing this; took out a pencil & steping up to the base
wrote
"Keep quiet if you're wise;
You'll be damn'd if you rise."
John (e i Kemble) says to me one day, you are older
than I am. Am I, says I, I think not. says you were
born on the [blank] of October 55. does he? I was born
in October, but not 55 no not 55. My lady must be 57
or 58. Sarah — Sarah Siddons." Our walk was pleasant
tho' it was rather windy. At 2 the old man sate down
to his dinner, hav^ after much debate declined an invita-
tion to C Ingersols. At this time hard rain. He was much
pleas'd to hear of the great press to obtain boxes which
took place yesterday morning and tho' I was present
when the particulars were told him, he afterwards re-
PHILADELPHIA. 1811 425
peated them to me, exclaiming ''Why this is equal to
Siddons' first tour." He dined at home & alone to day.
I dined at C J Ingersols. I return'd to my tea. Cook was
out walking but soon return'd & made me remark that
he had left half his bottle of Wine. In the evening Cal-
braith who lately made his debut here in Zanga intruded
himself & finding Wine sat till supper & after supper &
after I, heartily tired with his stupid impertinent talk
went to my bed. Cooke however got to bed by eleven in
pretty good order.
Monday [March] 25th I arose to meet Mr P Allen
at 7. The veteran was up by 8: lively & loquacious as
ever. He told me that Calbraiths errand was to get the
part of Othello. "Why I think Sir he shows no great
promise for Othello." ''No, nor any thing else. I'm glad
Wood is to do it. lago depends upon Othello & indeed
Othello upon lago. I remember said he had seen
the play better done than ever it would be again. Barry
play'd Othello, Garrick lago, Woodward Roderigo, &
Cibber & Pritchard the two Women. Palmer play'd Cas-
sio gentleman Palmer as they call'd him." "What John"
"Oh no ! before him. John I believe had not play'd then."
"How does Bob Palmer stand?" "Why pretty fair. Bob
is a thick headed dog, but the youngest, Bill, was the
worst of them, a stupid fellow, & he grew worse & worse,
he died in Ireland, of Whiskey I suppose, quite a driveller
before he died, if he got a few words beat into his head
the sight of Daly would drive them out again, one night
in Alexander he play'd Hephestion, Daly was listening
to him & in the line "0 reverend Clytus father of the
War" he splutter'd out 0 reverend Clytus father of the
World." Speaking of G Cohnan the younger "poor George
he has the rules of the Kings bench & I suppose must re-
main there. Young Arnold was the first I believe that
arrested him. he heard that Colman was down at some
Country town & he took a bailiff & two post Chaises &
w^ent after him. after he had arrested him he says he
cried at what he had done & when they were to return
426 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
to London he ask'd Colman if he would ride in the chaise
with him. "No Sir" says George "You may stick your nose
in that chaise & I'll take your bum with me in this. He's
a merry undone dog — comes out & cracks his jokes in
term time & then goes in again. Goes to bed drunk every
night. call'd on him one day — saw his boy —
"Where's your master?" "In bed Sir" "What was he drunk
last night?" "Very drunk Sir." We got "John Bull act by
act as he wanted money, but the last act didn't come &
Mr Harris refus'd to advance any more, at last necessity
drove him to make the finish & he wrote the 5th act one
night — in one night — on seperate pieces of paper as he
<WTote> fill[ed] one piece after the other he threw them
on the floor & finish^ writing & drinking went to bed in
the morning. Tired of waiting <for> Mr Harris sent
Fawcett to him & he insisted on going into his chamber
& waking him "My dear Sir remember your promise we
are all at a stand for the last act." "There it is" "Where"
"There on the floor — pick it up. dont disturb me" Fawcett
pick'd up the scraps & brought them to the Theatre in
his pocket handkerchief." "Is this Mr Calbraith in busi-
ness now?" "No I suppose he thinks it easier to be actor
as that requires no industry talent or education." "I sup-
pose so. Thats the last resource. Any thing can be an
actor. Foote dismiss'd his old prompter but gave him
the same salary & sent him on for little things. James
Aikin says to him one day. "So Sir we have lost our old
prompter" "Yes" says Sam, "the fellow couldn't read so I
made an actor of him."
Walk with Cooke & Ben Wilcox, call on A[rmit]
Brown, see his wife. Call at Curtis Clay's.
Cooke & self dined together without interruption &
[but] that he was anxious to have the first night well
over he did not lose his chatty pleasantry. "I remember
a story of two men travelling together who observed pro-
found silence for many hours at length the[y] arrived at
cross roads, the driver was at a loss, they stop. "Pray Sir"
says one, "do you know the road?" "Damn you Sir what
do you mean! I'll quit you. Sir, I'd as soon you should
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 427
break wind in my company as break silence" About 5
we proceed to the Theatre and he was pleas'd & sur-
prized to see at that early hour (and we were told it had
been so for hours before) the street fiU'd by the crowd
waiting for the opening of the doors, but when we found
the back door of the house beset & the people who had
taken places crowding in by that passage, he exclaim'd
"AVhy this beats Sarah!" We could not get in, and the
young men finding it was Cooke surrounded us with
impertinent curiosity. I led him off & leaving him in
High St' ref^ to find some mode of entrance. I met Fran-
cis & C IngersoU & the first undertook to prepare a way
while I went with Ingersol to bring up the object of
admiration, he had been invited into a confectioners
shop where we found him & returning the people at the
door open'd to right & left & let us pass. "Aye, aye, they
understand their interest now, for, as the fellow said
who was going to the gallows, ''there will be no sport
without me." I took place with Ingersol, his brother,
Anderson, Dennie. Peters & others in the Orchestra, The
reception was great & his return to it dignified as usual.
All passed off with the utmost applause. I found him
after the play a good deal exhausted, however he recov-
er'd his spirits at supper & after some Cider, Wine &
Negus went to bed.
Tuesday [March] 26th Mr. P Allen again met me at
7. Cooke up at 8, a little stiff, but pleasant and gay as
usual. I visit Mrs Brown. Call at A Brown's store — out.
Walk with Cooke to see Wertmuller's Danae. Dine with
him at B Wilcox's. He repeatedly express'd his fear of
dining there & hi[s] determination of coming away with
me to avoid wine. ''You'll come home to tea?" "Yes"
"And so will I, I'll take tea with you. we'll come home
as soon as the candles are lit." He was cautious & silent
during dinner. After W introduced port Wine & he drank
freely. We dined % after 4 at i/'o past 7 I moved off, but
alas! Cooke took no notice of my departure and I left
him. I went to bed before 10. About 6 this m^ (Wed''
428 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
March 27th) poor Sam who had been up with [him] all
night came into my room, told me that Price & Beekman
came home with him and that he had sate by the fire in
the parlor all night refusing to go to bed. "I have had the
worst night, Sir, that ever I had with him. He wants a
carriage Sir." I went to him, he was conscious of his
condition, and on my requesting him to go to bed said
"I will do anything you bid me." I persuaded him to
bed. He call'd for brandy &c but was easily put off. Rail
at Price and Cooper incessantly. "Compare me to Cooper,
I that have play'd with John. I'll leave them to worship
their wooden god. he suits them. Cooper & Kemble. A
devil to a God! John is an actor, he is my superior, I
acknowledge it! I'll never play at New York again, no
by God. He ask'd me to dine with him. Not in his house.
You must promise me one nights rest at Amboy. Your
dear Wife and Daughter. I know you want to persuade
me to play in N York. No never under the power of
Price &c &c" I reminded him of playing Richard here
to night, he said he would do it. I left him dropping to
sleep.
P Allen brought me Brown's Novels. Rec*^ a letter from
my Wife. Write my 4th to her. Coming from Wilcox's
yesterday, Doctor Chapman express'd his dissapointment
in Cooke's conversation which he had expected to find
brilliant. Indeed he was at table first dull and then in-
decent. Price has just call'd on me. He says that about
10 last evening Charles Ingersol endeavour'd to get
Cooke off by offering himself as a guide but Cooke
defer'd his departure till Eleven then promising to go &
Charles left him. Cooke then remark'd that he knew what
Ingersol was about. "He was left by Wood & the tea Sot
to get me home." He got in a passion with Sam this morn-
ing. "Who are you? I know you Sir, you are Mr Price's
spy."
As I return'd home last night Armit and E[lijah]
Brown met me. they had been to see me & I promis'd
to take tea at A's this evening.
The character & actions of George Frederick Cooke
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 429
are certainly object worthy of attention as suggesting
reflections of abundant utility in the conduct of life. A
man bless'd by nature with Herculean strength & iron
constitution, quickness of perception & facility of com-
bination, is reduced by vice at the early age of 55 <to>
without the intervention of disease or accident to the
situation of a drivelor. A coward, a braggart, a hypocrite
a backbiter, a man of repentance without amendment,
forming resolutions only to break them, fearing death
with womanish pusilanimity yet rushing on to meet him
with the frenzy of desperation, form'd by nature for
the attainment of every virtue without possessing one
• — I fear not one!
Meet old Judge Benson — plan of the city of Germany
in Pensylvania. Sam says that Mr Cooke drunk two bot-
tles of madeira during the night after he came home.
Mr. Cliffton, Mr. [blank] call on me Mr Hopkinson, Dr
Chapman & C & me.
As I was sitting down to dinner Cooke bounced into
the room with an attitude "So this is economy Dinner
& breakfast in one" eat his dinner drank a pint of Ma-
deira & rode to the Theatre as gay as eighteen. In play-
ing this evening his voice was not so strong, but most
of the gentlemen who had seen him both nights say he
play'd best the last. This was not so, for he was the
worse for wine. I went to bed before he return'd & he
got beastly drunk again & to bed about 1 OClock.
Thursday March 28th I arose at i/^ past 6 to meet P
Allen. At I/2 past 8 I breakfasted & Price calling on me
I went to the Theatre. The crowd wait^ for the opening
of the door to take places was a riotous mob. When I
return'd at 11 Cooke was up, but could not be prevail'd
on to go to rehearsal, he walk'd with me to the Museum
[of Rembrandt Peale] & loiter'd there till 2. We dined
alone, after dinner Dennie & Waterman call'd, & later
Sully. I was seiz'd with an ague & tried to shake it off by
a Walk with Sully. Dennie cant drink wine. Brandy! I
return'd still sick & Cooke & Waterman went to Fennell's
430 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
reading, I to bed. He got to bed drunk at 3 OClock this
morning.
Friday March 29th I was too unwell to meet Allen at
7. Cooke did not return home last night until 1 OClock
& then very drunk accompanied by Waterman, who I
believe is a brandy drinker. Dennie, the editor of the
Port folio, the american Addison, a driveller & a sot!
While with us yesterday I had leisure to contemplate the
ruin of a tasteful & polish'd edifice. His conversation was
little more than tokens of assent & impertinent (tho' not
so meant) anticipations of what others were saying. "Yes
Sir — right — exactly so — very true — beautifully remark'd
— excellent &c" Read Arthur Mervyn — poor Charles —
his belief that he was fated to die early & by consumption
is fully express'd here. About 2 OClock my old drunkard
puts his head into the room. ''How do you do to day?
I'm glad to see you better, do you know I could not help
thinking of you in bed. if anything should happen to
you they'd swear that I kill'd you. come come, damme I
cut. no more of this, early to bed to night." I took the
oppertunity of representing the necessity; but he took
care to anticipate me & promise amendment. After din-
ner he drank his pint, chatted incessantly & then rode
to the Theatre to play Sir Pertinax. People are applying
to him for money & he gives merely because he has not
firmness to refuse, tho' he regrets parting with the cash.
He told me yesterday that he had lost the money out
of his pocket the night before & suspected the dresser
at the Theatre — sixty five dollars in bills wrap'd in a
paper — to day he tells me he has recover'd the money —
that he made a great noise at the Theatre about his
money & that the dresser laugh'd & said he had taken
it to take care of it. Now he was not at the Theatre yes-
terday or indeed since the time he says he lost it.
Saturday Morn^ Mar: 30th 1811. Cooke came home
last night & without excess went to bed at 12. Wood tells
me this morning that he never saw such an enraptur'd
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 431
Audience as that of last night or such fine playing and
that the anxiety for places is greater than ever. The
house was 1480 the first was 1344 the second 1100. As I
walk'd up to the Theatre about 10 OClock a brawny fel-
low issued from the crowd surrounding the door, his face
flushed & clothes disorder'd, "Well Charley" says an ac-
quaintance "did you get one?" "To be sure I did" "What
box?" "My old box No. 3." "You were up all night again"
"yes." These robustious fellows are paid 5, 7 & 10 or
more dollars and they tie handkerchiefs about their
heads & remain at the Th: door all night. Rec" a letter
from my son mentioning Cooper's arrival. Cooke receives
a letter mentioning same. Goes to rehearsal & from
thence to Sully's to sit for a picture for Wood. Goes in
good health & spirits to play Shylock. Allen & self pro-
ceed in our work till dinner. Cooke return 'd about I/2 past
9 OClock & after supper & a glass of punch went to
bed at 12.
Sunday morn^ Mar: 31st Cook dont get up to break-
fast. Sam says that he dont appear so well this morning.
"Indeed Sir he dont appear so well in a morning when he
goes to bed right as when he goes to bed tipsey." I ask'd
Sam for an explanation of the money business and he
told me that Mr Cook met the man who dresses him
at the Theatre, at Fennells and the man then told him
that he had given him the money to take care of when
he came to dress for Richard the night before. This ac-
counts for the whole. Cooke was so wild as not to remem-
ber giving the money & getting drunk again at Fennels
thought the next day that he had seen his dresser at the
Theatre & then receiv'd the money. Cooke sends to re-
quest me to write an excuse to Fennell for declining to
have his company to dinner, & I go to Woods to excuse
his going to him. pass some minutes with Sully, call on
Trott who says Waterman bro' C to his room last Thurs-
day even^ & wanted him to go to Fennells supper, that
he declined, that Fairman went only in hope of prevent-
ing mischief, that Cooke invited Waterman & Fairman to
432 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
dine with him to day. Wood tells me there was 1160
[dollars] in the house last night. Cooke dines alone w^**
me & only takes a few glasses. Reads in C B Browns
Jane Talbot. Afternoon Trot, Sully & Waterman drop in,
AU quiet & pleasant. They go. He takes a dish of tea. I
leave him after his supper taking Negus & read^. Goes
to bed 1/2 past 11.
Ap^ 1st The old gentleman is up & joins me at break-
fast. Finishes Jane Talbot & writes letters. I walk.
Mend"" given me by Price. Half after 375 for the first
five nights. The sixth paying 375. half of the next 6 pay-
ing 375 each. The whole of the thirteenth & half of next
three pay^ 375.
Dine pleasantly & soberly & Cooke goes at 5 to dress
for Richard. I am employ'd with Allen. The old man eats
his supper temperately & goes to bed at 12.
Ap^ 2^ Up & with Allen. Cooke rises & breakfasts at 9.
Receive a letter from Price. Extract — "Cooper is well
with the exception of a lame hand." 'T want you to remit
me on Thursday whatever may be due me — dont neglect
it for Cooper has run me in debt most damnably. Cooper
commences on Monday next, in the mean time we close."
Walk to Theatre. Wood tells me there was $1180 in house
last night. Write to Price. Meet Mrs Bainbridge and Miss
Heiliger in r Street. Call on Mrs C B B & Mrs Mead,
the last I found at home. She seems much attach'd to
Spain. Cooke sate to Sully, walk'd & then dined at
Francis's. The company was players consequently dull &
noisy. But for the presence of old Anderson the time
would have been very heavy. Cooke was dull. We came
away at 9 perfectly well. After supper he was chatty &
pleasant at intervals reading C B B's Clara Howard.
"In 1800 I arrived in London to fulfill my engagement
made with Mr Lewis by letter. Mr Lewis came to the
Inn & found me in the Coffee room surrounded by people
& tho' he had never seen me he came directly up & call'd
me by name. This was monday morning & friday I play'd
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 433
for the first time in London." He was born Ap' 17'^ 1756.
Holding up a % p' decanter of Wine ''You see" says he
"I have left off drinking in a great measure."
Ap^ 3'' Wood calls & we arrange the business for a Week
to come. Sit with Cooke at Sully's. Walk. Afternoon: Go
with Sully to the Academy of Arts. Even^ Cooke plays
S Pertinax to $1202.
Api 4''' While we are at breakfast Holland enters &
breakfasts with us. Go to Theatre to settle with Warren
and Wood to this time. Copy of Statement.
"Mr Cooke's Acct. with Philadelphia Theatre"
1811 March 25 R[ichar]d
27 D°
29M[an] of
30 Merch' Ve
Ap^ 1 R-^ y^ 3d
y^3d
y^ World
• N[igh]t
1/2
\^orld
ences
i^ above 5
1200
200
1579.301/
$2979.301/
sign'd I
J
$1348.15
1114...
1474.34
1159.62
1187.50
Expences at 390 p'
6283.61
1950...
4333.61
Mr Cookes share
1811 Api 3d Man of the T
Exp
2I66.8O1/2
1202.50
390...
Mr Cookes share of 3
n[ig]ts
Payments
Cash to Mr Price
Mr. D
812.50
2I66.8O1/2
2979.301/2
lob* Pullen
ip' 4'^ 1811
434 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
I told Mr Warren that Mr Price understood the
charges as 375. He said it must be an error, he went &
spoke to Wood, then ref^ & said Mr Wood had stated
them at 390 in his letter to Mr P. Wood tells me that
Cooper is at Trenton & has sent for him to come to him,.
Visit at S. Levy's. Holland dines w'*" us. After dinner
[Benjamin] Trot[t], [Gideon] Fairman & Waterman
drop in : pleasant chat. Cooke takes tea with me. We go
to the Museum & attend the lecture & experiments on
Gasses. Hydrogen or inflamable mix'd with oxygen —
bubbles from both seperate & united, ignited — inflamable
air from Coal us'd as lamp — Aether — inflam'd &c.
Ap^ 5^*" Wood returns disapointed — no Cooper at Tren-
ton. Cook is up at V2 past 6 reading. Walk with Trot.
Dine w^ Samps" Levy. Miss Jackson. Mr McKean —
charming man. 5 OClock find Cooke beset by a circulating
library keeper formerly a barber to the Bath Theatre.
He goes to Th : for Lear, plays to 996 dolls.
Ap' 6'^ Cooke up before 8. I was up at Yo past 6 to
meet Allen. The other day when Holland & Trot were
sitt^ with us Holland said to Cooke "Cooper expects to
see you in New York by such a day according to ap-
pointment. "He'll see me, but not on the boards." He is
bitter against Cooper — he thinks he has not been fairly
dealt with. He heard yesterday that Coopers baggage
was in his possession but that his was in the public
stores. "Why did he not claim them as his own?" Wood
replied "It would be necessary to swear & he might not
chuse to take a false oath." "Damn him I believe he'll
swear to anything." I sounded him this morning as to
another year in America & stated his profit, over all
expences at 12000 in addition to wh* he would make this
year — he evaded said "Money could be made in England
too — ^besides you'll have another hero — George will be
here." meaning [Joseph George] Holman. he was not dis-
pleas'd at the subject but it pass'd off without further
notice. He told me he had received a letter from Twaits
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 435
with great offers for Charleston for the month of may.
Holland tells me that Cooper says he dreads to meet
Cooke — justifies Prices system of treating him — that
Harris, Kemble &c were incensed to a great degree at
him for sending Cooke away & repuls'd all attempts at
explanation. That Cooper is conscious of using undue
means to get him off' — rails at him as an old worthless
drunkard — says he would not undergo again for any sum
what he did for that purpose.
Sunday Ap^ 7'^ Alas Cooke is again a wretched drunk-
ard. He returned from playing Sir Giles Overreach very
finely & I took some supper & wine with him. Holland
who was preparing to return to New York sat with us
till y^ past 10, Cooke in high spirits, pleas'd with every
thing, talking of the pictures taken & to be taken of him.
"I shall go to Boston again, I have promised to finish
their season. I will sit to Stuart again & send you the
picture." After 111 left him. I was restless & occasionally
heard him still up. Heard the Stage go at 3 OClock. near
4 Sam knock'd and ask[ed] me from him to get up. after
some hesitation I got up & slipping pantaloons without
stockings & a surtout coat I went to him. "Ah Dunlap! I
am glad you are here" grasping my hand "I have been
rambling thro' all hell to night." ''Then you must be
tired Sz its time to go to bed." 'T'll do any thing you bid
me." *'To bed then" and I lifted him by his arm from
the chair, he looks at Sam "How came Mr Dunlap to be
disturb[ed]?" "You order'd me to call him Sir." "Oh
Dunlap I am not drunk, I am insane, promise me that
I shall rest one night at your house, stand away, Sir, Mr
Dunlaps arm is sufficient. Lights! Dunlap you are not
angry! I hope you are not angry!" "No. But I must re-
turn to bed. I am not clothed & shall take cold." "Go to
bed, but dont be angry." I left him having seen him
seated by his bed side, & I return'd to my bed. I heard
him for some time after talking to Sam who having at
length got him to bed left him. During my breakfast he
join'd me, in high spirits but could not eat. he acknowl-
436 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
edged his folly of last night but is in fact under the in-
fluence of it yet, tho' full of chat & anecdote. B. Wilcox
dined with us & Sully, Wood & a Mr Massy. I had tea at
6 & all stop'd drinking but Cooke, they went away & he
continued drinking, he wanted me to walk, I understood
him & would not leave him. he order'd a Coach while I
was out of the room, he thinking me off, but as I re-
turned he ask'd me to ride w'^ him, I did so. on his return
ab^ 8 he wanted supper & began to drink again uttering
his eternal round of bragging drivelling nonsense. When-
ever he is drunk he returns to the blow Price struck him
& his determuiation to shoot: to night he was very sys-
tematic "He thinks I have forgotten it. no by God! I
wrote the next day to Captain McLean of y^ 34th at
Quebec & he has promised to meet me on the 24th at
New York. The bully will be surprized to receive a note
from me. I'm the best shot in England. I am sure to kill
him, but then the dear little Woman — that ever I should
— it's not a trifle that can bring tears into my eyes^
to think that I should — " and then he chokes & blubbers
like an idiot boy. at i/^ past 9 I left him & went to bed.
I heard him go to bed making his usual noise & look'd
at my watch it was 2.
Monday Ap^ 8*'^ Up at i/o past 6 & walk with Sully
& Trott. The old drunkard sallied forth again while I am
eat^ I took little notice of him. he observ'd it, and said
he hoped he had said nothing at any time to offend me.
he drank 4 cups of tea & afterwards want*^ brandy. I ob-
jected, and ask'd him pointedly if he had not taken
brandy yesterday morning, he confess'd. I told him I
knew it from the smell of his breath & the wildness of
his conduct, he promises me never to do it again, his
promises! Wilcox, W^ood, Warren call, he is lively, after
they go I at his request allow him some Cider. Goes to
rehearsal. Wood says Sat^ was 1050. "I had a strange
dream last night" says Cooke 'T thought an ugly old
Woman was dragging me to a precipice, she pointed
down the frightfull pit. I struggled & got from her." "I
PHILADELPHIA, 1811
437
wish you may" said I "the dream is a warning." William
& Washington Irving arrive from Washington they call
on us with Charles Nicholas. Cooke drank his pint of
W^ine after dinner & play'd Falstaff in the evening. I took
an early supper & walk'd after it. when I return'd I found
him with [John] Phillips the libraryman he was more
intoxicated than when he left me and complained much
of his breast. '*0h Dunlap if you had not prevented me
from taking brandy this morning I should not have got
through this evenings play, as it is— my voice— hah!—
there are pins & needles. I must send for a physician."
I prescribed bed & he promised if I would sit up with
him 1/2 an hour he would go to bed. I did so. got rid of
the man who was with him. he prepared for bed, & prorn-
ised it should not be many minutes before he follow'd
me. I left him.
Tuesday Ap^ 9^^ 1811. Sam tells me this morning that
shortly after I left Cooke, he grew worse, was much
alarm'd & sent him for Doctor [Thomas] Park[e], who
when he arriv'd found him much oppress'd & breathing
w^ great difficulty, he bled him copiously, and the old
victim is now asleep & has slept soundly all night. He
got up about 2, weak & low spirited. We talk'd over the
incident & its cause. He promises amendment, seems con-
vinced that nothing but temperance can save him from
death in the form he has so recently approach'd. I said
every thing that I though w*^ add to the impression made
by his fears. He took a light dinner & I press'd 2 glasses
of Wine on him. He reads the afternoon & evening. I
pass the evening at Mr S Levy's with Mr McKean, Miss
[blank] Miss McKean, young McKean, Dr. Rush part
of the evening.
Wed^' [April] 10th Up to meet Allen. Cooke up to
breakfast at 9. Goes to Sully's. He takes a few glasses
at dinner and goes to play Shylock. I pass the even° with
Mrs C B Brown. By letter from Price Cooper plays to
438 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
1270 Hamlet & is very flatteringly received. Holland
writes that he is drilling the players stiffly. Cooke goes
to bed by eleven.
Ap^ ir'' Cooke & self breakfast at 9 & he goes to re-
hearsal. Rainy day. read Shee's Rhymes.^^ Cooke is well
but not chatty. Goes at 5 to play Macbeth. It was to have
been Lear but Wood is too ill to play. He return'd in
high spirits, said there was a good house & the play went
off charmingly.
[April] 12''' When I rose at 7 I found him up making
a memorandum for his benefit bill. Rather low spiritted &
chilly. He went to rehears' at 10 & found no one there,
he was vex'd & left word that he would not return. I
join'd him & called at Sully's who was out. he was
waspish. I led him to the Academy of Arts & back to
Sully's where I left him. He was pleasant after dinner &
read. Even^ I pass at S Levy's the McKeans there & Mr
M[oses] Levy. Cooke takes about as much pleasure at
a picture exhibition as a blind man would. He call'd
R[aphael] West's picture of Orlando saving his brother
from the serpent & the Lioness the rescue of Andromeda
by Perseus, of course the rough & masculine Oliver was
to his eyes the beautiful female chain'd to the rock. The
2 last houses were Wed^ 870 Thursd^ 778. He received to
day an anonymous letter from New York of whose con-
tents he was not communicative, he exclaim'd ''If he says
so he is a liar." He wrote a note & sent Sam with it. This
was an answer to Fennell, who was teazing him to play
lago to his Othello. The night he sup*^ & got drunk with
Fennell this was all settled in their cups & the artfuU
James wished to take advantage of it & reported the en-
gagement about town with hints that Wood opposed it.
He did not communicate the corresp''^ to me because
asham'd of the commencement of the business.
Sat^ Ap' IS''' After Cooke went to rehearsal I rec*^ a
s8 Sir Martin Archer Shee's Rhymes on Art.
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 439
letter from Price saying Wed^ nights house was very bad
560 dollars: A letter from Cooper to Cooke accompanied
it, which I carried to him. He read it in the green room
but said nothing of its contents, except compliments to
me &c. He went as usual early to Theatre & play*^ Glenal-
von & Sir Archy well to 1200.
Sunday [April] 14"" I walk before breakfast. Cooke
goes to Sully at 11 & remains till dinner time sitting for
Richard. After dinner Washington Irving introduced
Hopkinson & Meredith just as we had nearly finish'd our
bottle of Madeira, this caus'd the bringing of a second
of which they drank 4 or five glasses, he drinking fast &
talking stupidly, they went & young Harris of y' Th.
came by appointment to rehearse Ca^h with him. I drank
tea walk'd & return'd. Harris went. Cooke drank until
the 2d bottle was finish'd by him, except some that I
threw away when he left the room. The wine gone, I re-
quested him to take no more & urged every reason, he
promised he would only take wine & water, he could not
eat supper, but must have a basin of gruel which he
takes with brandy in it. he put half a large wine glass of
brandy & set down the remainder by him. I took it up
& under pretence of smelling it, kept it till I had an
oppertunity of pouring it on the carpet. He was now very
loquacious and drunk enough to open his mind fully &
talk of his grievances without being so mad & incoherent
as he usually is when drunk. I sat with him until 12
OClock being determined to prevent further drinking &
knowing that after that hour he could get nothing more as
y** bar w*^ be shut. During this time he said that Cooper
had inveigled him into an agreement when he was drunk,
that he was drunk tho' not entirely so when he went on
board ship, that he would have return'd to be sure but
he was ashamed to return after having gone so far. "I
came away without preparation, without my stage
clothes as if I was running away like a criminal. Now
Holman will come out after making every preparation &
making a bargain by which he will put that money into
440 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
his own pocket which I have been putting into the
pockets of those scoundrels. Sir, I shall have lost money
by coming here, & when I go back how do I know I shall
be received. To come away without seeing Mr Harris,
my best friend, the man who did every thing for me, who
pitted me again them all. His Son too is my friend not-
withstanding he in anger published my letter fixing the
time I was to play in London. No by God I will never
play in New York again! Cooper has treated me unlike
a gentleman, he writes to me. when? After his second
night had fail'd. he writes me a fulsome congratulatory
letter, they think I am a fool. He send me to this Coun-
try, never writes to me. He comes himself & remains
within a 100 miles for 2 or 3 Weeks, never writes to me,
takes care that I shall hear of his great first appearance
by other hands, and when he fails in his second attempt
he writes to me a damn fulsome letter." I combatted this
idea but in vain & he proceeded "That letter I received,
that enormous letter I kept from you. — I'll show it you
tomorrow mor[n]ing — that warns me against playing
again in New York. I am to be hissed for not playing the
last night I was advertized for. the writer signs himself
my friend & countryman, he advises me not to submit
to be hiss'd by an American Audience. An American
Audience. No by God by no Audience! They'll hiss me
because I deserted them, dident they desert me first?
didn't they leave me to play to empty benches. God blast
them! God blast me if ever I play for them again." he
says "Cooper tells the people at N. Y. that I am engaged
to him for three years! Am I? I'll show him! Coopers a
ferocious fellow but not so bad as Price, did I ever tell
you that he struck me? He says he was drunk. I dont
believe it. I hate ! hate him ! 0 I'll write such a pamphlet
on my return, on the American Theatres and I'll not for-
get the Managers. Cooper ! play with Cooper, the Wooden
God ! He's no player. Send me to America to play under
the direction of Mr Simpson. Mr Simpson! He & Mr
Cone should draw an Ass-Cart together — a fit pair! I've
got among my papers a journal of my life, I wish you
(ii:()i{(;i'; ff> i:i)i:i;k"k cooki
By William DrM.\i>
((■i)iirt('s> i.f I'll.- I'lay.-is, N.w
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 441
would digest it & write my biography, it will be a strange
one. My father was a Captain in the 4th Dragoons, a high
Irish gentleman, he left me a little fellow to the care of
my mother but I was soon my own master, that was niy
ruin, at Eleven I was enter'd a midshipman & went
aboard a man o' war. 0 it will be a strange story. I'll give
you all the papers, will you? Oh! Dunlap how I delight
in conversation such as this, over a glass of water. I hate
drunkenness. I detest it. for its consequences you'll say —
true but not alone. I dislike it for itself, many an hour
have I spent in studying my profession — alone — when
the world has thought me drinking. I have studied the
passions. Sir and all their various grades. There, Sir, is
fear, so I distinguish it from surprize, now suspicion.
There's attention — now rage — that is the most difficult
of all. Anger, the expression is different according to the
object^ — from the Wife to the lowest menial." I went to
my room, & soon heard a loud slam of his door & then
all was still.
Mond^ 15'^ Sam tells me that as soon as I was gon[e]
he sent him for brandy & the bar keeper being gone &
none to be had, he in a violent rage bounced to his room
& bolted Sam out. He has gone to rehearsal without
coming into our breakfasting room or seeing me. he took
some Cider & bread & eggs in his bed Chamber. The day
pass'd pretty well & he play'd Kitely^^ well to 1364
[dollars].
[April] 16th Cooke got drunk last night & to bed
this morning at daybreak. Warren tells me Cooper in-
tends to be here Sat^ Wood accepts my Comedy of 40 &
20 to be play'd at his pleasure & the remuneration to be
according to its success. Cooke sitting to Sully ; Mrs Hop-
kinson present: he exerting himself to be agreable and
is really so. His anecdotes rather stale. Letter to Incledon
in praise of Price & America & American Theatres, in
59 In Ben Jonson's comedy, Every Man in His Humour.
442 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
short in praise of every thing he curses & condemns
(Mrs P excepted). Call on Trott & go to [David] Edwins
to see drawings of Cooke, Jefferson & Blisset by a youth
[Charles Robert] Leslie attach'd to [Samuel F.] Brad-
fords store This young mans talent & acquirement in
original composition almost amounts to miraculous. Visit
the Pensylvania Hospital. Dine at Francis's. Warren
mention'd to Cooke the publication of his letter, he was
anxious to see it. read it. acknowledged it & pretended
to find fault with Incledon for publishing it. I left Fran-
cis's & returnd about 9 when I found him drunk & still
drinking, he would not come away with me, but con-
sented to return if I w*^ send a coach. I did so. he came
home about 10 with young Barret & Harris order'd wine,
but on their going & my expostulating with him he con-
sented to drink no more & to go to bed, which he did
very quietly. The letter being before the world he now
shapes his conversation to it: and his incoherences to
night were repetitions of the question "Is there any thing
that can offend in it? Didn't I speak of Mrs P[rice]
kindly & gratefully? &c &c.
Api 17^^ Walk thro' the boasted PhiP Market before
breakfast. Meet Arm* Brown & walk to his house for a file
of Englis[h] news papers. Sam comes to me for 50 doll^
for Mr Cooke & I find y* instead of going to bed as he
promised he went immediately out to a Mrs Smiths where
he still is. One OClock Sam tells me he has just left the
brothel & gone to Sully's. He sat to Sully but was wild
all day & communicates to every one his being out last
night as if he prided in it. He was moderate after din-
ner & went to the Theatre at the usual time, but he
play'd Lear very wildly — the house thin. I saw him in
the Green room & being apprehensive of further debauch
I went in search of Doctor Park, who join'd me at Wood's
& I sent him to the Theatre to alarm Cooke by feeling
his pulse & prescribing bleeding. Carpenter & Dr Chap-
man at Woods. I went home & Cooke soon came, told
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 443
me he had seen his Doctor & "it is well I have, do you
know? he found my pulse as it was before, he says I must
be bled if there is not a change before Sunday. I was
going out again to night. I promised it, but I'll stay now."
I went to bed.
[April] 18'^ The old wretch went out to his Whores
again as soon as I was gone. About 10 OClock I walk'd
in and found him at his breakfast. Quite sober & no hint
of his having been out. I visit Mrs Brown, Mrs Mead.
At the Academy. A Ceres by Wertmuller, very poor. A
Street by Strickland, Views on Schuylkill by Birch jun'.
some Groupes of figures very abominable bad. At Sully's :
Cooke sitting. Go by invitation & appointed to the Fish
house on Schuylkill. *^*^ The ride was pleasant, we arrived
at 2 & found the gentlemen of the Club Cooking beef
steaks of which we partook & then walk'd with Mr Run-
del ^^ to see his house & grounds on the high ground
above the fish house. At 3 we dined on fish Cooked by
the club who serve themselves & dine under a long shed.
The Mayor of the City presided, Mr [Robert] Wharton,
and was very attentive to us. Curtis Clay, Jos: Clay,
Mess""" Worrell, Bradford, Capt Carr, Leslie (the young
artist), Rundel, Wood (of Manchester: Singer), Cooke,
Francis, Warren, Hardinge, &c a company of 40. The
free sociality was admirable, just before sunsetting I
walk'd on the bank of the river shaded overloping hill
behind which a summer sun was declining, the opposite
bank of Schuylkill was strongly illuminated & the ob-
jects vividly reflected in the unruffled Water. Thro' the
trees which had only the scanty foliage of the season
every object of the landscape was visible. Nymphlike
forms in White, clambering the rocks, ploughman driv-
ing the team, distant villa's & gardens & the windings
of the stream far below. One Thrush, the first I had
«'> For an account of this society, and biographical notes on its mem-
bers, see History of the Schuylkill Fishing Company of the State in
Schuylkill, 1732-1888, (Philadelphia, 1889).
61 Richard Rundle (1747-1826).
444 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
heard this year, warbled his evening song in contrast
to the boisterous sounds which reach my ear from the
company carouzing in the shed. Cooke was merry &
pleas'd his companions, but was drunk before the com-
pany seperated. Hardinge drove us home, as our Coach-
man was likewise drunk. By exerting all my influence
over Cooke I got him to bed at 10 OClock. He appeal'd
to me to day thus "Did you ever hear me say a word
against Price?" What a strange Animal. I was calFd out
to Doctor [Charles] Caldwall who interceded wdth me
to use my influence to prevail on Cooke to play lago w^
Fennels Othello, while I was absent C thought I had
gone to bed & order'd a Coach to go to the brothel, he
was in high dignity abusing Sam for not flying to obey
him, when I enter'd the room, he instantly changed his
deportment, and soon agreed to go to bed.
[April] 19th He gets up well at 12. I walk to Academy
& Panorama of Boston. Wilcox invites me to dine w"
Cooper at 5 tomorrow. Cooke sits to Sully. George Bowen
our Coachman arrives & McLean & Jones with him they
take their Wine with us. Cooke to Theatre at 6 & plays
Sir Pertinax Well, gets to bed drunk at 12. C's Story
of Kemble offerring to bribe a person to write him down.
Lord [blank] writing his brother the bishop of Durham
sermon to be preach'd before the King, the repetition of
this story to Mr Hopkinson & others, no Library, where
is it? at Durham. Damn you have a kitchen here? "Dun-
lap, I'm damn'd sarcastic. I wonder I have escaped with
my life, you are my preserver, independent of the obliga-
tion I owe you for your advice & kindness, I owe my
life to you. they see you w^ me & they think I can't be
bad. they spare me for your sake. Who's that with him?
Dunlap. Ah its all well. Who's that? Dunlap. Who's that?
&c &c repeat — repeat — repeat.
20*'^ Ap' Still like June or July. To Theatre to settle
to this time with Warren. Copy
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 445
1811 April 5th Kg Lear
995.75
6
New way
[to pay
old debts]
1035. 6
8
Henry 4th
1020.50
10
Merch' of V[eniee]
870.50
11
Macbeth
778...
13
Douglas & Love a la
M[ode]
1196...
15
Every man
(Ben J)
1365.25
17
K^ Lear
668...
19
Man of ye
World
948.25
7512. 6
8]
ti[igh]ts @ 390
V:
3120...
2 4392. 6
2196. 3
$3561.28
Paym'^
Cash for Mr Cooke
1.12
Dunlap
250...
D°
3310.16
i/o) 1365.25
$3561.28
682.62
682.62
2878.66
2979.30
$5857.96 is the gain of Cooper
& Price, from which
to give the nett
profit, the expences
of my journey &
Cookes sal'' must be
deducted & the re-
mainder is clear on
y^ PhiP engagement.
"I have gone fifteen nights without bolting out of the
course. I shall go the sixteen now. Never did such a thing
446 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
before. Yes I did & more. The summer after my London
engagement I play*^ 36 nights in 6 weeks & travel'd 2000
miles. I swept the grass the summer."
The average of the 15 n[igh]ts past is 1091 dollars.
Meet Cooper at Wilcox's. Marcoe, 2 Ingersolls, 2 Wil-
cox's. Cooke play'd finely to night. Cooper went behind
scenes to see him: he was first a little strange but soon
got over it. Before Cooke came home Cooper & C Inger-
sol came & found me. Cooper proposed the scheme of
playing here 4 nights with Cooke beginning friday night
which would detain me until 1st May. I told him I would
do everything to further the interest of the Co. Cooke,
Cooper, Wilcox, & Ingersol sit down to supper while I
go & settle with the Treasurer.
Copy
Ap' 20'^ Rich^ 3"^
Expences
997.40
390...
A bill for Musick to Warren
Mr Dunlap
i/o 607.40
$303.70
36...
267.70
16)17360.32
S303.70
1085. 2
The average recets of the 16 nights is 1089. When I
return'd I found that Cooke had cheerfully agreed to
stay & play with Cooper & then return to New York
& play with him. This & a variety of good humour'd chat
past until Cooke becoming tipsey I left them & went to
bed first ordering Bowen's carriage at 5 to carry me to
Amboy, Wilcox promising to keep Cooke until my return.
Sunday [April] 21st The day proves showery with
thunder and the roads wet. Cooper overtook me near
Princeton, he says Wilcox got drunk with Cooke & they
stay'd till 4 OClock. he saw Cooke before he left PhiP
THOMAS AiriTH)i;i'i; CtJOl'KK (1776-1S49)
Attribited to William Dunlap
(Courtt-sy of The Players. New York)
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 447
(in bed) & appointed to dine w*' him at 5 on thursday.
Wet & dark, can get no further than Brunswick.
[April] 22d Arrive at home at 8. John left home for
N. Y. at 7. All well at Amboy.
[April] 24th Wed^ leave home for Phil^ & arrive at i/^
past 8. Day very warm but a violent thunder shower as
we pass Frankf . A lively girl in the stage which I join
at Trenton. Miss Richmond of Brunswick. Find Cooke
in bed. He got drunk at Mr Head's on Monday in com-
pany with Wilcox, & his spasms coming on a Physician
in company bled him & he stay'd at Heads that night.
Tuesday he however dined out again with Wilcox &
got him [home] at 8 but was pressed to the St. George's
Society which dined at Mansion House, he however got
to bed about 12 & has remain'd there since. I crack'd a
joke on him at the Fish house which I believe he has
forgotten. I hope he has for it was not delicate before
strangers altho' his propensities are so well known, Curtis
Clay overset a decanter of Wine which ran down the table
from Cooke. He laughing observed that it was very odd
that Wine should run away from him. this attracted at-
tention & gain'd a laugh. I ask'd "Do you know the rea-
son?" ''No, what is it." "Because you abuse it."
[April] 25th Thursd^ Up at i/o past 6. The old man
dont rise to breakfast, but about 11 Rides out. I visit the
Academy & Dr [William P.] De Wees collection of pic-
tures. Mr Lewis's with Sully to see S's copy of Mr West's
Mentor & Telemachus on the Island of Calypso, A very
fine copy of an exquisite original. I have a fresh remem-
brance of this picture as I saw it in Mr Wests rooms 25
years ago. Sully painted this & others, copys to repay
those who advanced him money to go to England, he was
so scanted that he could only stay 1 year & during that
time lived on bread potatoes & water. We waited dinner
for Cooper till i/o past 5. after dinner Wilcox & Ingersol
join us. Cooper arrives at V2 past 7, having broken down
448 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
& been delay'd.
past 10, Cooper was gone & Cooke in bed. Wilcox says
that in his ride with Cooke on Sunday they found at a
tavern a drunken <pedlar> umbrella maker who recog-
nized Cooke & told him of seeing him in England, they
embraced & C play'd his antics over & would have given
the fellow all his money — 105 doll^ but that W held out
his hand & received the money. Next day C did not re-
member it.
[April] 26th Luxury of the Warm bath. Cooke Cooper
& self breakfast at 9. All go to rehearsal, where parson
Abbercromby *^- attended in the stage box with Meredith
& Pennington. All dine together e i C C & self. Evening
I look at Theatre & find it very crowded.
[April] 27th Walk before breakfast. Meet Warren
Who says the house was upwards of 1500. Call on Cooper
walk with him. Find Cooke "How do you do, Sir?" *'0h
not at all well, feverish all night, didn't get to sleep till
after day light. Went to bed before 12 too. Ah tuesday
night will come & then see when I'll tread the boards
again — at least for some time. In London two nights a
week was enough at three I grumbled, four I would not
do. I complain'd of four nights awake to Mr Harris. I
said its too much Sir. Why yes, said he, its almost as
much as six at a race week in Country, there he had me.
but consider Sir what I get for the race week. I do & I
consider that what you get comes from here, if you hadn't
play'd here you would get nothing there." Cooper re-
quests me to write to Price that Cooke still talks of an
engagement to play in Boston the 14th May & to desire
Price to write to the Boston Managers on the subject &
assert his claim to Cookes services at that time. Cooke
& self dined alone. "I'll tell you what, Tom & 1 were not
very clear at rehearsal. I hope we shall not do as Kemble
& I once did in this play. We play'd a scene of the 3d Act
62 Rev. James Abercrombie, D.D., assistant minister of Christ and St.
Peter's Churches. Philadelphia Directory for 1811.
PHILADELPHIA, 1811 449
in the 2d. I was frighten'd out of my wits, we are wrong
says I — go on — says he — when we came off I cried ''Good
god do you know what we have done? we have play'd the
scene of the third act" "I know it" says John very cooly
"and what shall we do in the 3d Act?" "play the second."
We did so. And the best of the Joke the papers never
noticed it. After his pint of wine he went off to play
Stukely. He says Abercromby was at rehearsal again to
day. Call at the Theatre. The house appear'd about 1200.
Sunday Ap' 28'*" Walk to the Southward of the City
down the River. Dine with Wilcox present his sister
brother, C Ingersol, Cooper, Cooke, Wood. We had some
sprightly nay witty flashes & stories. Owen Owen — o,n,o,n,
— n,o,n,o, Cooke told me long since of his having intro-
duced the exploded lines in Falstaff (Merry Wives), of
remarking that it pop'd into his head <to tell> & he
could not resist the wish to repeat them, he tells the
story to day as being the effect of a wager or bet which
he gains by so doing. He left Wilcox's with me about 10
perfectly sober, sat down to read, eat a slight supper,
drank some wine & water & went to bed.
[April] 29th Walk. The old beau got up to breakfast.
Doctor Caldwell call'd to ask him to take leave of the
Audience. Cooke told him he should not play at New
York, that his next playing would be at Boston, 9 nights
to close their Theatre. Have a consultation with Cooper
as to the means of inducing old whimsey to change his
purpose. 'Tf he will not play at N. Y. — very well — there's
an end — but I'll be damn'd if he shall play in Boston."
He began a letter to Cooke proposing to him to play
4 n[igh]ts in N. Y. one of them for his benefit as before
but warranted to yield him 1000 & then to play till 10th
June at Baltimore & only to play henceforward 2 n[igh]ts
a week. I advised him to see Wilcox & get him to talk to
Cooke. When I came to dinner I found from Cooper that
he had had some talk on the business but while he is tell-
ing me Cooke came up. At Dinner Cooke mention'd that
450 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
he would go with Cooper in his carriage, in the morning
he was resolv'd that he would not. He abuses at dinner
time the House the servants &c in the most blackguard
style & eats scarcely any thing. Blast the meat & the
Cook. God eternally blow up &c &c. At supper this was
repeated, or rather while waiting for Cooper. I left him.
He has given a clear proof by his conduct since Wed^ y^
24 that he can command his desire for Wine or spirits &
restrain himself tho' even his belov'd port is before when
the motive is to him sufficient. To be able to play in his
best style by the side of Cooper he has abstain'd from
drunkenness, the fear of sickness is not sufficient, even
death he thinks he can put off because bleeding has re-
liev'd him so instantaineously. However it must be con-
fess'd that the bleeding & fright of Monday the 22d may
have operated somewhat to this time.
Tuesday Ap^ 30*^ I send to know if he breakfasts with
me. he returns answer that Cooper breakfasts with him
at 10. Now as Cooper sup'd with him I augur favour-
ably. Cooper breakfasted together. I left them. Mrs Levy
calFd me in. Mary Jackson came in. Cooper call'd on
Mrs Levy & when I was going made an appointment
with me "sur le pave" in Chesnut Street. I visited at
Mrs Meads, she reads to me her husbands account of the
late (1st March) battle near Cadiz. Meet Cooper he says
he began by convincing Cooke that his 10 months en-
gagement with him even if the voyages to & from Europe
were to be included left him till July in this Country &
engaged & that consequently his Boston engagement for
14th May was a nullity. This agreed to. Cooper began
to point out his plan of operations, first so many nights
New York, then to Baltimore "No! damn me if I go to
Baltimore. Curse me if I go to Baltimore. I'll be damn'd
if I go to Baltimore. I wont go to Baltimore" After letting
him go on till tired it was only to state, the am^ of salary
during the time, the am' of Benefits, the injury that
would occur if he dissapointed the people of Baltimore
&c & he yielded without difficulty, so all was settled.
NEW YORK CITY, 1811 451
Cooper is to drive him to New York Tandem & then baxik
here & on to Baltimore Tandem & all is as cosey as pos-
sible. At Dinner he talks to me of going to Baltimore with
all the sang froid imaginable. Evening Cooper's benefit,
Othello, in house 1292.
Wed'' [May 1] preparatory business to departure
Copy
''Mr Cooper's engagement
1811 Ap' 26^'^ Othello 1504.76
27'^ Gamester 1193...
29"^ Venice preser^ 1312. . .
4009.76
3N[igh]ts Expences @
390 1170...
y3 2839.76
946.58
Ap^ 30'^ Othello 1292.30
Deduct Expence 390. . .
902.30
Mr Cook 116...
1018.30
946.58
1964.88
F' Cooper 502.631/0
$1462.241/2
Rob' Pullen, May 1, 1811
Leave Phil^. Cooke goes with Cooper, arrive at Bruns-
wick 11 OClock night.
Thursday 2d May. Embark in Steam boat at 6 & arrive
at home Perth Amboy at 9 OClock.
I came up to N. Y. Monday the 6th May the night of
which Cooke was advertised for Richard & Cooper for
Richmond. Price told me he (Cooke) had been very
452 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
drunk last night & that he was afraid of him this morn-
ing. I caird on him about 12 OClock & found him drink-
ing Wine & intoxicated from the last night. He apolo-
gized for the early drinking & said he had eat Beef &
consider'd himself as having dined & would not eat or
drink until after the play. He rode with Cooper. I dined
at Prices & return'd to the Coffee house to Cooke before
5 found him drink^ & in fact drunk but good natur'd &
1 did not leave him till deposited in the dressing room
with Cooper. He got through the business without be-
traying himself to the Audience. He kept it up tuesday
6 tuesday night & Wed^ I went to look after him again
at 11 OClock he was in bed & in high spirits, appointed
2 to go & visit Mrs Price whom he had not seen since
he quitted the House. I reminded him of having Price
& Cooper to dine with him which he had forgotten. He
was much pleas'd with getting over the interview with
Mrs Price & we all dined together but could not control
his drinking & at i/4 past 5 he came drunk to the Theatre
Cooper frighten'd at the prospect of his destroying the
business and disgracing himself, he however recover'd &
play'd charmingly, in house 1578. on Monday 1374.
This strange animal when pleasantly gay ^\^ll take up a chain of
subjects, one always suggesting the other & go over them day after
day with a little variation without any apparent consciousness of
having told the listener the same thing again & again. Talk of a fire
that has consumed a house in N. Y. and he begins. "Was it not
very odd that Drury should be burnt so soon after Covent G°. I
was absent from London on both occasions. Incledon swears I had
a hand in both & kept away. I was at When Covent Garden
was burnt & I had just arrived at when the news of the
destruction of Drury Lane arrived. Wilkinson says to me — young
Wilkinson you know — Tates son — Have you heard any news from
London? No, I dont expect letters till tomorrow. Drury Lane is
burnt, my blood ran cold. Was it not very strange so soon after the
other. There's a mystery about it. I firmly believe they were both
set on fire on purpose — by whom I do not pretend to say. The
bookseller is firmly of that opinion, it was a noble thing of the
Duke of Northumberland, he lent John [Kemble] thousand pound
and what was most extraordinary, on the day that the comer stone
of the new House was laid he sent him the bond. For he was always
noted for closeness, you knew him — your Lord Percy at Lexington
NEW YORK CITY, 1812 453
— Col' of the oth red faced with [blank] His mother gave him a rub
once, she wrote to him to know why he did not draw upon her agent
for money, he answer'd that he did not want it — his pay was suffi-
cient. She replied that such oeconomy might be very commendable
in the CoP of a marching Reg* but was very unworthy the heir of
Northumberland. His officers play'd him a trick when he first
join'd his regiment. It is customary for the Col' to give a dinner to
all the Officers. He order'd one at [blank] a head. The officers told
the Landlord to provide at [blank] a head. His Lordship was sur-
prized to find every delicacy that the Country afforded, but when
the bill came he saw the trick, bit his lip & paid it. John deserves
his good fortune, he's a noble fellow. He says if he had been made
a priest he would have been a Cardinal. Yes, says I, a pope. And
thus he runs on and the same idea's produce each other at all times
without the smallest attention to his having before repeated them
to the same person again & again.
the bottle, that omnipotent leveller of distinctions as well as men
in 1811 (Aug*) the difference between Bank of Eng'' Notes and
Specie was as £414 to £317 of gold.
0, Sir, thats nothing — a London printer advertized a Lying in
Hospital for the Soldiers of the Life Guards only making the Trifling
omission of "the Wives of".
Nov'" 23'^ 1812. Cooper ask'd me for an additional verse
to my song of Yankee Chronology ^^ to be sung in my in-
terlude of ''Huzza for the Constitution" on the 2oth. I
write the following
'Twas the year eighty three twenty fifth of November
Saw the Armies of England to these shores bid adieu
Ye Men of Columbia with an honest pride remember
That the blessings then purchased 7iow depend upon
you.
63 Nine stanzas of "Yankee Chronology" were written by Dunlap for
the Fourth of July, 1812, and a tenth, with an introductory interlude,
was added in celebration of the victory of the frigate Constitution over
the British frigate Guerdere. These were printed by David LongAvorth
in December, 1812, in a sixteen-page pamphlet, called Yankee Chronol-
ogy; or, Huzza jor the Constitution, together with this additional stanza,
sung on November 25, 1812, the anniversaiy of the British evacuation
of New York City.
454 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
May the Sons of this City, each return of this day Sirs,
When Washington led home their brave sires by the
hand
On the Altar of Freedom swear for ever and aye Sirs
That a foreign foe shall never rest his foot on this Land.
Dined with Cooper for the purpose of taking down
memoranda of Cooke.**^ Waited upon Mrs Cooper ®^ to
her father's. Evening an hour at the Theatre.
[Nov.] 24''' Make out for Inskeep the title page of the
Memoirs of Cooke for advertising, Inskeep offers me for
the Work (and I accept) a sum from 4 to 500 dollars not
to be less than four.
Memoirs of the life of
George Frederick Cooke Esq'
late of the Theatre Royal Co vent Garden London.
Composed, from Manuscript journals &
notes written by himself and from other
authentick sources of information by
William Dunlap
For number of lines & words in Tate Wilkinsons pages
see p. 76. [From page 76 of the manuscript:] 35 lines
of 7 words makes 245 words to a page duodecimo. 290
such pages made a vol: of Tate Wilkinson
One written page of mine on letter paper make 27
lines of 10 words e i 270 words.
Nov"" 25*'' The usual military parade & rejoicing took
place to day. Our volunteers appear like soldiers in reality
such is the effect of the spirit created by the War.
64 George Frederick Cooke died in New York City, September 26,
1812, and was buried in St. Paul's churchyard, where Edmund Kean, in
1821, erected a monument to his memory. N. Y. Evening Post, Sept. 27,
1812 ; Dunlap's Memoirs of the Life of Cooke, II, 383 ff.
65 Mrs. Thomas Abthorpe Cooper (Mary Fairlie) was the eldest
daughter of James FairUe (1757-1830) and of Maria (Yates) Fairlie. She
married the actor, June 13, 1812. J. N. Ireland, A Memoir of the Pro-
fessional Life of Thomas Abthorpe Cooper {Dunlap Society Publica-
tions, no. 5, N. Y. 1888) ; The N. Y. Weekly Museum, June 20, 1812;
John Schuyler, Institution of the Society of the Cincinnati . . with ex-
tracts . . from the Transactions of the N. Y. State Society. (N. Y. 1886),
pp. 199-201.
MRS. THOMAS ABTHORPK Coi )PER (MARY FAIHLII.)
By William Dixlai'
<P>(mi tlio follrclinn of Tlir ('lc\ rlan.l Musruiu ol Art. CK-\claii<l.
Clii
gift of J. H. \V:,.l.)
NEW YORK CITY, 1812 455
[Nov.] 27"" Paint & write on Cookes memoirs. Since
I moved my family to town I have begun but two por-
traits, now nearly a month.
When mentioning the Fire at Richmond, notice the attacks of the
time on the Theatre. Millers &c. refutation.
When Cooke in his cups used to rail at American Managers &
Theatres & Actors he used to exclaim: I'm preparing a i)amphlet,
when I get to London 111 blow up your Managers and your
Theatres & your actors and your bhisted Country. I can hold a pen.
I scourge your damn'd yankee manners &c" We were safe enough
from Cookes abuse because of his indolence, otherwise he might
have added to the Ust of Dunces who have visited us and thought
to make themselves acceptable at home by abusing a Country that
all Europe envies and that England hates Europe envies the New
World a prosperity and freedom which its age & vices renders it in-
capable of rivalling and in addition to the motives common with
all Europe, the envy of England is turned against the vigorous
younger brother who prosperously resisted an elder brothers tyranny
and wresting the rod from his hand with which he threaten'd chas-
tisement, bestow'd <it on himself > the lashes on the threatener.
The list of Dunces who have made themselves ridiculous by or
contemptible by the weak or malignant falshoods publish'd as de-
scriptive of those whose hospitaUty they receiv'd and abused while
in the Western hemisphere may with propriety be here given.
George Frederick even if he could have had virtue enough to work,
I think was not vicious enough to have added to the contemptible
list.
Here the names
part of Garricks prologue to Shirley's excellent Comedy of the
Gamester which he revived, is with a little alteration so much in
point that I must insert it.
When ever Englishmen take pen in h[an]d
To give a sketch of you and this our Land,
One settled maxim through the whole you see
To wit — Their great superiority!
Urge what you will they obstinately say
That you ape them — and are less wise than they:
Tis thus these well bred Journal writers use us
They trip o'er here with half an eye peruse us
Eat with us, drink our wine, and then abuse us.
C [illegible] feasted flatter 'd & lampoon'd
perhaps that account of America in Quarterly review a good note
456 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Nov'' 29'^ 1812. I yesterday [gave] D Longworth my
Interlude & Song of Yankee chronology to publish. Paint
on Mrs Price's picture. Cooke appears to have been ab-
sent from London the season of 1807-8. M[onthly]
M[irror] Vol 3 Dec'" 19'^ 1807. Kemble play'd lago in
consequence of Cookes absence first time, preference
given to Cooke and his absence lamented, page 51 to 53.
Cooke said to be in Appleby Gaol, p: 60. Cooke is said
to have been liberated by Rock & playing at Glasgow. In
his journal he says he played at Glasgow Dec"" 30''' 1807.
1st Vol M[onthly] M[irror] 0[ld] S[eries] 1795. "They
lament the absence of the excellent and unfortunate
Cooke. Same Vol 373 congratulates the public on his re-
turn to Manchester. "His irregularities while in Dublin
&c. M M Vol. 2, 1796. p. 507. Married Mr Cooke to Miss
Daniels, both of the Chester Theatre.
DeC" 6'^ [1812] Murphy's pages, Life of Garrick are 19
lines of 8 words that
19
8
152 words & from 4 to 16 such
pages make a chapter.
[Dec] 7''' Receive the glorious acc^ of another Naval
victory gain"* by our gallant tars. Decatur in the United
States has bro* in the English frigate Macedonian having
taken her in <17 minutes> after a cannonading of 191/^
hours. Afternoon w'' Cooper writing of Cooke.
[Dec] 8'^ By request for the Theatre a Song called
American Tars.^^
<Sound aloud the trump of Fame
Again repeat each Hero's name!
Whose manly breasts by wrongs arov^'d
Their injur' d countrie's came espous'd>
66 Printed with the title "Yankee Tars" at the end of Dunlap's Yankee
Chronology ; or, Huzza for the Constitution (N. Y., Dec. 1812, pp. 16).
A printed note states that it was sung by Mr. Yates at the New York
Theatre, December 10, 1812.
NEW YORK CITY, 1812 457
When nature kind goddess first shap'd this <round> big baU
In fanciful mood <sh€ flooded the Earth> good and iU she be-
stow'd
Assured that she never could satisfy all
<Her ovon fav'rite clime she with blessings>
She one favourite Land with all blessings endow'd
2d
She call'd it Columbia and swore before Jove
That the rest of the world <should but labour for that> for this
Country should toil
Thro' Asia & Afric & Europe her love
<And collect > Sought for us choicest gifts from each clime & each
soil
3d
<She made m the>
<But chiefly from Europe she graced us with good
As the refuge for Liberty, science and laws,
As the Country of arts and the [blank] of arms
Then as surety for Truth Justice & Liberty's cause
She planted our bosoms ivith true Yankee hearts. >
Our Country she made the Assylum of laws
The home of <proud> fair liberty science and Arts,
Then as surety, for <injured> Truth & Humanity's cause
She planted our bosoms with true yankee hearts.
4th
She then <thus address' d> with these words made the Welken to
ring
You have now every blessing that I can bestow
Tis yours to preserve and a Navy's the thmg
That <shall> your rights shall <preserve> protect from each
insolent foe.
[5th]
She said & twas done. Then the Barbary shore
Saw such daring as rival'd Antiquity's <fame> name.
But the war for the rights of our Tars <on the sea> gives once
more
<Gives> To our Tars <to renoum> a fair field to outdo ancient
fame!
6th
<When Britain the prince first of her frigates sent out
And threaten'd a beating to all Yankee boys
On her mainsail the gueriere all proudly appear'd>
<.her name seemed the breezes to flout
458 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
& with challenger words (fec> <ioccasiorwl noise>
See the Cruisers of Britain with threatening air
Sweep the seas & defy us with thundering noise!
The Gueriere <m letters all painted> her name on her mainsail
so fair
<Threote> Cries death <& destrvction> or submission to all yan-
kee boys.
7th
But <the brave> <gaUant> bold Captain Hull and his
<brave> < gallant > bold yankee tars
<Show'd his> Prov'd her masts were all <damaged> heartless
and heartless her men
And the Gueriere soon <saw the end of her> bad farewell to all
wars,
Justice triumph'd & justice will triumph again!
8th
Next <came> brave captain Jones <m> met the frolic one day
And her masts too prov'd weak & <her men were all sick> too
weak were her men
<At least so it seem'd for she yielded the fray'>
At least very soon men & masts shot away
<seamen a chill pretty quick>
<And our shot> Valour triumph'd and valour shall triumph again
prov'd that Yankee must triumph &c.
9th
The Hero of Tripoli next met the foe
And twas just the same story told over again
Of fighting they scarcely could make out a show
When <her> their masts were all gone, kill'd or wounded her
men!
10th
Tis thus <our brave> Yankee tars shall th' Country protect
And the rights of the seas on a sure basis place
The vauntings & threatenings of Britain be check'd
<While> And a Navy & Commerce <our Country > Columbia
shall grace
Dec^ 9'^ [1812] W W Woolsey arrived last evening &
takes his home with us. The weather is almost summer.
We look for Decaturs Prize the frigate Macedonian to
day. I was much pleas'd yesterday with the hearty joy
express'd by many at this succession of proofs that our
Navy is so eflficient as to individual officers & ships. 0
NEW YORK CITY, 1812-1813 459
Woolcot was as ever heartily a rejoicer, but alas there
are many of our citizens who had rather the triumph
had been with the enemy!
[Dec] 10th Inskeep gave me the follow*^ saying he had
been making a calculation about the book
2 VoP 600 pages print^ $300
60 Reams paper @ 5 300
bind« 2000 Vols 25 cts. 500
1100
Engraving 50
$1150
1000 Copies @ 2 2000
1150
$850
from this I infer that he does not <conclude> think that
any bargain is concluded between us.
Dec'' 2P* I had some days ago an explanation with
Inskeep & find that he did not consider himself as at
all bound to me & that he would not even give me $200
for the work.
Jan^ P' 1813. The weather mild. The wind long at
West changed yesterday & this morning the United
States & her prize the Macedonian through Helle Gat &
safe into Harbour. I dined a few days ago at Mr 0. Wol-
cots in company with Hull & Decatur but had not an
oppertunity of conversation with either.
[Jan.] 5*'' Cookes life. Millers sermon — pure adoration,
not prayer, adoration which lifts the heart in thankful-
ness to its incomprehensible creator & sinks it in humble
submission to his will. I call'd on David Longworth and
talked over the business of publishing the life of Cooke,
having before mention'd it to his son Thomas. He offered
460 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
me three hundred dollars and if highly successfull another
hundred. I promised him an answer in 48 hours.
[Jan.] 6*^ Call at Inskeep's & found him return'd from
PhiP after some conversation respecting the book he
offer'd me as his ultimatum two hundred dollars. Both
Longworth & Inskeep exclude themselves from any right
to interfere in my publication of the same in England.
Dine at Mrs Bradley's by invita[tion] of Mr Roe, my
son with me: he return'd home from Genesseo the last
day of the last year and is assisting me by copying Cookes
life for England. I was [with] Cooper yesterday and he
is to write to Marshal & engage him to publish the work
in London on a sharing scheme in regard to profit.
Jan^ 8*^ 1813. This is the first severely cold day we
have had this winter & it is not unpleasant. Send a letter
to James Marshall, No. 3 Southampton Street, Cambden
Town near London with an introductory line from
Cooper, and mention my wishes respecting the publica-
tion of Cooke's life in England. Made the following bar-
gain with David Longworth. He is to give me for the first
edition of Cookes life not exceeding 2000 copies, $300.
I am not to publish a second ed" until his first is disposed
of & am then to give him the refusal in making a bargain
for such publication.
"As my admiration of the german dramatists was not influenced
by the enghsh writers my opinions have been unchanged by them:
and as I never appreciated these saxon bards higher than the old
English play writers, I feel no inclination to join with the hue &
cry against them & deprecate them to a level with the modern
drama manufacturers of <England> Britain. I can proudly say
that I translated for my Theatre the german dramatists as prefer-
able to the modem english play makers but neve[r] in preference or
to the exclusion of the old english dramatic writers or of the better
specimens of the talents of Cumberland, Holcroft & the Colmans
or of any production of R B Sheridan.
Jan^ 11'" Write to Warren and S Powel for information
relative to Cooke:
NEW YORK CITY, 1813 461
"One of the most extraordinary traits in the character of this
extraordinary man is <his> that ability which he posde^sed of
seizing the perfect image of the <character> person he would
represent and identifying it with his own feelmgs so as to express
every emotion designed by the author as if that emotion was his
own. And all this as if by intuition for nobody knew of his studying
except in that hasty & desultory manner which his journal at times
indicates. But his perception was uncommonly quick & his earlier
observations on men & passions must have been uncommonly accu-
rate. I have before observed that in seeing actors their faults were
lessons to him & suggested by a representation of the <wrong>
false what the true must be. His perception of the natural & his
power of seperatmg it from the artificial must have been originally
very great. And as <an> a friend, highly distinguished in our
literary world most ingeniously remarked to me, Cooke when he
improved his own playing by what he had seen excellent in other
players did not unitate those players but only seized what he saw
natural in them and made it his own m his own manner.
Had a pleasant interview with Washington Irving this
morning preparatory to writing a letter to Peter which I
now do.
Jan'' l^^'^ Our first Snow Storm. I yesterday received a
note from J. H Payne & went to see him. He is going to
England in the Cartel ab* sailing. 2000 d" have been ad-
vanced by friends to carry him thither, as his passport
expresses it "for histrionic purposes and literary pursuits
connected therewith." He has a plan for publishing a
book on the manners Society literature Drama &c of
America.
[Jan.] 17''' Mild & beautiful weather. Wrote yesterday
a second note to P. Irving, stating the size & materials
of my book & pressing an immediate bargain for it.
23"^ January. Still spring like weather. Receive a noti-
fication that I am elected an honorary member of our
Academy of Arts. Ride to Greenwich to see Mrs Cooke,
she was in town.
462 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Sunday 24'^ Jan^ 1813. Rain. Warm. For Cookes re-
lease from Appleby see Cabinet Vol. 3d p: 110. Cooke &
Young. Cookes benefit, Edinburgh. D° London, p: 426.
Kent p: 428.
[Jan.] 25^'' Sent first sheet of Cooke's life to the press.
Wrote to Twaits. Weather rainy & warm. Price gives me
anecdotes, at Simpson's lodgings where I accidentally
met him, of Cooke.
[Jan.] 26'*" Snow storm. Write Longworth a memoran-
dum of our agreement.
Charles Inciedon dress'd in the room with me, but as I
<could7it> cant sing & he cant act we didn't interfere in our
dressing. If he <play'd> went on for any thing the same night I
play'd it was after I had done or if he was in any of the Smg song
things of first pieces I had nothing to do at all. Cooke desired that
a ring which he had from C[harles] Kemble might be sent to him
& Mrs Cooke gave it to Mr Price for that purpose. Mrs Cooke has
sent the marked book of The Man of the World to Mr [John
Phihp] Kemble.
Cook's Mother & Aunts. The Miss Renton Daughters of the
Laird of Renton liv'd at Lamberton. The Aunts were his mother's
sisters with whom he lived.
Horatius Drunk 1808.
Return'd from Phil" 1st time May 1811. Play'd in N. Y. Went with
Cooper to Baltimore play*"' till 10 June. N. Y. 3 N'" 4*" July Rock-
away, ret" N. Y. went to Albany (sat out) Saturday by steam boat,
drunk & quarrelsome. 1 Week at Albany & 3 at Greenbush. To
Ballston for 2 days & then to Saratogo and Lake George. At this
time Doige was at Albany & Cooke relieved him by employing a
physician for him and giving him money. New York in Fall 1811,
Sep' 2*
Fourth July 1811 at Rockaway at Tylers.
At what time married.*^
Up to Albany, Green bush, used to cross over & get in scrapes
To Lake George Ballston
Goes to Boston Nov' 1811 [sic for Philadelphia]
Came back in dec' to take his baggage & go to E. Returning from
6^ Cooke married Mrs. V. M. Behn, daughter of James Bryden, keeper
of the Tontine Coffee House, New York City, in New York, on Thurs-
day evening, June 20, 1811. [N. Y.] Commercial Advertiser, June 24,
1811.
NEW YORK CITY, 1813 463
Lake George he staid a week drunk at Albany beyond the time
intended.
5'" July 1812 sat off for Providence by Water was from Sunday
to Wed" After one frolic play'd 9 N" regularly [Snelling] Powel[l]
& [James] Dick[enson's] Man [age] rs business good often 150 D'
shared half & had a clear ben' began on Monday play'd 9 nights 3
times a Week & then to Boston for 3 days; Before he left N Y the
dropsical symptoms had encreased and they continued 8 Weeks in
bed eating & drinking but w* not get up. When he got up to have his
bed made complained of giddiness but sometimes would get up & sit
up part of the night.
Allison Renton
To Holland w" an Uncle a brother of his mother.
Sent his love to Harris, C Kemble & M Brandon on his death bed
In September (early) returned to N. Y. and died.
26th S1400
Used to be cross to Powell & Dickenson & curse them to their
faces.
MoU I'm shot, but Cooper is down, always believed that he was
touch'd by the ball & they dared not undeceive him.
I wont fall to night. I'll give it to Simpson & they would have to
throw him down (in Richard)
After coming from Boston agrees to play but will not. goes to bed
& will not get up & orders the doors lock'd. Price bursts the door.
"What do you mean Sir &c. Cooper comes all in vain, he will not
play or get up.
Appleby. Westmorel** Marquis of Lansdown's tenant Sign of the
Weathercock, [illegible] in his Lordships [illegible] This is the old
Weathercock.
Foote & my Lords cape wine. Very old. small glasses — you dont
drink. I am thinking my Lord how very little it is considering its
great age.
Cooke 29"" Sep' 1806. Richard allusion to misconduct of last sea-
son, play left unsupported. "Is this tragedy so miserably attended to
in the cast because Mr Cooke plays Richard? W^ell be it so. The
Kings name is a tower of strength which they upon the adverse fac-
tion want."
Jan'' 30'^ 1813 Cold & clear with about 6 inches of snow
on the ground which [fell] on the night of y^ 28'^
Cooke invited to a pleasure party in a sail boat dechnes — he
<dont> has an antipathy to Water.
When his dropsy was confirmed. "How the devil doctor should I
come by this Water — I never drank any.
464 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
"Titty, Tiffin,
Keep it Stiff in;
Fire drake Puckey,
Make it luckey;
Liard, Robin,
You must bobin."
Drury Lane was built 1662: destroyed by fire 1672: Rebuilt 1674:
pulled do^Ti 1791. rebuilt 1794: Burnt down 25 "^ Feb'' 1809.
Covent Garden built 1733 enlarged 1792: Burnt 1808.
20*'' of June married by Barry, Bryden not knowing it.
Second visit to Boston he was attended by Powell. They had a
terrible Snow Storm & put into New London. Powell goes on to
Boston & advertises him. Cooke stays and Powell has to come back
for him,
Feb^ 2^ 1813. Walk to Greenwich to see Mrs Cook and
bring home with me (or rather send by Stage) a trunk of
his books, get more Manuscript.
[Feb.] 3*^ Walk again to Greenwich look over Mr
Cookes letters & select a bundle & bring home. Get more
Manuscript.
[Feb.] 4"" A Thaw. Cooke's Dream. He asleep & drunk.
The Characters passing in review, some inviting him &
pointing with fear to Kemble, others prefering Kemble.
Sign of Washington, you could not do it worse. Cookes
laugh know^ me to be an Artist.
Feb^ 9*'' "Estimate of the expence of printing a monthly
publication of 64 pages in the form of the London Mirror.
Calculation for one number, by Mr [David] Carlisle.
Printing 1000 copies including covers for d" . . 70. . .
9y3 Rms paper @ 5.50 51.13
paper for covers say 2. . .
Folding & Stitching 1000 6. . .
$129.13
plate & printing 30.87
Extra's 10.
$170...
NEW YORK CITY, 1813 465
500 Subscribers @ 50 cts each number 250. . .
200 Subscribers obtained by Longrvorth, at 50
p^C 50...
100 Copies sold D° 25.. .
325...
deduct 170.
Gain per Month $155.. .
and 200 Copies unsold.
If I lose by bad debts 55 dollars I still make 100 per
Month.
Feb^' 10'" Had proposals printed for the work whose
expence is estimated on the last page. To be called the
Monthly Recorder.®^
[Feb.] 13'" According to agreement made with D[avid]
Longworth this day, he is to publish the Monthly re-
corder & to obtain subscribers & sell the work for 33>^
on his receits. He to obtain subscribers & deliver copies
& collect money at his expence.
printing &c 129.13
plates & printing 35.87
Distributing & collecting 10. . .
175...
500 subscribers 250
200 D° D. L. @ Vi off 66
100 sold @ ^ off 33
349...
174...
Deduct bad debts 50. . .
per month $124...
88 Five numbers of The Monthly Recorder were published, April
through August, 1813. They were re-issued, with a title page reading: A
Record Literary and Political, of five months in the year 1813, Bj-)
William Dunlap and others. New York, printed for the Proprietor, by
David Carlisle.
466 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
[Feb.] 14*^^ Write Doctor Irving.
Cooke I observe that you always claim your part ia Shakespere.
What part has an American in Shakespere
D. If a descendant from Englishmen, the same as an Englishman.
I have as full participation in old EngUsh glory as you. Shakespere
& Milton, Locke Bacon & Newton, the Harry's, Edwards, the
Marlsboroughs &c &c were the contemporarys of my ancestors as of
yours, and all the glow which animates an Englishman on hearing
those names is mine as well as his.
C. So, so, so, & when do you make the line of separation.
D. The year 1776. I have no participation in Britain since then.
Yet still her language, her monuments, her best fame is the fame of
my forefathers. Of what has past since 1776 I may admire but I do
not envy. I am content with the happiness of my Country.
Feb^ 15"^ Deliver this day to Thos. W. Moore to be
deliver'd to Mr Baker if Mr Baker will promise to deliver
the same to Peter Irving & Co at Liverpool, or Geo: M:
Woolsey, a Bundle containing the 1st Vol: of "Memoirs
of the Life of George Frederick Cooke, late of the The-
atre Royal Covent Garden. By William Dunlap. Com-
posed, principally, from Journals and other Authentic
documents left by Mr Cooke, and the personal knowledge
of the Writer." consisting of 287 written pages exclusive
of preface. A Miniature of Cooke & 2 letters 1 to P. Irving
the other to G M Woolsey. Not deliver'd.
Drury Lane 20^^ Sep^ 1747
When Learnings triumph
Each change
Existence saw
His powerful
[Feb.] 17*^ "When learnings Triumph o'er her bar-
barous foes first rear'd the stage.
Doctor Johnson thought that to rear the stage was a triumph over
barbarism. The invention of a new mode by which to communicate
knowledge to men, he thought, was a triumph gain'd by learning
over Ignorance. And he thought justly. Doctor S. Johnson was a
moral man, a religious man, a learned man & a wise man. He saw in
NEW YORK CITY, 1813 467
the stage the second great engine by which mankind were to be
instructed, the third followed in the regular i)rogress of human
improvement and secured the triumph of learning, the press was the
completion of the triumph of learning and the security. But for the
press, the "triumph of learning over her barbarous foes" would
have been vain, and the Stage ere this with Music, Statuary, paint-
ing & poetry would have been swept from the earth by Ascetick
fanaticism or barbarian ignorance.
How deplorable the state of a man who knows his weakness yet
deliberately rushes on to crime. Makes preparation to guard against
part of the evil instead of refraining from the cause of the whole.
C <would> put his money out of his power by way of preventing
himself from robbing himself when in a state ubriation. Then go
and produce the madness & endeavour to undo the caution he had
taken. In 1S09 on his arrival at Liverpool he gave his money in
charge to the lady who kept the board^' house at which he staid,
charging her not to give him any if he demanded it when drunk.
This making provision for vice is absolutely more abominable than
any degree of accidental crime. The wretched man thinks he may
now safely proceed to the filthy stye because he has secured his
money, & health & reputation are deliberately put out of the
account. So in this instance C goes to hLs old haunt — some Kearney's
— and <late> at night comes to his lodgings & demands 50 g'.
the Lady refuses — he entreats & threatens & then goes off & pro-
cures a warrant & police officers & returns to demand the money
it was stUl refused & the doors shut on him. The next day he came
back in all the shame of fruitless repentance, beg'd pardon & re-
turn'd thanks to the lady of the house.
Feb^ 19"" 1813. I am this day Forty seven years of age
and enter upon my forty eight year,
[Feb.] 20'" Another naval victory ®^ having been ob-
tained I have another application for a verse in addition
to my "Yankee Chronology" for the Theatre. I gave
the following
After Hulls verse
In October the Wasp met the Frolic one day Sirs
And her masts too prov'd weak and too weak proved
her men
At least masts & men very soon shot away Sirs
Proved to Justice & Jones a fair triumph again.
*9 The U. S. frigate Constitution, Captain William Bainbridge, cap-
tured the British frigate Java, December 29, 1812.
468 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
The hero of Tripoli next met the foe Sirs
And, tis still the same story told over again,
Of Battle they scarce can make one hour's show Sirs
When Decatur rode Lord o'er the lords of the main.
Then Huz*
See our tried constitution, Sirs, again in December,
Sustaining the rights of mankind on the Sea,
When Bainbridge gave Britain, Sirs, a cause to remember.
That sailors fight best when they fight to be free !
See the Java so proud full of brave British hearts, Sirs,
All fierce to contend for the garland of fame.
And in vain! See our thunder, how it rends & disparts
her!
And the wreathe is entwined with brave Bainbridge's
name!
Then Huzza!
Wealth and luxury abound in our country and in no part of it
more than in this great commercial city. Taste does not go hand in
hand \\dth them, but ostentatious luxur}^ is little less than ridicu-
lous without taste. A great house may be procured by the possessor
of wealth which shall be if he does not interfere too much with his
Architect free from ridiculous misproportions or monstrous orna-
ments, household furniture may be procured which shall be of the
newest patterns from France or England and ostentatiously display
at first view the costliness of their fashion & material, but after all
this when you look for those indications of true taste which combine
instruction with delight & approach the splendid frame in hopes of
seeing an effort of art worthy of the ostensible wealth of the Host,
you find a Chinese copy of an european colour'd print or some
tawdry mishapen pieces of needle work figures with daubed faces
or the awkward copies which Miss made from her drawing Mas-
ter's models while at boarding school.
March 1st 1813. In summing up remember Cookes
orthoepe-acting manner of studying marked parts — in-
tended play.
[March] 5'^ Breakfast with [Dr. David] Hosack and
he engages a letter for my life of Cooke — description of
his decease & death & anecdotes communicated to Dr
[John W.] Francis by Cooke on his death bed.
NEW YORK CITY, 1813 469
[March] 10'" [James] Eastburn's reading room: be-
came a subscriber on the 5'". He promises to forward my
Recorder. Mr O Wolcot says that Capt° Hull asserts that
there were (I think) 30 American seamen on board the
first 2 English frigates taken. When Capf". [James R.]
D'Acres came on board the Constitution H asked him
"are there any Americans on board?" D'A. said yes &
set down & wrote the names of 12 from memory (of
course known to be Americans) 17 were found on board —
12 acknowledged & immediately set free & 5 set free by
Habeas Corpus on their arrival at Boston. 1 was killed
in the action, only one went below.
March 28^" See 'The War" for Jan^ 26"^ for Naval
Estimates.
[March] 29'" Story of Kemble & D'Egville pantomime
Robinson Crusoe. Poll, Poll
Ap^ 5'^ On the 27'" Mar: Gov^ [Simon] Snyder laid
before the Legislature of Pennsylvania a letter, dated at
Harrisburg Mar : 25'" from Gen' Arthur Sinclair, express-
ing his thanks for the unsolicited aid given to him by a
grant &c Nat : Int : Mar 23*^ Verses.
To strive against bad education's in vain
See the lufs how he's got at his old tricks again!
If I didn't see, would I believe that he took it,
See ! See ! how the luf swims away with the bucket.
Mar: 3P' the English landed on Barnegat & killed &
carried off a number of Cattle.
Ap^ 3*^ 2 English Frigates showed themselves in Boston
Bay. Gov^ Shelby. Mar: 16'" 1500 men, and Gen' Clay for
Chillecothe.
Wm Newton aged 73
New York Gaz 3*' Ap' Fort. S. Hook
Ap' 10'" I Gave to Capt" Brown of the ship Braganza
for Lisbon a packet containing the whole of the proof
sheets of "Cookes Life" and he is to send the packet by
470 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
the best oppertunity to P Irving or to G M Woolsey,
Liverpool. I wrote directing, as before immediate publi-
cation. One week ago I sent a similar packet by the Ohio,
favour'd by Mrs [blank], And three weeks ago I sent by
Mr Guest a passenger in the Pacific the compleate Manu-
script with letters & to the same gentlemen.
May 7'^ [1813] Yesterday the first number of the
Monthly recorder made its appearance. This first number
will cost me
Postage
1.121/2
Paper
: 60...
D° Covers
4...
Folding & stitching
6...
Plate & printing
30.871/2
Printing 1200
75
Proposals, advertisem''
distributing &c 25
202
16
1200)20200
1200
8200
7200
seventeen pence each number
1000
Ferguson
W[illiam] C. Rhinelander
T[homas] Hammersly
Ph: Rhinelander
Dr [William] Hammersly
John G Leake
Batten
John M D Lawrence
Roger Strong
Nathan^ McVickar
John Broome
Archib*^ Bruce
Clement Moore
Thos M Harvey
W[illiam] P. Van Ness
Edm*^ Pendleton jun'
Dr Mitchill
Wm Van Ness
B[enjamin] W Rogers
Walter Willis
■f. ^
DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
October 15, 1819— April 28, 1820
Norfolk, Virginia
(Manuscript volume lettered Memoirs 24 owned by
The New York Historical Society)
MEMOIRS 24
New York Friday Ocf 15th 1819. Steam boat, on my
way to seek business as a painter, first at Burlington
N. J. then westward as circumstances direct. I have left
$400 with my family, I have $150 in my pocket. Arrive
at Trenton 10 OClock & next morning ride 3 Miles down
the river to Steam Boat, Capt° Jenkins formerly of the
Raritan. Land at Bristol & call on [Thomas Abthorpe]
Cooper who is at New York making an engagement. Go
over to Burlington and call on Bloomfield. No prospect
of business. Ellis B has brought from Spain a collection
of pictures, which as his uncle says cost him the price
of a Farm, and I say are worth nothing. Dine with Mrs
Cooper and go down to Philadelphia
Sunday [Oct.] 17th See Sully, he advises me to go to
Norfolk & thence to Richmond for Miniature painting
at the last place. Remove my baggage to Sully's.
[Oct.] 18th Take the Steam boat for Bristol to see
Cooper for information respecting the south & for letters.
Sully has not had a portrait to paint for Phil: since May
last & but four for Strangers, he is painting Washington
crossing the Delaware, for Exhibition — a fine Composi-
tion. In conjunction with [James] Earl[e] he has erected
a Gallery & they Exhibit some good pictures but with
out success as to profit. Leslie's Death of Rutland, bold,
broad, fine. Horse & Snake. Landscapes by Shaw, good,
colouring like Loutherburg. A small Landscape by Gains-
borough beautiful & bold. [Charles B.] King is at Wash-
mgton he will show me some machines for preserving
Colours when ground. I called on Warren yesterday, who
is always the same good natured, fat, friendly creature,
he has 4 or five children by his last wife — politely invites
473
474 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
me to the Theatre & greenroom. They have played 12
nights to some profit. I understand that it is to Newcastle
40 miles, by land to h*^ of Elk 18, by water to Baltimore.
Arrive at Bristol & find that Cooper had gone to Phila-
delphia. Walk to the Shamony & returning to Dinner,
find Cooper landing from Steam Boat and return to his
house with him — pass the day & follow^ night. He gives
me letters to [blank] in Fayetteville, Newburn, Wilming-
ton, Raleigh.
To ask S respecting Mr S's push I did so, and he said
he began the business unknown to Trumbul, but soon
told all & T appeared pleased to instruct him.
Oct' 19th 1819. Bristol. C. tells me that Price is losing
money every night the Theatre opens. C. is to play in
N. Y. Boston & Phil^ & goes south 27th of Dec^ Expects
Keene ^^ will come out. See 2 young Scotch Women,
Misses [Wright] the eldest (24) the Author of Altdorf
play'd at N. Y. last year, now to be play'd in Phil^. C. to
play Altorf. He reads the plays to me & I find much to
praise.
Morse is the Oil painter of Charleston, Eraser the
Miniature. Make preparations for Norfolk. See Mr Wests
picture of Christ healing. ^^ At my entrance I was dis-
apointed, the effect was not as great as I had anticipated.
The figure of Christ positively had no grace, no expres-
sion. The hand very fine. Composition improved as I
look'd on, but the principal figure if Christ can be called
the principal, remained bad. St. John had on [illegible]
The priests too black, otherwise well expressed, perspec-
tive bad, [illegible] men pasteboard, principal groups fine
beyond any praise, paralitic woman & attendants good,
kneeling figure good. Maniac fine & his father Exquisite.
Two females his sisters perhaps as fine as possible. Female
70 Edmund Kean did not appear in New York until November, 1820.
''I For a description and reproduction of Benjamin West's painting of
"Christ healing the sick in the Temple", and an account of its presenta-
tion to, and exhibition by, the Pennsylvania Hospital, in Philadelphia,
see pp. 305-321 of Morton and Woodbury's History of the Pennsylvania
Hospital (Philadelphia, 1895).
NEW YORK TO NORFOLK, 1819 475
head near the paralytic beautiful, in the extreme. Old &
Young Woman on the left very fine. Infant perhaps good
but not to my taste. Blind man & boy leading perfect
nature & feeling. Blind girl & group fine. I am much diss-
apointed with all the distance as Candlstick &c.
Oct"" 20th Write to my Wife, prepare to depart. Visit
the [Pennsylvania] Academy [of Fine Arts] & am as-
tonished by the strength & beauty of Alstons picture. "^
Rayberg's is good. Frasers miniature of Cooper, flatt &
hard but good mechanical touch. See Trott who is about
starting for Savanah & Charleston, he is starving in PhiP.
Call at S. Levy's & see Mrs P. of Amboy. Get on board
Steam boat for Newcastle before 12 OClock. The
grandour of Alstons picture, the force, the nature, the
colouring, the expression is fine, very fine; it is surely
beyond Mr West's Christ Healing — it is highly finished
in every part but the touch is woolly. The faces have a
certain angularity, is it hardness? West's faces are better,
except the Christ which is good for nothing.
Go by Steam boat to Newcastle, cross the land by Stage
to French town & embark in another Steam boat about
9 OClock about 50 passengers.
21st Ocf 1819 between 4 & 5 in the morning arrive at
Baltimore. I meet Mr Lawrence formerly of N. Y. whose
miniature I once painted, he now resides in Augusta. A
French physician De Norris, with 2 mulatoe Children, one
a young woman, whom he says he had educated with all
the accomplishments of a Lady in France, having sent
her to his mother. He is going to settle in Fayetteville,
but last night had nearly departed for another Country.
As the steam boat past another vessel, her boom sweep-
ing over deck the rope hanging below it, caught the Doc-
tor under the chin & lifted him up in the air, he caught a
raihng of the St"" B' which gave way, & he fell with it on
the Deck, he escaped unhurt. We left Baltimore about
7 & at the Fort were received on board the steam b'
^2 "Dead Man Revived by Elisha'e Bones".
476 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Virginia for Norfolk, a very large Vessel. We stop'd an
hour at Anapolis, & I visited the Town State house &
mounted the Balcony of the Cupola from which the view
is fine & extensive, at 1 OClock we proceeded down Chesa-
peake Bay and at 7 in the morn^
Ocf 22d we arrived at Norfolk, 210 miles in 24 one
hour of which we stop'd at Anapolis & half an hour at
the Fort where the physician visited us in consequence of
the late Yellow Fever at Baltimore. I walked to Gosport
(the Navy Yard) to Thos. R. Swift's house (Capt'' Swift
& deliver'd a letter from Cooper, of introduction, to him
at Portsmouth where I found him attending at the Court
house as a Grand juror. My new acquaintance Docf De
Norris before parting this morning showed me a Jewish
Shekle. I see H[ugh] Reinagle at Mr [John] Crawley's:
Walk in the afternoon with E[lijah] Brown of Phil^.
[Oct.] 23d Write to my Wife and to Gilfert. Speak to
the keeper of the Hotel [Matthew Glenn] respecting my
plans & show him & family my miniatures. He soon after
came into my room with a Miniature set in gold which he
said the owner had left with him for a debt 10 years ago
& asked if I could make a portrait of some one of his
family to suit the setting. "Yes" "How much" "Twenty
dollars" Agreed & thus I have something to do. Com-
mence on Monday. Walk. Call to see Crawly. Coming to
Hotel find Fred'' Lewis, who has been stationed here this
three years at Old Point Comfort where the U. S. are now
erecting great fortifications. I have heard the cost esti-
mated at some millions. I find that Thos. R. Swift Esq.
is Capt'' of Marines, from Philadelphia, a bon vivant &
generally liked. I find a volume of Rousseau's Confes-
sions, in french, Promenades, & find amusement in them.
I see little to indicate a change of climate except the tree
called Pride of China growing in the streets as an orna-
mental shade-tree. The black faces, and dirty patched
clothing of the Servants only indicate the state of slavery
and manners attendant on it. The appearances of the
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 477
well dressed people, made & female is the same as at
New York & Phi^. From Ph* to Norfolk is 338 miles &
the journey is performed in 42 hours. I am now from
home about 430 miles.
Sunday 24th Ocf 1819 Weather clear & mild. I went
to the [Christ] Episcopal Church, a spacious Brick build-
ing, plain without & within, but neat & having a large &
ornamented Organ. The Music was good. The Assembly
genteel. The preacher Mr [Samuel] Low, eloquent above
mediocrity. In another clergyman, reading the church
service with a voice of musical thunder, and with a dis-
cretion, modulation, truth, dignity, & cadence far beyond
any one I ever heard, I recognized my old acquaintance
Morse,^^ whom I have known, a Lawyer, a player, a Cap-
tain in the Army, a lecturer, a schoolmaster, and who
when last I saw him was in sickness & in poverty. He is
now well dressed, full of flesh, health and strength & as
handsome a figure as can well be imagined. After Church
I joined him & he recognized me. He told me that he
arrived here in June in the United States frigate, had
been since to the Northward, was now in the Barracks
at Gosport. He is a Chaplain to that frigate. Bishop
Moore is at Richmond. Mr Low, the preacher is dying
of consumption. He studied law, became a player &
finally a priest. He is said to be the son of a clergyman,
who resided near Fredericksburg. Sam^ Low, who was one
of the first clerks in the N. Y. bank, published a volume
of bad poems, a bad play, became a drunkard, abandon'd
his wife, came South and (as I hope) reformed & became
a clergyman of the Church Episcopal. I will enquire if
the father of this gentleman is or was poet Low. I was
pleased to see several well dress'd negroes of both sexes
at church, and to see that the general appearance of that
race was on this day clean & indicative of enjoyment.
I walked in the afternoon down the bay & round the
"3 Ebenezer B. Morse. See Abner Morse, Memorial of the Morses
(Boston, 1850) 51, Appendix note LII. He died in Providence, R. I.,
August 14, 1824, aged 40 years. Providence Gazette, cited in Arnoki's
Vital Record oj Rhode Island. XIV, 121.
478 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Fort north of the Town. The Market here is wofully
poor compared to the Cities of the north. The Butchers'
meat looks poor, the venders of country produce pigs,
poultry, butter, milk, vegetables, are Blacks, principally
Women. Our Table is amply supplied, but the Butter is
poor or worse, potatoes scarcely eatable. Sweet potatoes
pretty good. Hominy (at Breakfast) Hams very good
Fowds pretty good, Bacon & Cabbage is a common Dish
& corn'd Beef & Turnips another. Fried Eggs & Sausages
(at Breakfast) poor roast Beef at Dinner and Oysters
in profusion at Breakfast, Dinner & supper or Tea.
Oysters are carried through the street for sale opened
& in the shell & I observed boats at the wharves loaded
with them open'd & in large Firkins from which they
are ladled & sold by the quart.
The Country round Norfolk is a flat sand level & the
Woods are Ceder and pine. A little good soil and some
gardens and corn fields appear here & there.
Monday Ocf 25th 1819. Prepare to paint a Miniature,
but to my great chagrin my Landlord tells me he cannot
give me employment, for if one is painted all must be
painted. Morse comes to see me & mentions a little loan
of money I made hun when I last saw him, with promise
of repayment before I go. F. Lewis calls to see me. Morse
says his situation in the Navy is secure, it is 55 dols p'"
month. He only needs an arrangement wdth his former
creditors in Massachusetts, to enable him to take orders
& obtain a good living. They call him here Doctor Morse.
Glenn my Landlord comes to tell me that he will have
his two daughters painted in Oil, the Girls so preferring,
and I am to do them at $25 each. This restores me again.
Returning from a walk to the north over the same arid
plain cover'd with pine which is seen in every direction
except where water diversifies the prospect, I found the
following polite note
Chas H Graham will be pleased to see Mr Dunlap at the Theatre,
whenever that place offers any amusement for him.
Monday afnoon 25th Oct' 1819
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 479
I wrote a note in answer and leaving it at the door
of the Theatre went in & saw a Comedy new to me called
"The sons of Erin. I was pleased with it, and found un-
expected good acting in some men whose names I had
never heard to remember. Mr Finn is natural, has good
judgment, good voice, pretty good person, expressive
countenance, an easy genteel manner without being
graceful. Mr Brown played an Irish servant extremely
well. Mr Dalton, a coxcomb in pretty good style. Mr
Thomas was above mediocrity. The ladies were my old
acquaintances Mrs Young, Mrs Clarke (formerly Miss
Harding) Mrs Hayes (formerly Claude & once Miss
Hogg) Mrs Wheatley. Mr Pritchard, whom I met yester-
day, is to play Othello on Wednesday, first time of ap-
pear^ here.
[Oct.] 26th [Daniel W.] Crocker who kept the
Wash [ing] ton Hall is here Capf of a Steam boat to
Petersburg. I remember him Capt"" of the Washington
troop of Horse at N. Y. The state of society here is
marked by the shops where articles of contrary kinds are
exhibited together as in the villages of the north, by the
want of a Circulating library of any kind or of a Book
Store (a mistake there were two) I have been endeavour-
ing to procure 2 Mahogany pannels to paint on & the
Cabinet maker having no business & his journeyman no
work can hardly be bro* to do this trifle. 1 OClock, I beg
Norfolk's pardon I have found 2 Bookstores tho' smaU
ones. I have said that nothing indicates the change of
climate but the pride of China tree, which grows large
& luxurious in most of the streets, but I should add that
the verdure of these trees, the lombardy poplars & the
few Oaks seen round the town, at this late season, shows
a different habit from the poplars & oaks with us. Nor-
folk is an improving place. That part of the City which
lies north west is handsome, the houses give an idea of
wealth & their are several with gardens attached to them.
Wed'' Ocf 27th I observe that since my arrival the
Thermometer has been at 8 OClock in y^ morning from
480 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
48 to 58, at 2 OClock Afternoon from 67 to 65 at 6 in the
evening from 63 to 60. Commenced a portrait of Miss
Glenn. Evening walk & after tea went to Theatre but
was denied admittance in presence of two or three peo-
ple going in, the Doorkeeper saying "Your name is not
left to night." I remark'd "If I had not had a general in-
vitation I should not have attempted to come in," He
repeated, & added if you wait sir I will send to Mr
Graham." He called a person to send. I refused "It is a
matter of no consequence & walked off.
[Oct.] 28th Write to my Son in answer to one re-
ceived yesterday. Therm: y ester: 53, 65, 61. Began the
portrait of Miss Matilda Glenn. Morse calls on me and
reads two letters from his creditors in Massachusetts
agreeing to his proposals, this opens views of prosperity
to him; he says Bishop Moore is friendly to him & ap-
prehends no impediment in the way of his ordination.
Read in [Robert] Bloomfield's Farmers' boy. It appears
to me very poor. Therm: to day 56, 69, 67. Norfolk is
said to be a religious place. I stopt at a Baptist meeting
this evening. A french man was preaching fluently in
broken English to a crowded Auditory.
[Oct.] 29th At the reading room adjoining my quarters,
to which I was introduced by Capt° Lewis, & where are
News papers from all parts of the U. S. I was presented
by Graham with a letter from Gilfert, discouraging my
coming to Richmond. Graham apologized for the affair
of my stoppage at the Th: door, saj^s he positively told
the doorkeeper to admit me always & requested my visits
anew. Paint on both my portraits. Afternoon make a
sket<;h of part of the Harbour, Fort Nelson & Fort Nor-
folk with Craney Island in the distance. Evening visit
the Theatre & see Lear. [Nahum] Tates alteration of
Shakespere appeared to me more than ever bald, dis-
jointed. Lame. Pritchard not studied even the words of
Lear, occasionally gave good passages. A petite piece
called Married Yesterday, poor & of vile tendency. The
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 481
door keeper makes his clownish apologies & Mr Graham
is again very civil. Thermo: 61: 761/2: 75.
Ocf 30th A tall swaggering young man who came yes-
terday from Petersburg, drinking Cocktails at the Bar
and talking & swearing very loud, was accosted by the
black barber with "Will you have your beard taken off,
Sir?" "Hay! Yes! By God! I'll have any thing taken off;
Damn me! by God I dont care if I have my head taken
off!" The negroe grinning & at the same time looking
down with a kind of mock humility replied "very happy
to serve you, Sir." Capt'' [William] Wilson of the Artil-
lery who says or rather swears, for he swears to all things,
that he is not only the oldest captain in the U. S. service
but in the world, Swears that the play they called Lear
last night was no more like Shakespere's Lear than it was
like the history of John Rogers & his ten Children. "Damn
me, Sir, if I had gone in without seeing the Bills, I should
as soon have thought of Tom Thumb as King Lear. Such
scoundrels ought not to be encouraged ! By God I'd rather
give my dollar to the first beggar I meet in the street than
to such a set of strollers ! Why Sir ! they cut out the Fool
altogether, the fool is the most important part in the
play. I'll be damn'd if I wouldn't for a dollar set fire
to their damn'd barn of a house!"
Paint. Afternoon walk. Evening see "The curfew" per-
form'd & prisoner at large. It is singular that Mr [John]
Tobin should have stumbled on the story of my "Feudal
Baron" if he did not take it from my play which was
published years before the Curfew was played.
A man dressed as a quaker and apparently 70 years
old called to see me to day, and asked me if I did not
remember a frolic we had had together 40 years ago in
New York when I was going to England. I denied the 40
years (it is 35 tho') acknowledged the frolic, but did not
recollect him He told me his name was Seaman. I then
remember'd Tom Seaman, a youth with curling black
hair, laughing eyes & a frame, countenance & manner
full of elasticity and animation. I looked in vain after
482 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
we had sat down to talk over former times, in the
shrivel'd skin, furrow'd cheek, sunken eyes, grey hair, &
meagre limbs of this old man for my friend Tom. He
thought we had not met since the period he mentioned,
but I remember meeting him in travelling somewhere,
perhaps 13 years ago, then not much changed. He has
been married 30 years & (as E Brown tells me) his wife
was a fine fashionable card playing Lady & is now a
Methodist. He has resided at Edonton N, Carolina as a
Merchant, then in Norfolk keeping the Exchange Coffee
House, & now is a trader again. Then 66, 63, 61.
Sunday Oct' 31st. Write to my Wife. Go to Church.
Walk to Gosport & Portsmouth with Brown return by
the Ferry. All Blacks at the Ferry. B. tells me that the
west branch of Elizabeth river (& we cross both branches
on bridges going to Gosport) joins the Canal from the
Great Dismal in N. C. About twenty miles from this on
that rout is a Lake (Drummonds pond) about 6 miles by
4, the country around it healthy. This canal leads to
Elizabeth City, it is to bring the produce of N. C. to
Norfolk. Ther: 54. 55. 55.
Monday Nov"" 1st 1819. Clear frosty morning. Walk &
visit Steam Boat in which I arrived here. Paint. Evening
with E Brown at Theatre. Road to Ruin. Fin very good.
"Where shall I Dine." Dalton quite clever. The piece
very faulty even as a trifle.
Nov'' 2d Paint. My friend Morse introduces to me Mr
Brimhall ^^ Quartermaster who engages his portrait to
be begun day after tomorrow. Walk in the afternoon.
The insects still sing in the fields.
[Nov.] 3d In my mornings walk hear a bird singing
cheerfully on a tree in one of the Gardens of the West
'^* Elisha Brimhall, 1st Lieut., Corps of Artillery. Register of Officers
. . in the Service of the United States an the 30th of September, 1819
(Washington City, 1820), p. 59.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 483
part of the Town. Paint. Afternoon Lieu' Delany ^^ en-
gages his portrait to be begun the day after tomorrow.
Nov"" 4th Write to Sully, to MacLean & to my Wife.
Begin Lt. Brimhall's picture.
[Nov.] 5th E. Brown leaves us. Paint on Brimhall.
Begin Lt. Delaney's picture. At dinner a Midshipman
accosted me by name & introduced himself as Fairley '«
of New York. These two afternoons or even^" I have ex-
tended my walks at least two miles on the North road.
Go to Theatre & see "Lady of the Lake" & part of "Love
laughs at Locksmiths."
[Nov.] 6th Weather continues fine gradually becoming
cooler. This morning the frost (hoar frost) lay on the
fields like snow. After painting on Brimhalls picture he
introduced me to Lieu' Fraser "^ from N. Y. son of old
Donald and brother to Major [Donald] Eraser whose
polite behaviour on our rencontre at Schlosser on the
Niagara I remember always with pleasure. Evening. The-
atre. Poor Gentleman & Falls of Clyde. The first very
w^ell played. Mrs Clarke's Miss Lucretia is very excellent
& Fins young Bramble, the latter piece is very interest-
ing. Donald by Fin, shows amazing versatility & great
judgement.
Sunday Nov'' 7th In my morning walk I found the
streets swarming with negroes, laughing, talking, sport-
ing, & some bringing in to town milk & vegetables to
market. Not that the IMarket is not on other days but
these people, principally women carry these articles on
their heads about the streets for those who want & a few
expose them near or on the Market square before break-
75 Probably Henry Rozer Dulany, 1st Lieut, in the 4th Regt. of In-
fantry'. Ibid., 64; Heitman, Historical Register of the U. S. Army, (Wash-
ington, 1903), I, 387.
7*5 Robert Y. Fairlie. Register of Officers in the service of the United
States cm the 30th of September, 1819. (Washington, 1820), p. 89.
" Upton S. Fraser, 1st Lieut., Corps of Artillery. Ibid., 59.
484 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
fast. I have found out another walk over the Common
which after passing by a bridge one of those inlets that
make Norfolk almost an Island, leads among Gardens
well cultivated & pleasant country houses, neat, not
splendid, forming an interesting promenade.
At Church hear an excellent Discourse from Richard
Moore Bishop of this Diocese, my old acquaintance of
N. Y. Write to Gilfert respecting my letters & to post
Master Richmond. Write to Major Vandeventer at Wash-
ington. Afternoon walk with Lt. Brimhall, and by pass-
ing through wood observe that the timber trees are not
so much confined to Cedar & pine as I before thought,
oak, gum, poplar &c are mingled with them. Stop at a
public Garden, where five or six groupes of Idlers were
pitching dollars, those winning who placed the dollar in
or nearest a hole of its size.
Evening at Church and hear the Bishop again. I waited
for him as he came down the aisle and after a warm
greeting promised to call & see him tomorrow.
[Nov.] Sth Call at Mr Southgates (to whom I was last
night introduced) and pass half an hour with Bishop
Moore. He is visiting his Diocese, returns here in about
a fortnight & then goes home to Richmond. I am to paint
his picture gratuitously, he being pleased with the offer,
to be given to some friend to the North. He has children
in Philadelphia. He recommends my being in Richmond
during the session of the Legislature, promisses me his
assistance & thinks I shall have employment. Mrs South-
gate talks of a picture. Paint on the two Misses Glenn.
Evening meet Gilfert at the Theatre. He says he can
promise me 2 or 3 portraits to paint in Richmond. I have
engaged a room to paint in, at a house but a short dis-
tance from my Hotel.
[Nov.] 9th The weather is still dry mild & hazy. Last
night Mr Fin performed Lord Ogilvy, with great clever-
ness, but made him too old, it was however well in keep-
ing. Paint on Delaney's picture. Afternoon ride with
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 485
him four miles, to the termination of the northern road,
at a paltry Tavern on a point of sand opposite Craney
Island. Receive a letter from my Son in answer to mine
of the 2Sth Ocf. Evening go to the Lancasterian School
house & hear Lancaster hunself in a lecture of two hours
explain his system. He speaks interestingly as a man
understanding his subject, but has the Cockney dialect
as it respects h, v & w in all its unperfection. He has
been in this Country 15 months, principally in Phil*.
Landed in N. Y. His plan is in operation in every quar-
ter of the globe.
[Nov.] 10th Write to Sully to employ Doughty to
send me 8, 30 by 25 & 4, 36 by 30 prepared cloths on
strainers, 10 oz Vermillion, 2 bladders of White, 10 oz
light red, some lithrage & some gum mastic. Paint on
Brimhall. Receive a visit from Capt° Swift, friendly,
with apologies, invitations <fec. Dine with Doctor Morse
at the Marine Barracks, Gosport. They have snug quar-
ters & the Mess, consisting of L^' Alcot,"^^ Mackie,"^^ Du-
lany^° (of the Marines) & Morse, make a pleasant so-
ciety. We had a good Dinner &c in handsome style. Swift
joined us. I walked home to tea & then went to the
Theatre.
[Nov.] nth Morse, by invitation of the Bishop goes
with him to visit the residue of his Diocese. This he
thinks augurs well. Paint on Dulany. The weather has
encreased in warmth this 3 days & is to day at summer
heat.
[Nov.] 12th Finish Brimhars picture & both the
Misses Glenn, a hard long days work. Walk. Go to the
Theatre. Robbers & Irishman in London. Both pieces
''s Henrv Olcott, 1st Lieut., U. S. Marine Corps. Register of Officers
. . in the" Service of the U. S. on the 30th of September, 1819. (Wash-
in^on, 1820) p. 100.
^9 Aeneas M'Kay or Mackav, 1st Lieut., Corps of Artillery, Ibid., 58.
80 William W. Dulany, 1st" Lieut., U. S. Marine Corps. Ibid., 100.
The designation of this Lieut. Dulany as belonging to the Marines, leads
to the assumption that the Lieut. Dulany whose portrait Dunlap was
painting was Lieut. Henry Rozer Dulany, of the 4th Infantry Regiment,
as noted supra.
486 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
well performed. Mr Fin, tho' wanting figure or rather size,
plays Charles de Moor well. Weather perfect summer.
All windows open this two days.
[Nov.] 13th Norfolk is in Lat 36.55, 116 mile S of
Richmond, 389 S by W. from Phil^ 231 from Washington.
So says [Joseph] Scot[t']s Geography. W^ite to my Wife.
Paint on Delany. Receive a letter from my Wife of 8th
inst. Take a long walk. Visit Crawley. Weather becomes
colder but not yet frost. Mr Fin calFd on me to day &
was introduced to me.
[Nov.] 14th Paint. Go to Gosport to call on Swift. A
painter late from Europe but last from Richmond intro-
duces himself to me.
[Nov.] 15th Paint on Delany. Walk. Theatre. See John
H. Paine's Tragedy [Brutus] perform'd with much pleas-
ure. The whole interest is in the part L. J. Brutus which
was played with great force & judgement by Fin. Perhaps
the passion of the Father should have been more re-
press'd. The afterpiece was Matrimony.
[Nov.] 16th Tuesday. Summer weather. Begin a por-
trait of Mr Glenn. Mr Fin who call'd on me, tells me
that when a boy he wrote a letter to me proposing him-
self for the Stage & endeavouring to persuade me that
he might prove a second Master Betty, and that he
brought his letter himself, but I gave him no encourage-
ment, but advised him to abandon all thoughts of the
Theatre. He then went to the Grove Theatre & play'd
Little Pickle. He has play'd in London & Edinburgh, says
Keene is not a great player, except in Sir Giles Overreach.
That he is a drunkard & fond of low Company. Write
to my son & send on a note for $84 to renew one of 105
in part, due 7th Dec'
[Nov.] 17th Still warm. We have had among the
boarders at our hotel, some officers of a privateer under
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 487
patriot commission of Spanish Am. who lodged at one
end of the Gallery into which my apartment opens and
at the other end the Agent of a slave ship from Balti-
more, Mr Price fitted out for Guinea. The privateer has
gone out of the Capes to wait for the Slave ship to make
her a prize.
Write to my daughter. Paint on Delany and Glen,
oppressively warm sitting at my Eazle. Strong S. Wind.
Afternoon Gust from the N. W. and the first rain since
I left home. Evening clear. Wind W. Mild. Read this
two evenings in the 1st Kings with commentary.^^ Some
of the comments are puerile some learned, some curious.
But do not these commentators unsettle belief? When
the unlearned reader sees that there are many versions
differing in the reading, that many words, phrases, pas-
sages, are on all hands allowed to be mis-translated, that
the most learned differ as to the meaning of words &
phrases, what is the inevitable conclusion? A curious
note is given respecting the mother of Asa, with various
readings as to the nature of her guilt. Surely the note
is at least injudicious. Is it not wonderful that repeatedly
the word Sodomites is used as the translation of a word,
literally and only meaning holy or consecrated persons,
e i consacrated to Idolatrous worship? Again it is said
that the word translated raven in the story of the prophet
Elijah, means Merchant, or inhabitants of a place called
Orbim or Arabians! ! ! WTiat latitude does this give to the
reader, what uncertainty is suggested! Notion supported
that Elijah or Elias. or Elihu, was an angel incarnate
by his ascension to Heaven. The word translated prophet
means likewise priest & perhaps poet, the word Nab<i
prophecy means to pray, to suppHcate.
[Nov.] ISth Mr More, the painter above mentioned as
introducing himself to me, hearing that I was going
towards Richmond, suggested my stopping at Surry
Court house to paint the family of a Mr Price & a Doctor
Graves, who wished him to do it, but he had no oil
81 By Adam Clarke.
488 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
apparatus, he asked 50 dolls for a portrait. On talking
to Mr Glen he knowing Price, I write to day to him, &
offer to come thither on an engagement for at least 4
portraits at 30, 50, or 75 dolls according to size. Paint on
Glen. We have in the house Mr Wrifford a teacher of
writing, a New England man, a character, he affords me
entertainment, by shrewd remarks & eccentric manners.
He is a singer & has a noble voice. Evening read in Kings.
How does Elisha's words "take my life for I am not bet-
ter than my fathers" agree with the notion of his being
an incarnate Angel? The book says 7000 had not bowed
the knee to Baal, the Commentator says 7000 does not
mean 7000 but a great many thousand, a majority of the
nation, soon after the fighting men of Israel are num-
ber'd at 7000 & the commentator laments that Israel was
so thinned, so reduced in number. "A Wall fell upon
27000 men & crush'd them" says the Com: ''probably a
burning wind is meant" We are told that what is trans-
lated ashes may mean bandage or fillet. Again "Gan
Yirek may mean Garden of herbs or Grass plat. ''Naboth
did blaspheme God & the King" may be render'd "Na-
both hath blessed God & the King" and the word barac
may mean either bless or curse. How then is a sincere
man to read this book? Again Ahab walked softly may
be "barefooted" or groaning or with down hanging head.
This curious Book must then it would appear be read
with constant doubt as to the meaning of the original
independent of all other doubts.
Friday [Nov.] 19th Colder. I have been in N. 4 weeks.
Mrs Butler & her daughter Harriet & son Jon : arrive on
their way to Elizabeth City N. C. Harriet is going to
her father's for the Winter. I found from the meeting of
Harriet & Matilda Glenn that they were acquainted &
Harriet told me that she had staid at Mr Glens with her
Child & received much kindness from the family. Mrs
Butler told me that in travelling without a protector Glen
had been very kind to her during the late War. I call'd
on Mrs Southgate & took old Abraham one of Glenn's
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 489
black Waiters w"' 3 finished portraits to show. They were
admired. I was invited to call & see the Bishop on his
return. The Lady's portrait was spoken of & that was all.
Paint on Glenn. Call on Mr [Thomas] Williamson,
Cashier of the [blank] Bank & requested to see a por-
trait by Stewart lately arrived here. He very politely
showed me that & many other pictures. Stewarts is the
portrait of [blank] Brookes a gallant young officer who
distinguished himself last war & is bold almost to ex-
travagance & very fine in effect^ — some dozen portraits
by Thomson, a man who clear'd 3700 dolls in 5 months
in this place some years back are vilely bad — a large pic-
ture by Crawley of three Children is horrid, the rest of
Mr Williamsons collection is made up of indifferent
Landscapes, and bad copies. He appears a frank liberal
man. Paint on Dulany. Mr Williamson calls on me with
Mr [blank] & engages a picture, promising to look out
for a painting room for me. Capf" Watson of the Navy
calls on me & engages his portrait. Lt. Zanzenger ^- of the
Navy calls on me & mentions some one who is commg
to me. Receive a polite note from Fin with tickets for his
night. Evening. Th : Merchant of Venice & High life &c.
Fin came to my Quarters with me & we talked over The-
atricals. He related his early biography. He is an interest-
ing man thus far. Receive a kind letter from Sully. He
has no business yet. Thinks he must travel soon. Trott
is at Charlston S. C. & his prospects bad.
Sat^ 20th Nov'" Weather very pleas'. Paint on Delany,
Mr Glenn, and begin a picture of Graham the Manager.
Even^ Th: Blue Beard.
[Nov.] 21st Mild & pleasant weather, almost summer
warmth. Paint on Graham. Walk with Wrifford. Evening
read in Kings. It appears that Ahab, Jehosophat & others
the first among the Israelites & Jews consider'd the
prophets as having power over good or evil, not merely
82 John P. Zantzinger. Register of Officers . . . in the service of the
U. S. on the 30th of September, 1819.
490 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
foreseeing but willing and bringing to pass. What must
we at this time think of such a people. Teachers are ap-
pointed for them by Heaven, the word of God comes
direct to them & enforced by miracles & prophecies, yet
they act in opposition to warning, & entertain the notions
above noted of God, prophets & prophecy. When the
Bible says God did an evil thing, it is only to mean that
he permitted it. Where is the difference. If I permit an
ill knowing it to be so which I could prevent I am as
guilty as if I did it. Ahab says "put thou on thy robes"
The commentators say it is put on my robes. Hazonoth
rachatsu may either mean "washed his armour, or the
whores washed themselves &c. Besides these almost in-
numerable variations & contradiction in translating words
& phrases, we are told that there are many evident mis-
takes in the MSS. owing to ig[no]rant or careless trans-
cribers. Elisha & the little children, cursed & destroyed.
We are told that the text may mean young man or ser-
vant or even soldier: and that probably these 42 young
men, servants or soldiers had been killed bears whelps,
and that the two she bears came out of the wood & de-
stroyed them for having killed their cubs. Is not this too
much ?
Nov' 22d Write to Dr Gillespie. I understand that
Jarvis advertises at N. Y. to make likenesses of paper &c
this looks like a push. Receive a letter from my Wife.
All well last monday. Prepare to remove my painting
room or rather to go to another room, to be still attended
by Glen's servants. The privateer that went to watch
the Guinea Man Slave dealer, has got aground near the
Capes. Both vessels are nominally Spanish & both
oflScer'd & man'd by Americans.
[Nov.] 23d Established myself in my new painting
room. The Bishop & Morse have returned from praying
& feasting, Morse says it was all one continued New-
England Thanksgiving day. Began a picture of an old
Lady Mrs Marsden for her Daughter Mrs Hopkins. Mr
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 491
Cox engages to sit tomorrow as does Mr Pennick, Paint
on Delany. Lt. Shubrick talks of his Wifes picture. Many-
Visitors. Receive a letter from Alex"" Robertson.
Nov"" 24th Still mild & pleasant. I last night saw Mrs
S. Wheatly formerly Williams, play Violante. She is a
very fine Actress but has a spice of Mrs Overdone. Begin
a letter to my Wife. Begin a portrait of Mr Coxe of the
Navy <fe paint on others at my new apartment. Bishop
More come to see me and gives me assurances of his
services for Richmond.
[Nov.] 2oth Finish letter to my Wife & Begin portrait
of Capf" Watson of the Navy & paint on the others.
Mr Dennison and Capt° [Ethan A.] Allen engage por-
traits. Mr Triplet of this place politely visited <fe invited
me to his house. Warm as summer.
[Nov.] 26th Warm. Begin Mr Dennison's portrait and
paint on Cox and Mrs Marsden. Watson suspends sit-
tings until I am prepared to paint a larger size on Can-
vass. Evening write to Alex"" Robertson, and request pic-
tures, frames &c to be sent to me.
[Nov.] 27th Finish the above. Summer still. Paint on
Dennison, Dulany & Graham. Receive a letter from my
wife dated 21st & 22d. All well. Osborne likely to recover
$50 from Pemberton of New Orleans. B W Rogers has
another son & his wife ill. Evening read in Kings
"talmidey nebiyaa" sons of the prophets or Disciples. A
good note by Dr Clarke on the power of parents over
children & creditors over Debtors. He admits the Jews
to be barbarous w^hen he speaks of the Romans & Greeks,
although for the Hebrews it must be considered (I sup-
pose) as the law of God. In speaking of the Shunamites
Child Clarke says "the doctrine of reprobate Children
had not disgraced the religion of the God of endless com-
passion & the Miracles of Elisha are very much like the
Miracles of the New Testament. The same words mean
492 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
either "and it has been sought" or "it was borrowed."
"Dove's dung" may be "peas" a little further on we are
told that several words are added by careless copyists.
[Nov.] 28th Sunday. Practise on Miniature painting
expecting to begin one tomorrow of a French Woman.
Write to my son to send on Gilferts Picture & enclose
order on J A Graham for 25 dolls. Rain. Read 2d of Kings.
The Story of Jehu is beautifully told. This history re-
minds me of Bruce's Abyssynia. Dr. Clarke calls Jehu's
conduct Brutal & him an "incomparably bad man" but
the book makes God say "thou hast done that which is
right in mine eyes" & "according to all that was in mine
heart" & promises to reward him to the fourth genera-
tion. Reward or punishment in another state is never
hinted at. It appears by the History of this brutal &
barbarous people that the priests were the rulers and
directors of revolutions in the name of the Lord & those
Kings who rebelled against them were the men who
made Israel to sin. It is plain that the Kings strove
against the priests & to secure their own authority in-
duced the brutish multitude to worship other Gods than
the God of the Prophets & set up other priests in opposi-
tion to them, but the Old Stock of priests had the telling
of the story & that must be a key to it.
Monday [Nov.] 29th Cold. Paint on Cox, Dennison,
Glenn, & Mrs. Marsden. Walk. Read in Kings & St John.
When Christ says "I and my Father are one" or "the
Father" the Jews beleived doubtless that he made himself
God, but in his answer does he not say as much as that
he only meant to assert the sameness of intention when
he alludes to the prophets or Judges being called Gods by
the Law? Clarke endeavours to show that Christ meant
to say that he was one with the Father, but it cannot be
made out.
Nov"" 30th Tuesday. Mild. Began portrait of Capt''
Allen of the Artillery & paint on Mrs Marsden & Mr
Dennison. Call on Crawley. WaU^. Even^ read in Kings.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 493
Wed'' Dec' 1st. Mild. Paint on Dennison, Cox & begin
a picture of Watson 36 by 30 for which I agree to take
60 dollars, stating my price as 75, as in N. Y. WriJ9ford
attempts to give a lecture on teaching but no one comes
to hear him but myself & two others. Capf" Allen whose
picture I begun is the son of Ethen Allen of famous
memory, he is however a sot.
Thursday Dec"" 2d. Mild. Paint on Graham, Allen,
Coxe, Watson & Dennison. Evening cold & threatens
snow. Receive a letter from my Wife. All well at home.
She says she has laid in her winter stores & will have 200
dolls to begin Dec"" with, this is independent of 20 sent &
an order for 25 more. Read in Kings. Clarke says the
simile of the Dish 21 Ch: 13 v: is likewise render'd, by
wiping out that which is written on tablets. That word
translated "Grove" means an Idol. Ch: 22d It appears
by the text that the High Priest found "the book of law"
& sent it to the King. And Shaphan the Scribe read it
before the King & he rent his clothes &c. It appears that
the law had been lost. The King for the first time heard
it. (Could he read himself?) When he heard the judge-
ment denounced against Israel & Judah for their Idola-
tries, he sent to a prophetess to know if all this was true!
The history of these people makes them out the most,
ignorant stupid, foolish, vile race that can well be con-
ceived of. Dr Clarke however interprets this finding the
Book into finding some part of the law & says Josiah had
this book with him from the beginning. Ch: 23. The
King reads the new found Book to the people.
Tomorrow will be seven weeks since I left home & six
since I arrived in Norfolk. I have enjoyed good health.
I have had my mind wholesomely employed generally,
and I believe more uniformly so than for a long time
before I left home. I have drank no wine & no spirits in
any shape except a very moderate portion with my din-
ner. I have been better in mind & body than when I took
wine at my dinner. I think I have improved in my paint-
ing. I have more confidence in my power, more facility
494 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
a better style generally. I have begun Eleven portraits
amounting to $315. I have finished of these Seven. My
Expenees in travelling, Board, materials for painting &c
&c is $155 leaving a balance, if all is paid for as I think
they will be, of $160. For all this and much much more, I
thank my Creator & incomprehensibly great & good
Benefactor.
Dec"" 3d Cold morning but clear & it moderates to mild-
ness during the day. Paint on Allen, Coxe & Dennison.
receive a letter from my Wife which has been a Month
in Richmond. Morse is going to Williamsburg, he & Den-
nison sit with us the first of the Evening and promise me
letters to the Naval people at Washington. Read in St.
John. Resurrection of Lazarus. Martha Whatsoever thou
asketh of God &c Here it is acknowledged by Clarke that
Martha looked upon Christ as man, but he says Christ
in his reply tells her he is the Author of existence. No
such thing. '*! am the resurrection & the life he that
believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live"
Surely this is nothing more than an assurance that eter-
nal life is the consequence of believing in him e.i. adopt-
ing his precepts & following his example. "He that be-
lieveth shall never die" that is perish eternally. And he
asks "Believest thou this" She answers "I believe thou art
the Christ the son of God, which should come into the
world" e. i. thou art the prophet whose coming was fore-
told. He is satisfied with the answer, it was what he had
taught this family. ''Father I thank thee that thou hast
heard me" &c &c if all this is not plainly teaching that
tho' acting by direction of God & having immediate com-
munion with him, yet that he pretended to nothing in
himself, I cannot read. "Thou shalt see the glory of God"
or the miraculous power of God. Yet after all this Dr
Clarke says at the end of the Chapter "His (Christs)
eternal power & Godhead are manifested in the resurrec-
tion of Lazarus." Surely he might have said the same of
Elijah & Elisha, and made Gods of them.
Begin letter to my Wife.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 495
Saturday Dec"" 4th Mild & pleasant: Finish & send let-
ter to my Wife. Paint on Allen & Watson. Wrifford era-
barks in the Marktime Capf" Post for Charleston, his
passage 15 Dolls to be charged to me by Graham as part
payment for his portrait. He otherwise could not have
gone on. He is to remit the money to my Son in N. Y.
Morse goes to Williamsburg. Evening read in the foolish
egotistical Rousseau. Graham & Pennock sit with me a
while, the first about departing for Charleston.
[Dec] 5th Sunday. A morning like October. Capf"
Allen having been order'd to Baltimore I finish his pic-
ture to day & paint on Denison & Watson. Even^ read.
Capt° Duncan ^^ was yesterday introduced to me by
Brimhal & engages his portrait. Write to Bishop Moore
to prepare my way in Richmond.
[Dec] 6th Monday. Mild. Paint on Cox & Watson.
Even^ Read in Rousseau & St John. Rousseau says his
uncle Bernard plan'd the City of Charlestown, Carolina,
and went thither to build it. Dr Clark quotes a remark-
able passage from the Hindu & compares it to Christs
saying "If any man serve me let him follow me &c him
will my father honour" and compares it as similar, to
Chreesh[n']a's saying beginning "If one whose ways were
ever so evil &c" but the Hindu incarnate God calls on
his follower to adore him — not so Christ. "Father glorify
thy name" Some manuscripts read "Father glorify my
name, others "glorify thy son. Any of these readings
amount to a disavowal of equality with God. As to what
is called the mystery of the death of Christ, it is not
only incomprehensible to me at present but contradictory
to all my notions of God. The miraculous interference
of God is incomprehensible to me & his partial interfer-
ence is contradictory to my ideas of his Justice or benevo-
lence. That men should see such miracles as are spoken
of and not believe the mission of the performer is con-
8* William Robert Duncan, of the Corps of Artillery. Heitman, Regis-
ter of the U. S. Army.
496 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
tradictory to reason, if they were convinced of the truth
of the facts. To say that God "blinded their eyes & liard-
ened their hearts" appears to me blasphemy against the
all benevolent Creator. Does Christ any where say so?
"Now is the Judgement of this world: now shall the
prince of this world be cast out." The Devil & Death,
are called severally the princes of this world. Does not
the passage mean, "Now, through me, is the world justi-
fied: and by my triumph over death; his empire abol-
ished?" And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw
all men unto me" if I go, as I shall, to Heaven, I will
draw all men thither to me — this agrees with Clarke
whose note on the passage is beautiful, both in the allu-
sion to Joves golden Chain & the chain of Justice of the
Hindu King. Christ's conclusion of his address at the end
of Ch : 12th "For I have not spoken of myself &c is plain
& is the key to what precedes. I am God's messenger,
prophet, I speak not of myself. He refers all to God, he
assumes nothing to himself.
Tomorrow will be two weeks since I came to my paint-
ing room in the Navy Hotel. In those two weeks I have
begun Five portraits.
Dec*" 7th 1819. Tuesday. Warm, Gentle rain in the
afternoon. Finish Graham's picture. Mr Reardon calls
to see my pictures & immediately sits. This is my 12th
port' in Norfolk, the 6th in my present room. Even^ Read.
Rousseau. St John. "Ye call me master & Lord. These
titles were given by the Jews to their teachers. Doctors.
A very remarkable quotation from the Institutes of Menu
ending "Sacred knowledge and devotedness to God are
the means by which a man can arrive at beatitude. This
is the saymg of a heathen.
To my astonishment Wrifford enters my rooms and
says the schooner is still in the harbour, that they have
been beating about in the most uncomfortable situation
& he has determined to go to Richmond. Graham he says
treated him very cavalierly & he has again got footing at
Glenns.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 497
Dec"" 8th Wed^ Paint on Reardon & Watson. Lyfford
Keeper of the reading rooms says Graham told him that
he had given Wrifford his passage. I told him the cir-
cumstances of my paying Wriffords passage to Graham
agreeing to credit him 15 dolls on his acct. due to me for
his portrait. Lyfford repeated the fact & the particulars —
Graham representing Wrifford as an object of his charity.
Evening, I have had a multitude of Visitors to day. Let
me remember some of them. Capt° Allen & his father in
law Mr [John] Johnson. Mr Lyfford, he wants a portrait
& a miniature but fears his power to pay. My Landlord
Glenn and his brother who keeps a boarding house. T.
Glenn has received some Boxes & trunks from N. Y. The
boxes, as the vessel sailed last Saturday may contain my
pictures. They have only a chalk mark directed M:
Glenn. Mr. Zantzenger & Mr Alhiian. Mr WilUamson
Cashier of y^ Virginia bank & two Mr Taylor the old
Gentleman lively & pleasant invites me to his house as
does Wilhamson with assurances of endeavours to serve.
Mr Thos. L. Graham who says he is purser's clerk at the
Navy Yard and pays off all these fine fellows (looking
round at Watson Cox &c) and wishing to his picture &
to serve me engages a small portrait at 75 dolls. Several
others whom I cannot designate. The weather being
drizzly I see no Ladies. I settled today with Smith &
Osborne for strainers & pannels. Straining frames 36 &
30 long & clothes cost me $2.25 ea; pannels (24.20) $1.45
ea: Read Rousseau & St John. 9 & 10th v. 14th Ch: is I
presume the strong text of the Trinitarians ''He that
hath seen me hath seen the Father" 'T am in the father
& the Father in me" and yet it is plain from the whole
that Christ speaks figuratively as having shown them
God by showing them the will of God, of being in the
father & having the father in him as being in the coun-
sels of God acting by his inspiration for he says imme-
diately after "I speak not of myself" & again "the word
which ye hear is not mine but the father's which sent me.
"I am in the father, & ye in me, & I in you. "For the
Father is greater than I." Besides all which he says "I
498 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
will pray the Father & he shall give you &c e i after he
has returned to God who sent him he will pray to God,
if he was God or wished to say so, would he not have said
I will send"? Can we comprehend his praying to himself
to do his own will? As far as I can yet see, the Unitarians
are right.
Thursday Dec^ 9th Warm & springlike. Paint on Rear-
don and Watson. Several visitors, some Ladies. Lyfford
agrees with me for a portrait & Miniature, to be paid
for in Hams & other produce. Mr Maxwell ^^ a second,
time call'd on me & introduced the Rev"^ [blank] & Mr
[blank] Maxwell is a Lawyer of eminence here & he &
his friend the Clergyman are both pupils of Dr Dwight.
Mr Williamson who appears very friendly says old Mr
Taylor will sit to me. I see a good deal of character in
my sitters & visitors. Evening high cold wind. Read in
St John. Christ says all things that I have heard of my
Father I have made known unto you." He arrogates
nothing to himself & all is from God. He is alone Gods
messenger & so pure & full of love to mankind that he
lays down his life for them. Why this was necessary I
can not understand. Was it that by submitting to cruci-
fixion in testimony of the truth of his precepts he would
cause a more general belief & confidence in himself &
his doctrine? That such might be the determination of a
just man I can conceive & that a man would thereby
become more deserving of the love of God & man. But
as a scheme of redemption planned by God I cannot
understand it.
Friday Dec'' 10th A Winters day cold & clear. Paint
on Reardon & Watson & begin a portrait of Mr Lyfford.
I have been in Norfolk, today, 7 Weeks, I have begun 13
portraits, finished 9. Evening Milder. Begin letter to my
Wife. Wrifford departed this morning for Richmond. I
dont know what to make of him. He has been very at-
85 William Maxwell (1784-1857). See Dexter, Yale Biographies, 1792-
1805, 5th ser., 520-22.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 499
teiitive to me, almost troublesome notwithstanding that
any attentions are flatterring, but I began to think he
had selfish motives for his attachment.
Saturday Dec"" 11th Finish & send off letter to my
Wife. Read presidents Message. Mr Osbourne frame
maker calls to negociate for a portrait for a friend to be
paid for in Frames, pannels &c. Paint on Reardon Wat-
son & Lyfford. Receive letter from my Wife. On Sunday
Nov"" 2Sth Snow in N. Y. in y"^ Night which lay 2 days,
here it rain'd gently & was mild & y® next day was cold
& on tuesday mild. In N. Y. it was a winters day on Sun-
day y® 5th inst. here it was mild as October. My wife has
got in her Winters wood & has 200$ in store. My son
is doing successful & profitable business in partnership
with [James A.] Hamilton. My daughter is well & happy.
For these and the infinitely great blessings bestow'd on
me & my fellow creatures, may the all benevolent God be
thanked. Evening set down to read in St John. As far as I
have yet seen, Christ teaches Unitarianism, in this Ch:
16th he speaks of what is called the 3d person in the
Trinity, "the Comforter, or Spirit of Truth. Christ says
"this spirit" "shall not speak of himself." Is not this an
acknowledgement or assertion of this person being an in-
ferior Agent of the Deity, this appears plain as it respects
the third person in the Trinity, but here follows a passage
respecting Christ himself which Clarke thinks decides as
to his equality or identity with God. "All things that the
Father hath are mme." But as such an assertion would
contradict so many other plainer assertions, we must read
this passage with latitude, it can only mean that the
things of the Father are given to him and that spirit of
truth which had emanated from the Father through
Christ would after his ascension or death, be bestow'd
immediately upon the Disciples, they then standing in
the place of Christ between God & the world. In the
remainder of the Chap: he speaks plainly of hunself as
one sent by God & returning to God. Mr Lyfford call'd
& sat with [me] till 9 OClock.
500 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Dec'". 12th Sunday. A very fine winter morning. Walk.
Paint on Watson. Afternoon. Walk. Evening read St.
John.
[Dec] 13th Springlike morning. Paint on Cox, Rear-
don & begin a portrait of Mr Corrigen. Afternoon Cloudy.
Send two hams to my family. Write to my Wife. Evening
read St. John & Ferdenand Count Fathom.
[Dec] 14th Some rain last night. Warm cloudy morn-
ing. Send letter &c by Schooner Jane Maria Capf" De
Groot. Clears up mild. Receive 2 packages, a bundle of
papers & letters & 2 Jugs of oil by the Tell-Tale from
N. Y. Letters from my wife, daughter, Alex. Robertson,
Jos: Osborn, S. M. Hopkins, Maj'' Vandeventer & D.
Gillespie.
[Dec] 15th Springlike morning. Painted as usual yes-
terday & to day on Corigen, Lyfford & Reardon. Prepar-
ing to remove to the East part of this old building. The
beautiful Mrs Denison calls on me & the handsome
Misses Brown, with some other pretty girls. Evening read
N. Y. papers.
[Dec] 16th Beautiful weather. I learn by my letters
from N. Y. that Price has large executions out against
him & has gone to England. Paint on Corrigen & Watson.
Many Visitors, Mr Hyndes & his daughters, the youngest
very handsome. Other Ladies, Mr Strong, Mr Hill Lottery
Office Keeper agrees for his portrait to be paid in Tickets
e.i. 3 Tickets, he to share in any prize of 500$ or upwards,
one half. Open my packing cases, find Cupid, Susanna,
Lady in blue & red, Lady & Looking Glass, Two Children
grouped, Gilferts portrait, Frames, Cloths, Brushes, &
some linen, and Gallery of British portraits. Receive let-
ter from my son. Even^ read N. Y. papers & study por-
traits. I have great pleasure from reading a No. of The
American. The affairs of Germany have arrived at an
interesting Crisis.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 501
Dec^ 17th Friday. Cold & cloudy. This makes the 8th
week I have been in Norfolk. Paint on Corrigen, begin
Lyfford's Miniature, paint on Watson. Many visitors.
Hang up my N. Y. pictures. Crawley brings [Joshua]
Shaw the Miniature painter to see me, he is just from
Baltimore, travelling to procure subscriptions to Ameri-
can views, engraved by [John] Hill, painted by Shaw
with letter press descriptions which he says is to descrip-
tive a Sentimental Journey & very funny. He is an igno-
rant, conceited English blockhead. Tallvs of being once
consumptive & the Doctor told him he must change his
hair. Evening. A fire in my neighbourhood & all the Town
to looking at it. When discover'd it was a small affair in
the roof, by the time an Engine came the roof was in
flames, 2 other engines came & the house was burned
to the ground.
Dec'" 18th Sat^' Removed to more convenient rooms
under the same roof. Paint on Lyfford & Watson. Mr
Brunette engages his portrait to be begun at 2 OClock
Monday. Weather mild. Afternoon rain. Even^ Write.
Receive letter from Doughty with bill of lading & acct. of
things sent from Phil^ 12 Cloths $17 & colours, making
in all 19.58. Begin letter to my wife. Read in The Ameri-
can. N. Y. Census near 120,000 in y® City, encrease in 3
years 19,700, decreas of slaves 300.
Dec"" 19th Sunday. Paint on Lyffords Miniature & Wat-
sons portrait. Weather pleasant. Walk. Even^ Finish let-
ter to my Wife. Read in American.
[Dec] 20th Send off my letter by [Edward] Wyer
whom I found in Boston in 1813 (Cooke's Yankee Gentle-
man whom Sam was order [ed] to show down stairs with
candle lighted at both ends) he has since been Consul
at Gottengberg or Hamburg. Paint on Corrygen, Lyfford
& began Mr Low & Mr Hill. Williamson came with Low
and went home to send me an Eagle left here by Thomp-
son, he then came again & staid the sitting. I have head
ach and tooth ach. Walk. Evening read.
502 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Dec' 21st Finish Denison & Reardon. A beautiful morn-
ing and my good feelings restored. Judge Parker intro-
duced by Mr AUman, talks of 2 pictures. Paint on Mr
Low. Receive a letter from Morse, who is teaching elocu-
tion at Williamsburg. No encouragement for me to come
thither. Evening 7 or 8 Creek Warriors & Gen' [William]
Mcintosh sup with us, on their way to Washington. Go
to an Amateur Concert at Crawley's, & wish the Indians
were present, to see the movements of the fiddlers, espe-
cially the leader.
Wed'' 22d Dec"" Fine morning. Walk. Paint on Lyfford
& Cox. Mcintosh & his Indians to see me. They expressed
surprize & pleasure. Invited to Dine at Capt° Swifts on
Christmas day. Receive letter from my wife enclosing
order from J Osborne N Orleans for 50 Dolls on Minturn
& Franklin, being debt recovered by threatening Pember-
ton: all well at home on the 16th. Many Visitors this
Afternoon. The order sent on by my friend Osborne is
Jos: Byrnes on Franklin & Minturn in my favour.
Thursday Dec"" 23d Write to my Wife & send back
Osbornes Order endorsed. Paint on Hill. Finish Corrigen,
Paint on Lyffords Miniature. Commodore [John] Cassin
calls to see me introduced by Mr Henry. The Misses
Whitehead call w^ Mr Zantzenger. One of these Ladies a
Deaf & Dumb. The youngest very pretty. Mr Triplett
call'd & introduced Mr Smith lately appointed paymaster
to this district in place of Major [blank] who was killed
since I came here by the overturning of a Stage in going
to Washington. Mr T. gave a positive invitation to call
on him this afternoon. I did so & found him & Smith
with T's mother every thing very genteel, nay elegant.
I took wine & after Tea, Mrs T the younger joined us,
rather handsome. Evening call'd at Williamsons found
Shaw & Crawley with him. He had taken Shaw to his
country seat & S had made some sketches.
Friday Dec"" 24th The Country folks flock in with pro-
visions for keeping Christmas & the Market Square &
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1819 503
Main Street resemble a Fair. I have been here 9 Weeks.
The warmth of the weather is against laying up stores,
or Norfolk might be provided with Turkeys for the rest
of the Winter. Yesterday was a clear Spring day, last
night it rain'd & it is wet & warm this morning. Paint
on Mr Hill. Write to my friend Osborne & to Mr [Asher
B.] Durand Engraver of N. Y. Mr Williamson calls to
invite me to dine with him tomorrow. Mr INlaxwell intro-
duces Mr [blank] Southgate. There were in Market to
day, Lyford says, 311 Carts. The produce is here bro^ in
one horse Carts. I receive a letter from Rich'^ Channing
Moore Bishop of Va: He says his son will look for a room
for me & my success will depend on the pictures I can
show as my work. People are poor &c. The letter is very
friendly. Evening read in American.
Dec' 25th The order of the morning is Egg: nog, not for
me. Walk. During last night violent rain & wind from y*
North. Fine morning. Mr Williamson introduces General
[Robert B.] Taylor to me. Dine at Gosport with Swift.
Some Sea Captain & Officers of the Navy, some Ladies
& the beautiful fading Mrs Denison. I walk to Gosport &
back: take tea at my Hotel, go to m.y painting room,
make up my fire, light my spermaceti candles & read.
Swift is a genteel man, whose early life has been wasted
in dissipation & he is of course ignorant, his father in law
Coxe an intelligent old Sea captain, his brother in law
Coxe, a good natured sailor. Mrs Swift a handsome clever
woman, & an old maid sister a fat notable lady. These
with two spoiled children form my friend Swifts family.
Sunday Dec"" 26th a very fine frosty morning & mild
day. Begin a picture as a design for Mrs Denisons port*
Paint on Low & Coxe. Walk. Ev^ Read. Samuel.
Monday [Dec] 27th Mild. Cloudy. I walk every morn-
ing before breakfast after attending to ray fire at -my
painting room. Write to Doughty & send him 19.58 dol-
lars for Cloths & Colours. Paint on Hill, Low & Lyford.
Walk. Evening at Mr Maxwells.
504 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Tuesday [Dec] 28th Mild frosty morning. Paint on
Lyford & Low. Maxwell calls & engages a small picture
of his mother, Mrs Reed sister to Mrs Marsden. Walk as
usual. Evening read.
Wed^ [Dec] 29th Clear cold winter's day but I think
the even^ promises milder weather tomorrow. Paint on
Hill, begin Mrs Reed, paint on Low. Mrs Reed was ac-
companied by her daughter Mrs Hohnes, a fine lively
widow.
Thursday 30th Dec' Last night a little snow fell which
melted in the morning & it rains steadily. In the evening
it clears up windy & cold. Receive a letter from my wife.
All well y^ 25th. On the twenty-fourth it rained & snowed
& Christmas day was clear with the ground cover'd
slightly with snow in N. Y. Paint on Lows portrait. Even^
read Count Fathom.^^
Friday 31st Dec'" 1819. A Cold winter's day but clear,
Crocker, capt° of the Steam Boat Petersburg says there
was a violent snow storm on the Bay. Paint on Low &
Watson. Afternoon visited by Mr Wright Southgate who
expressed his admiration of Low's portrait & almost en-
gaged a portrait of Mrs Southgate who I am told is a
beautiful Woman. Even^ finish Count Fathom & write to
my Wife.
Saturday Jan^ 1st 1820. Finish & send off letter to my
Wife. The morning is clear & cold. The creeks & inlets
frozen, & fresh water hard & thick. Boys & young men
Skating. Paint on Low. Afternoon Walk. Ev^ at William-
son's. Neilson there.
Sunday [Jan.] 2d Walk, Call on Neilson by appoint-
ment. Am engaged to copy a portrait of Miss Neilson by
Sully. ^^ Go to Church with Williamson. It is clear & cold
86 Smollett's novel, The Adventures of Ferdinand, Count Fathom
(1753).
87 Thomas Sully painted a portrait of Miss Neilson in May, 1814, and
after her death, made two copies from it, in May 1818. Biddie and
Fielding, The Life and Works of Thomas Sxdly.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 505
but some degrees warmer than yesterday. Mr Low
preaches.
I saw yesterday a scene which reminded me of a Slave
Market. Those slaves who had not been hired out by
the year in private, stood in the publick street to be hired,
while whites bargained for them. This morning I saw
a black driving or leading a small Cart drawn by a miser-
able mule with a cofiin composed of thin white boards
nailed together, to bury, as I presume a poor slave in
the potters field, which is about a mile from the populous
part of y® Town & near Fort Barber. This afternoon walk-
ing over the common towards potters field, I saw a pro-
cession come from a large house near the Common. A
hearse cover'd with a canopy of black drawn by one
horse, preceeded by six black men well dressed, one of
whom had a book in his hand, & followed by 25 or 30
black men & women. I attended their movements & pro-
ceed to the burying ground. The six who preceeded the
hearse sung as they walk, a Hymn the lines of which
were read line by line, in a loud sonorous voice, by the
booksman: All was solemn. As I approached the ground
I perceived another crowd & another hearse similarly
adorned was just moving from it. I drew near & heard a
preacher from the midst of this second congregation, like-
wise all black, vociferating in the manner of the Metho-
dists in a monotonous tone at the top of a harsh dis-
cordant voice with great rapidity and no pauses but those
required to catch breath. I listen'd in serious mood and
heard what but for the occasion & the sobs & wailings
of the females of the assembly would have been very
ludicrous. ''Wo! Wo Wo! Husband who have wives look
here. Moders look here, broders & sisters look here. Your
own times must come. To go to Heaven or to Hell, to
the blessed Lamb or to eternal fires, it was only a few
days ago, when I was going by this Lady's house, she
was standing at the door. How do you do madam says I.
How do you do uncle Bob says she. (The orator was an
old grey woolled Negro whose face was distorted by his
incessant bawling, for such it was & all in one note) 0
506 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Uncle Bob I am just going. Dont be afraid madam says
I dont give over. 0 but I am give over. I have but just
a little breat left. What can I do for you madam. Nobody
cant do nothing for me, all I ax of you Uncle Bob is to
preach my funeral Sarmon. &c &c &c. By this time the
first procession had come up & they surrounded the Grave
in silence. I walked away & passed up the road about half
a mile on my return found the Baptists, for such the
singers were, in full chorus. It was now almost dark &
I passed down Church Street on my return home. I soon
over took three blacks vociferously merry & perceived
that the loudest was Uncle Bob who had a scanty scarf
over his shoulders about the size of a large towel &
another round his hat. I slacken'd my pace to learn the
subject of their mirth & found it was Death and immor-
tality. Uncle Bob with loud laughter assured his two
companions that he was certain of immortal happiness
in Heaven, and the three w*'' with peals of laughter con-
tinued to treat this subject in a way contrasting strongly
with the earnestness of the preacher at the grave. Eve-
ning at Mr Maxwells.
Monday Jan'' 3d 1820. I moved my painting establish-
ment to a house nearly opposite. Afternoon Walk. Eve-
ning read in Acts.
[Jan.] 4th The weather is uniformly cold & clear.
Walk. Begin a portrait of Lieut, Kennon.®^ paint on Mrs
Reed.
[Jan.] 5th Same weather. Walk. Paint on Lt. Kennon.
One of the Zantzengers engages a portrait. Mr [blank]
says he must have portrait for his daughter. Begin copy
of Miss Neilsons portrait by Sully for Mr Neilson.
[Jan.] 6th Same weather. Paint on Kennon. Evening
read in Acts.
88 Beverly Kennon, commissioned Lieutenant, U. S. N., July 24, 1813,
and stationed at Norfolk, Va., in 1819. Register of Officers . . . in the
service oj the U. S. on the 30th of Sept., 1819.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 507
[Jan.] 7th Clear & mild. Receive a letter from my
Wife 31st Dec"" Cold & deep Snow. Williamson invites me
to his Country house. Says he will build a painting room
& a Dwelling house for me rent 250 dollars on Fenchurch
Street. Paint on Kennon. Evening write to my Wife, on
the subject of breaking up in N. Y.
[Jan.] 8th Mild. Finish letter & send it off. Finish
Kennon's picture. Rain. The lower part of the house I
now paint in, is occupied by a Black Barber & an Irish
Dancing Master. Hearing this Ev^ something that re-
ssembled preaching below stairs, I went to the head of
the stair & found that O'Sullivan was under the influence
of the Spirit converting or confirming Tom Knight, to
or in the holy Roman Catholic faith. Of course as in the
case of Uncle Bob I only heard part of the Sermon. "They
pretend that we worship Idols, pictures & Images, but its
no such thing, we only look on the picture of our blessed
Saviour, for example, and it puts us in mind of his suf-
ferings for our sakes, that's all Tom." ^'Yes to be sure
Sir" ''And if we pray to him then is that praying to the
picture?" "No to be sure Sir" "Why I could take a bit
of a piece chalk & make a cross on the Wall & draw a
man on it, & because it put me in mind of what I owe
to my Redeemer, and I kneel'd down & said my prayers
would it be to the WaU and the chalk?" "No to be sure"
"We only hold to the customs taught and handed down
from the Apostles to the popes in a straight line through
the holy Catholic Church" "Yes Sir & dey all say we
believe in the Holy Cholic Church." "Right Tom, & they
would never seperated from the Catholic Religion but
for two German Priests Luther and Calvin who set up
a new religion because the Bishops would not trust them
with the Church's money, & they were patronized by a
petty German prince who was no better than a Deist."
"Yes Sir" "And Henry the 8th of England, who was a
Roman Catholic, wrote against Luther & Calvin and
shew'd that they were Heretics & the pope in consequence
gave him the title of Defender of the Faith which the
508 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Kings of England bear to this day" "Yes Sir" "But he
for the sake of woman quarel'd with the Holy See." "Yes
Sir. Jack see that water dat boil over." "Then Tom there
is Transubstantiation" "Yes Sir" "We believe that the
bread & the wine is the real body and blood of Christ,
but they say how can it be, dont we see it is bread &
wine & not flesh & blood, but you know, Tom, when our
Saviour turn'd water into wine, it was a miracle, & he
commission'd his apostles to perform miracles & he gave
the same power to their followers & this is a miracle."
"Yes Sir" "And then for Extreme Unction — "Halloo
Tom! will you shave me?" "Yes I suppose I must" Tom
Knight went into his shop & O'SuUivan into his. I went
to my Tea. On my return the preacher was fiddling and
another set of hearers were & are still profitting by his
labours.
Sunday 9th Jan^ 1820. After a rainy night a clear mild
day. Work on Kennon & finish higher. Williamson calls
& invites me to dine. Pays me 40 dolls on acct. of Low,
leaving balance due to me 25 for picture & frame. Kennon
pays me 50, due to me for frame 17. Williamson shows
me a letter from Shaw, containing specimen of his in-
tended Sentimental journey in prose & verse & conclud-
ing with a wish to borrow 50 or 100 dollars. Presumption
and ignorance marked on it as on his conversation : paid
Mr Glenn up Jan^ 7th 1820. Dine & take tea at William-
sons. Ev^ call at Maxwell's.
Monday [Jan.] 10th Hard rain. Finish Hills picture.
Ev^ read in Acts.
[Jan.] 11th Cloudy & somewhat colder. Paint on Mr
Low, & Mrs Reed. Night colder.
[Jan.] 12th Frosty morning. Pamt on Mr Low, Mr
Hill, Finish Mrs Reed, paint on Miss Neilson. Ev^ quite
cold. Rec : a letter from A. B. Durand Engraver Declin-
ing to share in publishing D. D. Bishop Moore's picture.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 509
agrees to Engrave it, size of Bishop White for $500, half
y" sum paid at commencing. The size is 15 by 17 Inches,
price to be asked 5 or 6 dollars. Cost of printing & paper
15 the hundred. Thus 500 would cost me 575 dollars &
125 dollars to deliver & collect e i 700 — a subscription
of 500 @ 6 is 3000, of 400 is 2400, of 300 is 1800, of 200
is 1200. Go into Williamson's & play back Gammon.
[Jan.] 13th A very cold morning but clear. Walk.
Paint on Lyford & Cox and began a Mr Reardon brother
to the one I had painted. A Mrs Roberts & Miss Taylor
her niece call on me & talk of picture of the latter. After
noon Crawley's calls. Williamson had mention'd that I
thought of coming here to live & C is uneasy: William-
son, Neilson & somebody else come in. Take tea with
Mrs Williamson. Even^ write to Robertson.
Jan^' 14th Mild. Cloudy. Rain mixed with Snow & Sleet.
Paint on Reardon, Cox and Mrs Reed. Williamson calls
& engages a groupe of three Children. Even^ Write.
[Jan.] 15th After a rainy Night a wet morning &
cloudy. Paint on Reardon. T A Cooper calls on me, on
his way to Charleston. Afternoon go w*" C. to Gosport to
see Swift.
[Jan.] 16th Sunday. Beautiful springlike morning.
Rainy &c in Afternoon & Evening. Begin a portrait of
Cooper. Williamson invites me to Dinner. Go. in the Ev^
he suggests his own plans of grouping the Children's pic-
ture, and finally tells me he cant afford to give more than
70 or 80 dollars for the picture & concludes by saying
that if I have other business I may defer beginning it
until my return. I told him I should not go further with
the business, changed the conversation, & so ends Mr
Williamson & his patronage.
Monday morning Jan'' 17th After a night of rain &
wind a clear morning positively warm, in ab^ yu an hour
510 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
wind changed to W. blew a tempest at first with violent
rain, then clear & cold comparatively, not frosty, & so
continues thro' the day. Paint on Cooper & Reardon.
Cooper & Williamson with me in the afternoon. Gilfert,
Nelson, Green &c arrive on their way to Charlestown S C.
Call to see them & Cooper at Davis's. Even^ read.
Tuesday [Jan.] 18th Fine clear frosty weather. Paint
on Kennon, Cooper & Reardon. The Actors &c depart.
Even^ Walk & read. On Saturday y^ 15th I received a
bundle by water contain^ Stockings, Newspapers, a letter
from Sam' M. Hopkins on the Indian character & a letter
from my Wife. I rec*' yesterday a letter from my Wife
by Mail.
Wed'' [Jan.] 19th Fine morning. Receive a letter from
my Wife. See by reading room book the 400 houses in
Savannah are burnt. Paint on Cox, Hill & Reardon. Mr
Cocke engages his picture. Mr Neverson a young Lawyer
is introduced to me by Williamson & lends me "Fanny"
a poem ^^ by Drake of N. Y. (Croaker) & I read it with
great pleasure. Even^ read American & Humphry Clinker.
Thursday 20th Jan'' 1820. A Mild & Spring like day.
Paint on Reardon & Watson & begin Mr Cocke. Lt Bell
of the Navy engages his portrait. Afternoon Mr Neilson
engages his portrait. Even^ at Williamson & af terw^^ write
to my Wife.
Friday [Jan.] 21st A most spring like day. Write to
my Wife & sent a draft on Mechanics Bank for 150 dolls
payable to my son. I have been in Norfolk 13 Weeks,
from home 14. I am preparing to go to Lyn Haven bay
w^'' Williamson.
Sunday 23d Jan'' 1820 at 12 OClock arrived at Norfolk
in a violent Snow Storm. Our ride on friday was pleasant
89 Fanny was written, not by Joseph Rodman Drake, but by the other
author of the "Croaker" poems, Fitz-Greene Halleck. It was published
anonymously in 1819, but Halleck's name appeared on the title page of
the second edition, in 1821.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1S20 511
over this level country thro' woods, principally ever-
greens. Trees of pine & underwood of Myrtle, with occa-
sional plantations until we arrived at Ferry-ville, Wil-
liamson's house & plantation, situated on an Inlet called
a river & looking like a beautiful small lake. After dining
with Mr & Mrs Low, we went shooting, the parson with
us, but having no dog found no game but one snipe which
I shot. A supper of very fine fat large Lynhaven Oysters
with coffee & draughts closed the day. On Saturday every
preparation for duck shooting having been made we pro-
ceeded notwithstanding light showers of rain, in a Boat
with four oars down the river to the great Bay of Chesa-
peake. On tuesday last an East Indiaman had been
wrecked on Cape Henry and as we approached the bay
we found the black pepper floating past us on the water.
We landed on a point and saw the line of black formed
by the pepper corns on the beach as far as the eye could
see & the inhabitants collecting it & conveying it off in
carts or canoes. Our oarsmen began to collect pepper &
Low & niyself went to shoot ducks, only one having been
killed on the way. We return'd to the beach unsuccessful
& found that Williamson had gone down to the Cape by
the beach & we followed, making a walk of 6 miles, to
Cape Henry Lighthouse, all this distance was strewed
with pepper & as we approached the fragments of the
wreck were seen strewed on the sand. Labourers were
collecting the pepper & conveying it to the Lighthouse
for the owners: A number of small birds in flocks were
eating the pepper. Wild Geese in great numbers were
both in the bay & the Inlet, but they were not to be
approached. A Hard rain drove us, wet, for shelter into
the House by the Lighthouse, where we found W. Di-
rectly opposite the Light was the hull of the Ship. The
rain ceasing we walked our Six miles back, having seen
Cape Henry, the Sea, a wreck & the beach strewed with
the spice of India. Some Coffee was among the pepper,
but that article was yet principally in the wTeck. We
embarked again near sun set & arrived cold & hungry
to enjoy the hospitalities & luxuries of the Mansion at
512 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Ferrjorille. I have seen a person who was on board the
wreck since our return, he says they were dismasted on
Monday by the squall I have mentioned. Went on shore
altho' they saw the light, not judging of the distance
owing to haze. I first saw in my ride the long waving
Moss streaming from the branches of the trees or form-
ing festoons. Evening Write & read, the storm of snow
continues.
Monday [Jan.] 24th Cold & clear & all is covered w^''
snow. Finish my letter to Robertson. Paint on Hill, Rear-
don & Watson. Even" read Humphrey Klinker.^"
Tuesday 25th Jan'^ 1820. Clear and mild. Paint on
Watson, Cocke & Miss Neilson. Doctor Kennon engages
a portrait. Mr Cocke says he will have a portrait of his
sister. Even^ read Humphry Clinker.
Wed'' [Jan. 26] Cold with thin clouds snow like. Paint
on Cocke & Miss Neilson. Evening Hail. At Williamsons.
Thursday [Jan.] 27th Mild & Clear. Paint as yester-
day. Evening at Maxwells.
Friday [Jan.] 28 Paint on Cocke, Mrs Read & Lyfords
Min : Mild. Even^ rain. Send Grahams picture to Cooper
at Charleston. Write to Cooper & send him a draft on
Graham.
Saturday [Jan.] 29th After hard warm rain all night, a
misty morning. Mist all day. Receive a letter & bundle
from my Wife date Jan'' 15th at that time moderate
weather in N. Y. with a great deal of Snow on the ground.
Paint on Hill, Reardon & Watson. Maxwell & Southgate
call, the latter now talks of his own portrait. Williamson
and McCormick the Commissioner of Wrecks who we
saw at Cape Henry call on me. Evening at Williamsons
& reading Americans rec^ to day.
»o The Expedition of Humphrey Clinker, a novel by Tobias George
Smollett, 1771.
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NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 513
Sunday 30th Jan'' Rain in the night & this morning
steady. No colder. Paint on Miniatures. Read. Even^
write to Cooper & send order on Graham for $31. Write
to my Wife. Read. Still rainy.
Monday [Jan.] 31st Clear & mild. Receive a letter
from my Wife date 21st. Paint on Miss Neilson, Mr
Cocke, & Mr Hill. Even^ read Acts. It grows colder.
Tuesday Feb^ 1st. Very cold. Paint on Miss Neilson.
Afternoon Walk 6 or 8 miles. Returning find a large party
of gentlemen seeking me. Mr [blank] who had been in-
troduced to me by the Bishop introduces Mr [blank]
who is the intended successor of Low, & others, and en-
gages his own picture to be begun the beginning of next
week. Even^ read in Acts,
[Feb.] 2d Milder & pleasant. Paint on Miss Neilson.
At my request the Misses Glenn sate anew, I wish to
make two bolder & better pictures than the first. While
they sat I had to refuse admittance to three companies
of Ladies & gentlemen, as many as 14. In the afternoon
3 other companies visitted me & Mr [blank] engaged his
picture to begin tomorrow.
Thursday 3d Feb'' 1820. Summer warmth but begins to
blow between 9 & 10. Showers all day & night rain. Paint
on Miss Neilson. Evening Messrs. Hill, Chapin & Dykes
with me.
Friday [Feb.] 4th. Clear & mild. Meet Mr [blank]
who renews the subject of his daughter's picture, if she
does not come here, I to go to his house on [blank]
River. Receive a letter from my Wife all well Sat'' last.
Paint on Miss Neilson & two Misses Glenn. Mr Neilson
is to sit on Sunday, Mr Hunter Tomorrow. Walk with
Crawley. Even^ read.
[Feb.] 5th Mild & clear. Begin Mr Hunter's picture,
at 8 OClock. Paint on Misses Glenn. My room throng 'd
514 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
with visitors. Afternoon by appointment calFd on Mr
Farmer & went with him to see Mrs John Taylor & Miss
Roberts her niece. See a head by Stewart & a number of
pictures by Gessner a son of the poet. Engage to paint
a portrait of Miss Roberts $75 size playing on the Harp.
Ev^ at G. B. Hills.
Sunday [Feb.] 6th Dissapointed by Mr James Neilson
who was to have sate. Mr Robertson calls in & engages a
picture & sits. The weather is still clear & warm as spring,
rather summer, for after sunset the inhabitants were sit-
ting at their doors and windows as in July. Evening call
at Williamsons & then read at my room. Mr Powhatan
Robertson is a young lawyer and has the blood of Poca-
hontas in his veins. The family are among the rich of
the Land.
Feb'' 7th Still warm but cloudy. Paint on Hunter &
Robertson. Begin a portrait of James Neilson. Many
Visitors. Afternoon clear & warm. Walk
Feb'' 8th Clear & mild. Paint on Hunter & Robertson
& Neilson & begin another portrait of Cox.
[Feb.] 9th Clear & mild after a rainy night. This
afternoon summer warm. Even^ windy. Paint on Robert-
son to finishing, & on Neilson and make a sketch of Miss
Roberts at her Harp by going to Mr Taylors (her uncle)
Even^ call at Maxwells. Write to my wife.
[Feb.] 10th A rainy day. Paint on Hunter Neilson &
Miss Roberts. Receive a letter from my wife of the 4th
& 5th inst. at that time cold & stormy in N. Y. Even*
read Tom Jones. Violent wind & rain.
[Feb.] 11th Friday Fine clear morning. Send ofif Pow-
hatan Robertsons picture to Richm*^ Paint on Coxe &
Miss Roberts. Even^ at Williamsons.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 515
[Feb.] 12th Saturday. Paint on Hunter & Miss Rob-
erts. Afternoon walk. The weather is clear & perfect
Spring. The red bird is singing & the Frogs are in full
Chorus. By invitation take Tea & pass the evening at
Mr Taylors, Miss Neverson & her brother & Mr Farmer
present. Taylor is a strange original & Farmer another
tho' perfectly opposite. Miss Neverson a fine woman &
Miss Roberts both Musicians, with Mrs T's politeness
& the oddity of her husband make an agreable evenings
entertainment.
Sunday Feb^ 13th 1820. Still spring. Walk. Paint on
Miniatures, and draw. Last friday (y^ 11th) I had been
in Norfolk 16 weeks & I paid to day to that time. It
appears that since I left home I have expended in
Travelling
50
Materials as
Strainers,
col-
ours &c
76
Lottery tickets by agreem'
taken for a
picture
30
Frames
40
Sent home
175
personal expences & rent
233
604
Thus my own expences in Norfolk (including rent of
painting room) has been $14.57 per week, but I would
not have agreed to pay so high for board, but that Mr
Glenn has given me work to the am^ of $125, part done,
part engaged.
Afternoon & part of Ev^ at Williamson renewing subr
ject of Exh° paint^ & House rooms. He engages for 300
rent & to take a part in pictures. Read Tom Jones.
Monday [Feb.] 14th Clear & warm as spring in the
morning & the heat encreases to summer temperature.
Paint on Hunter, Neilson & Miss Roberts, and draw for
the latter at Taylors. Receive a letter from [Alexander]
516 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Robertson by which I find the Salary of the Keeper of
the A Academy is taken off and a disposition manifested
to change the keeper owing to his absence. I will write
to decline being a Candidate for the Office. Write ac-
cordingly to the Directors & my son.
[Feb.] 15th Tuesday. Perfect summer in warmth. The
grass growing, birds singing & gardens making. Paint on
Neilson & Miss Roberts. Among my Visitors to day Mr
& Mrs Wright Southgate. Evening still Summer. Read.
Three fifths of the slaves in the Slave States are added
to the free persons represented. So that we have in Con-
gress 20 representatives of Slaves. Virginia has 582,104
free persons & 392,518 slaves. Thus while it requires
35000 free persons to send a representative from N. Y.
25,559 free persons in Virginia do the same (or are equal).
Of the Territory ceded to y^ U. S. North W. of y^ Ohio, it
was determined in 1787 and ratified under the present
Constitution That there should be neither slavery nor
involuntary servitude within s*^ Territory. Ohio, Indiana
& Illinois, are the States formed on this compact. Ken-
tucky formed out of Virginia was admitted without pro-
hibiting Slavery, as the Inhabitants were considered as
Virginians, & Vermont was admitted without this pro-
hibition, because she had already herself prohibited. The
western Territory of N. Carolina & Georgia was ceded to
U. S. under the express condition that Slavery should
not be prohibited, & as that territory was included in
the original compact am^ the States which admitted ex-
isting Slavery, the new States of Tennessee, Alabama &
Mississippi, are of course Slave States. But in all these
transactions not only was the power of Congress to pro-
hibit Slavery in the New States not denied, but positively
admitted.
Wed^ [Feb.] 16th Still summer. Receive a letter from
my Son. Writ to Alex^ Robertson. Paint on Neilson &
Miss Roberts. Mr Low tells me that the Therm: is at
75. I have had my flannels off for two days & still too
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 517
warm. I sweat sitting at my work. They say it is very
uncommon here. By a N. Y. paper I see that on the 10th
the[y] had the severest snow storm known for years. At
that time nothing here indicated Winter. Afternoon write
to my son. Walk. Therm at 79. Evening read.
[Feb.] 17th Send letter to my son. Same warm weather
with high wind. Call on Mr [James] McGibbon who had
called on me some days past. He is apparently a worthy
man but he is a very bad artist. He says he reside [d]
15 years in Boston & 9 in Baltimore. That there is not
portrait painting enough done in Bait: to support one
artist. That if he had heard of my being here he would
not have come here. Finish Mr James Neilson. Rain &
clears up very pleasant. Afternoon Walk.
[Feb.] 18th Clear & Springlike. Paint on Mr Hunter,
Miss Neilson & Miss Roberts. Receive a letter from my
Wife. Afternoon ride with Mrs Taylor & Miss Roberts
to T's country house & make sketches of scenery for my
picture of Miss R. Miss Wilson of N. Y. with us. Call
at Mr Lamb's. These seats are on the E branch of Eliza-
beth River 3 Miles from Norfolk. The novelties resulting
from the clunate are the robin now pairing, the Holly
tree with its evergreen leaves & red berries of a bitter
sweet taste, & the "Fair maid of February a beautiful
species of Iris.
[Feb.] 19th This day I am 54 years of age. Many
reflexions might be suggested by that circumstance. The
day is a cold spring day. I put on my flannels again. Paint
on Miss Roberts. Afternoon walk. Even^ read Tom Jones.
Sunday Feb^ 20th W^arm & showry. Paint Miniatures.
Write to my Wife. Williamson calls on me & I go to Tea
Monday [Feb.] 21st Clear & cool. Send off letter to my
Wife. Paint on Cox & Miss Roberts. Evening at Max-
wells. James Dwight came here on his way to Richmond.
518 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
[Feb.] 22d Hoar frost. Clear & mild. Paint on Neilson
& Miss Roberts. Many Visitors. Crocker engages for his
& his Wifes & from 1 to 3 more portraits. Even^ read in
American.
[Feb.] 23d Clear & mild. Paint on Miss Neilson & Miss
Roberts. Afternoon walk. So warm that I discard my
flannel shirt again. Even^ with Hill, Capron & Dykes.
[Feb.] 24th Summer heat. I yesterday first observed
peach or Apricot trees in bloom & to day see more. Paint
on Miss Neilson, Mr Neilson & Cox. Afternoon at Neil-
son's. Even^ read Buck tail Bards ^^ &c
Friday [Feb.] 25th Last night a thunder storm & to
day clear & very warm. Pamt on Miss Neilson & Miss
Roberts. Even^ read American & Tom Jones.
Sat'' [Feb.] 26th In my walk this morning I heard for
the first time this year the melody of the Thrush. Green
fields blooming trees & singing Birds now announce the
spring & the temperature is summer. Paint on Hunter &
Cox. Afternoon walk tho' the heat is oppressive. Read
Don Juan (Byron's) lent by W Nivison Esq"" on whom
I call'd to day & was introduced to Messrs. Myers &
Parker
Sunday [Feb.] 27th Rain in the night and showers this
morning. Finish Don Juan. 2 cantoes. Strange, powerful,
good & evil. Paint Miniature, weather cooler.
Monday [Feb.] 28th Cold & windy but not frost. Paint
on Neilson and Miss Roberts. Yesterday as I took my
afternoon walk, a little boy came from a genteel looking
house & in the name of Mr Myers asked me in. I ac-
cepted the invitation. I had seen the gentleman at Nivi-
91 "Bucktail bards" were poets who wrote in praise of the N. Y. Tam-
many Society. Kilroe, Saint Tammany and the Origin of the Society of
Tammany or Columbian Order in the City of New York (N. Y. 1913),
148, 165.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 519
son's office. I was now introduced by Mr Sam' Myers to
his brother John & another gentleman & took some wine
in pleasant conversation. In the even*^ I mentioned the
circumstances to Williamson & found him very bitter
against Myers, calling him Murderer. S. Myers is the man
who shot Bowden for striking his (Myers') father. The
elder Myers has been one of the first merchants here, but
failed last summer. They are jews, well informed, genteel
& uncommonly handsome in the younger part of the
family. Evening write to my Wife.
Tuesday Feb^ 29th Winter cold. Give to Lyford to
send by the Alligator Capt° Hart a bundle & letter to
go with 10 Hams to my wife. Write to my wife by Mail.
Paint on Miss Roberts. Walk. Even^ it has become milder.
Write to my Wife. Read in Maxwells letters from
Virginia.
Wed^ March 1st Fine Spring morning. Finish & send off
letter to my Wife. Paint on Miss Roberts. Ev^ colder.
Read Maxwells letters.
Thursday Mar: 2d High wind & winter cold: no ice, I
presume only from the effect of the wind. The cold in-
creases towards noon with violent Snow squalls. Paint
on Miss Roberts' picture.
[March] 3d After a very cold & windy night a clear
calm cold morning. Water freezes in my painting room
at noon. Rec'^ yesterday a letter from my Wife: all well
last Saturday: then mild in N. Y. but snow still in the
streets. Paint a little on Miss Roberts. Ev^ at William-
sons.
[March] 4th After a cold night a mild March day.
Paint on Neilson & Miss Roberts. Many Visitors. Ev^
read Tom Jones.
Sunday March 5th A mild moist day. Paint on Lyford
& Miss Roberts. Even^
520 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
6th March. Monday. A warm spring morning. I do not
see in my walks the effects of the late frost. All looks
fresh & blooming. Paint on Miss Roberts. Ev^ read Tom
Jones.
Tuesday [March] 7th Cold rain. Paint on Miss Rob-
erts. Even^ read in Scots Visit to Paris 1814.
[March] 8th Wet & foggy. Afternoon & evening hard
rain. Paint on Miss Roberts. This sweet little girl comes
generally attended by some young Lady of her acquaint-
ance & seems as much pleased with the business of sitting
as she could be by any amusement whatever. In the
afternoon Williamson call'd and we talk'd over the busi-
ness of my next Winters establishment. Even^ read "Visit
to Paris.
[March] 9th After violent rain thro' the night, a fair
morning. At noon rain again & continues. Paint on Miss
Roberts.
[March] 10th Last night excessive rain & the morning
wet. Clears up in the evening & the night frost. Paint on
Miss Roberts.
[March] 11th Send off letter to my Wife. A cold morn-
ing & black frost. Passed last Evening at Mr Caprons.
Painted a little on Miss Roberts. Even^ read Williams'
France.
Sunday [March] 12th Another cold morning. Write
to my wife in answer to one from her received yesterday.
[March] 13th Cold & cloudy, send letter to my wife
by Jon : Butler. Write note to Mr Bowden to fix my en-
gagem' w^^ him. Paint on Miss Neilson & Miss Roberts.
Read: Diet: of A & S ®^ art: Statues, proportions of the
Venus de Medicis, Length 10 faces and 2 thirds. From the
bottom of the right ear to the clavicles 1 face. From the
center of the left patella to the sole of the foot, 3 faces,
breadth of the face from ear to ear 2 noses & %2 — thick-
^- G(eorge) Gregory, Dictionary of Arts and Sciences, first American
edition, Philadelphia,' 1815-17.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 521
ness of the neck 2 noses. Shoulders 7 noses %2 — breast
5 noses %2. a little above the naval 4 noses yi2: of the
hips 6 noses "^12: of the thigh 3 noses /42: of the knee
2 noses /42 : of the leg 2712 : of the ancle small of y" leg
2%/i2 : of the bones of the ancle 1 — %2 : of the foot at the
roots of the toes 1 — % 2 : Length of the lower arm
4 — ^/'i2: of the upper arm 7 noses. Thickest part of the
arm above the elbow 1 nose ^^12: below 1 — %2'- of the
wrist 1 nose %/i2: From the center of the wrist to the
middle finger 1 — ^%2: middle finger 1 — 8!4/i2: breadth
of the hand l^i/{'/i2:
Mar: 14th Warm & cloudy. Paint on Mr Neilson.
Wed^ [March] 15th Paint on Miss Neilson & Miss
Roberts. Receive a note from Mr John T Bowdoin &
answer it giving my opinion on the subject of his childs
picture & my prices. Even^ read "Hermit in London.
Thursday [March] 16th Fine spring weather. Paint
on Miss Neilson. Afternoon go to Portsmouth. Ev^ read.
Friday [March] 17th Spring like but cool. Yesterday
rec*^ letter & newspapers from my Wife: A letter from
Alex'" Robertson & a letter of Thanks from the Directors
for faithful services &c as keeper of the Academy. Paint
on Watson, Miss Neilson & Miss Roberts. Even^ read.
Saturday 18th March. I have been in Norfolk 21 weeks
6 one day. The w-eather to day is cold & damp. Clear eve-
ning. Paint on Mr Neilson & Miss Neilson. Read in
American. Walk.
Sunday [March] 19th Fine clear morning & white
frost. Out of town the water in the ditches frozen over.
The day pleasant. Paint Miniature. Receive letter from
my wife. Dine with Sam' Meyers. Walk.
Monday [March] 20th Mild & cloudy. Write to my
wife. Rain in afternoon & night. Paint on Cox & Miss
Roberts.
522 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
[March] 21st Clear & mild. Becomes cloudy & evening
rain. Paint on Miss Neilson. Even^ read N. Y. papers.
It is now long since I have begun a picture & I look
anxiously to the close of my stay here. I have many
Visitors, much praise or flattery. I have been constantly
employed & after all shall arrive in N. Y. perhaps as poor
as I left it. I have supported myself & my family &
perhaps open'd a source of employment and support (or
more) for the future. I ought to be thankful. I am, altho'
my spirits sink sometimes.
Wed'^ [March] 22d Paint on Miss Neilson. Weather
cool & damp. Receive letter from Sully who says he will
be on here y® 31st & wishes me to find a room to Exhibit
his "Washington at the Delaware." Busy myself in look-
ing at public & private buildings. See Mr [John E.] Holt,
Mayor, offer of the Court house.
Thursday 23d March. Paint on the Misses Glenn. Look
for room for Sully. None high enough. Ev° at Maxwells.
[March] 24th Find a room at Orphans Assylum that
may do. Write to Sully. Springlike clear morning. Begin
a picture of Mr Robt Taylor, father of General Taylor.
Mr [Thomas L.] Callender, M: Judahs partner arrives
from N. C. We hear of the Duel of Barron & Decatur.
Walk to Portsmouth.
[March] 25th Sat^ Warm. Begin a picture of Mr Cal-
lender. Walk.
[March] 26th Sunday. Beautiful morning. Write to
my Wife in answer to one of yesterday. Paint on Callen-
der. See y"" culling Asparagus.
[March] 27th Write to Sully. Paint on Callender who
departs. Paint on old Mr Taylor & Miss Roberts. Very
Warm. Walk. Evening Thunder shower. Call on William-
son.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 523
[March] 28th Very pleasant. Paint on Mr Taylor. See
Asparagus in Market at 6 cents a bundle: but not like
N. Y.
[March] 29th Wed^ Cloudy, a little rain. Paint on Miss
Roberts & Miss Glenn,
[March] 30th Thursday. Cold. Paint on Mr Taylor &
Miss Glenn. Read Ivanhoe.
[March] 31st Friday. I have been in Norfolk 23 weeks.
Sully's picture arrives without him. He writes me he is
painting in Baltimore. Paint on Mr Taylor. Weather cool
but pleasant. Begin a portrait of Math: Glenn: jr.
April 1st 1820. Saturday. Warm. Evening Thunder,
hail & rain. Rain all night. Paint on Miss M: Glenn, &
on Watson. Receive letter from my Wife of 26th March.
Then warm in N. Y, as here.
Ap' 2d Sunday. Cold & wet. Write to my Wife. Storm
increases. Paint Miniatures. Aft: r*^ Clarke's Matthew.
Mathew the same as Levi. This Gospel (Godspel) writ-
ten in Hebrew & translated into Greek. The translator
unknown. The Christ or the Messiah is the anointed,
whether King, priest or prophet. The Genealogy of Christ
accord^ to Matt, is thro' David to Joseph who found her
with child before "they came together." Isaiah gave as a
sign to Ahaz that his enemies sh*^ not prevail against him.
"A virgin shall bear a son." This is s*^ to be a prophecy
of the Christ, if it was a sign to Ahaz, it occurred in the
time of Ahaz. John y^ Baptist was 6 mo: older than
Christ. There is a very remarkable passage from the
Hindoo scriptures quoted here by Clarke on the perform-
ance of moral duties. In the Temptation, What is trans-
lated *Tf thpu be the Son of God" should be "a son of
God" Prophets were called the Sons of God, & even some-
times God. Evening read. The storm continues cold &
violent.
Ap' 3d Monday. Cold, cloudy & a little Snow, After-
noon & Even^ clear & cold. Paint on young Glenn.
524 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Walk. Sully's picture is finer than I at first thought. The
Horses are admirable. The whole composition grand. The
distance sublime. Ev^ read. I find in Gregory's Diet: of
Arts & Sci: a good Treatise on paint palette from Van-
dyke & Remb*
1. Flake White, 2 Yellow Oker & its tints. 3 Light red & its tints.
4. Verm: & its tints. 5 Lake, VermiUion, & White. 6. Rose tint e i
Lake, a little Indian red & White. 7 Blue tint e i Ultram. & White
(it follows the yellows) 8 Lead tint e i Ivory black & white. 9. Green
tint Pruss: blue, Yellow ockre & White. 10. Half shade tint e i
Indian red and White. 11 Shade tint e i Lake, Indian red, black &
white, this is Murrey colour (half tint). 12 Red shade e i Lake &
Indian red. 13. Warm shade e i Lake & Brown Pink. This is for the
first & second painting. Dark shade is Ivory black & a little Indian
red.
Palette for Finishing for Flesh requires in addition. Carmine & its
tints. Lake, Brown pink, Ivory Black, prussian blue. Meaning I
presume to glaze with these pure.
To Dead Colour Flesh
Make out the whole with the shade tint (composed of Lake Indian
red black & white) and the Light red tint in different degrees of
lightness & then strengthen (after sweetening) the shadows by the
Warm shade e i Lake & Brown pink. Next (still the first painting)
improve the red & yellows, put in y* blues & so of the shadows.
Second Painting
Oil the work & wipe off (Bad) Scumble light red & yellow tints
over the corresponding light parts, & glaze the shadows with the
shadow tints, then touch lightly with the virgin tints the reds yel-
lows & blues.
Third Painting
Correct the glazing, then touch upon the light parts.
April 4th Tuesday. Clear & cold. Last night a hard
frost. Paint on Miss Glenn. Visit Sully's picture both
yesterday & to day. Even^ clear & cold. Read Painting.
Drapery.*'
General rule. Make out the first lay with three tints, light middle
tint & shadow (y^ same colour as the middle tint, with less of the
light in it. Reflections warmer than the local colour.
93 Continuing the abstract of the article "Painting", in Gregory's Dic-
tionary of Arts and Sciences.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 525
For White Sattin
Four degrees of colour. 1. White. 2. White & a Uttle Ivory black.
3 Middle tint, or pearl, e i White black & a little Indian red. (The
second must appear always between the 1st & 3d) 4. The shadow
tint which is the Middle tint with less white.
Second lay.
Is the reflections, which are made by brown ochre and white (or
yellow ochre) and for dark reflections the middle tint and Brown
ochre.
Blue Sattin
Paint it in with white & Black & white. Fu-st lay 3 tints of Prus-
sian blue & White. The middle tint of these 3 is azure. In finishmg
add or glaze Ivory black for the shades & brown oker for the
reflexes.
Velvet
May be pamted at once. Make out the first lay with the middle
tint & shade tint on which lay the high light with light touch. Fin-
ish the shadows as of sattin.
To make a Blue Velvet by Glazing, first paint it black & White,
then when dr}^ glaze with pr Blue, or glaze the lights with Ultra-
marine & the rest w*" p: B.
Scarlet & crimson Sattins and Velvets. A tint of yellow oker,
light red & white is the ground of scarlet, and the Shadows Indian
red, and Indian red & Black. Second painting Vermillion & white
for Sattin & Velvet {Vermillion alone for cloth). The Middle tmt
is Vermillion and a little lake or Indian red and add black in the
darkest shadow. The difference between Scarlet & Crimson is that
the high lights of Crimson are made whiter & the Middle tint is
made darker. The reflects are light red & vermillion. When this is
dry glaze with Lake & improve the shadows & reflects. The Scarlet
requires one very thin glaze. The Crimson two stronger.
Pink Sattin
Lights, Carmine & White, middle tint Lake, carmine & white.
Thin Lake & Indian red, reflects vermillion. (Deepest shadows V.
Brown)
Yellow Sattin
Ground, Yellowish white shaded by yellow & brow[n] oker. Then
paint the hghts with Kings yeUow, first tint yellow ochre & pearl
tint. Middle tint is yellow. Brown ochre & pearl tint. Shade, Bro^^^l
pink and Brown ochre. Finishing, The reflects yellow oker & some-
times yellow oker & light red & the shadows are strength [thjen'd
with Brown pink & burnt umber.
526 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Green Sattin
Ground, yellow ochre, a little white & pr: Blue. Brown pink & p:
Blue for shadows. Paint with: 1. Kings yellow & a very little p:
Blue. 2. add more blue. 3 Shadow, add more blue & brown pink.
Darker, the Brown pink & blue. Querie, What is equivalent to Kings
Yellow.
Black Sattin & Velvet
Ground. Light red & Indian red & black for the shadows. Fin-
ish* For y* lights Black white & a little Lake, middle tint less of
y' white. Shade, lake. Brown pink & black.
Process. Glaze the shadows with the Shade tint & add Black for
the deepest, then lay in the whole of the light with the middle tint &
touch the high lights on it. The reflects are Burnt umbre or brown
ochre.
Linen
The same colours as white sattin except for 2. take Ultramarine
ashes instead of Ivory black. Dead colour with pure white broad
for the lights & the pearl (black white & Indian red) for the shadow.
Finish by glazing the lights with white with as little oil as can be,
then lay in the middle tint & shade, touch then the extreme lights
& last put in the blue tint. Let this dry & then put in the ref[l]exes
and finish.
Black Grounds.
Tint 1. pearl. 2. Lead. 3 Yellow made of Brown ochre & white.
4 Ohve, of yellow ochre, Pr: Blue & white 5. Indian red & white.
6. Murrey, which is pearl with more Indian red. 7. Stone of white,
mnber, black & Indian red. Dark shade of Black & Indian red.
With these tints Harmoniously mingled most grounds for portraits
may be made & if a curtain is introduced, lay it in if a colour
approaching y' finishing colour & whe[n] you finish let it partake
of the ground. Landscape in background should be likewise broke
with the other colours & sky broke with the Lead (black & white)
and Flesh (Indian red & white) tints. The Murrey tint is good for
distant objects (Indian red, white & a little black) Umber and
Dark warm shades in the near ground. (Terra de Cassel is the same
thing as Vandyke brown In the foregoing directions it is not men-
tioned altho' it is the best & richest shadow & glazing colour
known.
Raw umber & white is the best Drab for cloth. Claret colour,
Vandyke Brown, Black & Lake. Lilac, Carmine, pr: blue & white.
April 5th Wed^ Clear & mild. Hoar frost in the morn-
ing. Paint on Mr. Taylor & Matilda Glenn. Afternoon
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 527
found a room full of Company viewing Sully's picture.
Walk. Ev^ Read.
[April] 6th Thursday. Paint on Matthew Glenn, & on
the Drapery of Miss Roberts.
[April] 7th Friday. Paint on Matthew & Eliza Glenn.
Walk. Ev^ rain.
[April] 8th Sat^ Paint on Matthew Matilda & Eliza
Glenn. Receive letter from my Wife. Even^ rain. T Brown
is again Norfolk.
Sunday [April] 9th Write remarks on Sully's picture
for the Herald, & write to my Wife. Afternoon Walk.
Ev^ at Crawley's. Shaw came in, just return'd from
Savannah, Augusta &c and represents the South as a
paradise of riches. He says he obtained more subscribers
to his work in Savannah, and that after the fire than
in any place in y^ U. S. Trott he says got nothing to do
in Charleston, Shields a great deal.
Monday [April] 10th Pleasant but cool. Paint on
Matthew & Eliza Glenn. Visit from Mr John Myers. Mr
Low calls & says he will go to N. Y. next friday.
Tuesday [April] 11th Cold rain. Paint on Matt: Glenn.
Afternoon clear. Walk.
Wed7 [April 12] Clear Warm: Afternoon Summer heat.
Paint on Mr. R. Taylor & Matt: Glenn.
Thursday 18 Ap^: Clear and very pleasant: Paint on
Mr Taylor & Matt Glenn and Miss Roberts. Afternoon
walk. Even^ write to my Wife. Sully's picture yields here
116 dollars (Washington $64, Baltimore 240)
Friday April ll^th 1820. I have been 25 weeks in Nor-
folk and 26 from home. Paint on Mr Taylor Master &
Miss Glenn. Night rain.
528 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Sat^ [April] 15th Paint on Mr Taylor, finish Matt:
Glenn jun"" paint on Miss Glenn. Warm day. Night vio-
lent Thunder & Rain.
Sunday Ap^ 16th Cold & wet. Paint Miniature. After-
noon Walk. Ev^ read in Matthew with Clark.
Ap' 17th. Cool. Finish Mr Lows picture, Mr Brimhalls
picture & Mr Glenn's miniature.
[April] 18th. Preparing to depart. Williamson says he
will get old Mr Taylors picture sold for me at 75, frame
25, & I am to paint one of myself for him. Paint on Mr
Robt. Taylor, the Misses Glenn & Miss Roberts. Walk.
Call on Moran. Ev^ at Hills.
[April] 19th. Summer. Paint on the Misses Glenn.
Even^ read in Matthew & Clark.
[April] 20th Summer. Paint as yesterday General Tay-
lor a Visitor. Expressed himself pleased with his father's
picture. Williamson a long while with me. Begin to pack
up. Afternoon reading over the beginning of this volume.
Every thing being then new, is noticed. Now, my journal
is scant. I observe a query respecting Mr Low. He is the
son of John Low, & directed me to his abode in N. Y.
at his Uncles at the Union Bank. Morse is at Williams-
burg teaching Elocution in the College. The Bishop is
expected here tonight. My remark on the want of Book
Stores &c shows how little a stranger can know, or does
usually know of a Town. There are two pretty good Book
Stores, a neglected Athenaeum & a subscription Circu-
lating Library. Afternoon take a long walk partly in the
woods. A very large Black snake gazed at me & then fled.
A lizard of a size & kind different from any had seen, did
the same. I presume it was 7 Inches long. The only new
bird I have noticed is a beautiful Bluebird of plumage &
note altogether different from the Common bird so called.
The Dog wood & yellow Jessamine en twin [e] the wood-
land.
I consider the following persons as having engaged to
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 529
employ me on my return next Fall. Some are positive.
I have given Williamson a subscription paper, & shall
leave one with Lyford & another with Hill.
Mr Williamson
2
Mr Steed
1
Mr Nivison
2
Mrs John Taylor
1
Mr Francis B Lawrence
2
Mr Broughton
2
Mr Brimhall
2
Mr Garrison
1
Of the Tickets taken of G. B. Hill for his picture by
previous agreement, Nos 4748 & 3180 have come out
Blanks, 2279 is still in the wheel.
Friday Ap' 21st Extremely warm. Pay aU my accounts.
I have in Cash
Silver
4...
Northern Notes
10...
Virginia notes
85...
N. C.
69...
168...
W's Check
60...
228...
Due from Mrs Taylor 150
150 p^
Wm Neilson 50
50 p-^
Lt. Dulany 25
Graham S. C. 25
Callender N. Y. 25
Lyford 20
295
523
Mr R Taylor to be
sold by
Williamson
picture & frame 100
428
530 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Friday Ap^ 21st Continued. Call on Nivison & borrow.
Quarrels of Authors." Meet Bradish «* of N. Y. (Gibbs'
brother in law) he is going to join the Columbus (I sup-
pose as Chaplin). Call this morning on Bishop Moore
who declines setting at present on ace* of business. Chat
a pleasant hour with him. Ther: this afternoon 85.
Saturd'' Ap' 22d Extreme heat yesterday & to day 85
to 87. Pack up. Change money &c. Read in Quarrels of
Authors. Receive letter from my Wife of 16th, all well.
Sunday April 23d The early morning very pleasant.
It is completely summer and the red Clover is in bloom.
Read in Quarrels. Go to church & hear my friend Moore
preach a weak Sermon with vile Orthoepy. Read again.
Monday April 24th 1820. Leave 2 packing cases, 2
Jugs, 1 belt & my Trunk to be sent on by Water, Mr
Lyford taking charge of them. The morning is warm &
clear, summer heat. Shake hands with Williamson & a
few others. Good bye to Norfolk for the present. Com-
modore Bainbridge goes with us to Old Point Comfort &
there on his Barge proceeds to the Columbus in Lyn-
haven bay. Mrs Bainbridge goes on to Baltimore. Renew
acquaintance with them. He is going to Constantnople &
perhaps into the Black sea. As we pass the constellation
in Hampton Roads, Comm: Morris comes on board & I
see the ceremony of manning the shrouds & tops & cheer-
ing. The Sailors in their White Jackets & trowsers clus-
tering to the tops of the Mast was picturesque in the
effect. The Wind springing up fresh from the North
changes our temperature to almost cold & the boat pass-
ing near the center of the great Bay, every appearance
is sea-like.
94 Luther Bradish (1783-1863). See The Eclectic Magazine, LX, 112,
Sept., 1863; Diet. Amer. Biog., II, 567. He married in 1814, as his first
wife, Helen Elizabeth Gibbs, daughter of George Gibbs, of Newport,
R. I. She died in Boston, Mass., April 7, 1816, aged 29. (A''. Y. Gazette,
April 12, 1816). Dunlap was incorrect in the assumption that Bradish
went as chaplain, although he sailed on the Columbus.
NORFOLK TO NEW YORK, 1820 531
Tuesday [April] 2oth A fine mild morning & at Sun
rise, 16 miles S of Baltimore, near 200 miles from Nor-
folk already. We have several Methodist preachers on
board going to Conference. I enquired of Comm: Morris
respecting Young Fairley that I might report to his
friends. The report is favourable & the Commadore ex-
pressed himself very much pleased with his conduct in
every respect, as an ofiicer & a gentleman, he mention'd
[James H.] Clinton (DeWitts son) but said no more
than he was well. Chamberlain likewise from N. Y.
Provost he left well. A steam boat meets us & takes some
of our passengers on to French Town. Land at i/o past 7.
I go to [Rembrandt] Peales & thence to Sully's room, his
palette at present No. 1 B. Sienna & White 2 Vermilhon
& White 3 as No 1 4 as No 2 5 No 3 & Cobalt 6 D[itt]o
& Cobalt 7 Vermillion 8 D[itt]o & R Umber 9 R Umber
& White 10 R Umber 11 Brown madder 12 Burnt T &•
Sienna 13 Asphaltum 14 Vandyke 15 Cobalt 16 Lake.
No 16, 14, 13, 11, 6 used in the finishing.
I find Peale inferior to my preconceived notion of his
merit & very much beneath Sully. [Jacob] Eickholtz
makes the third port [r] ait painter at present in Balti-
more & has the most business painting at $30. The City
is very much improved since my visit of 1806. I stoped
at the Fountain Inn where Bryden entertained me at
that time in splendor — he has since died in poverty. In
the afternoon found Sully painting Rembrant Peales
portrait. At the Fountain Inn I found Jacob & Tho.
Lewis. See Warren, Jefferson & Burke.
Wed^ 26th April 1820 leave Baltimore in Steam boat.
Messrs. Arch*^ Gracie & Stephen Van Ransacker in com-
pany. The weather is perfect summer. Gracie tells me
that James A Hamilton has been deprived by y® Clin-
tonians of his ofiice of Master in Chancery.
The weather continues Summer & the passage to
French Town 70 miles is pleasant. The ride from French
T. to Newcastle we made in ab' 3 hours, arriving at the
532 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Delaware & again embarking at I/2 past 4. At 9 in y®
even^ arrive at Phil* & call on Mrs Sully.
Thursday 27th Ap^ 1820. Judds Hotel. Cloudy morn-
ing. Walk. Meet Messrs Gracie & Van Ranssaeller. Pass
the morning at West's picture & at the Academy. See
no reason to alter my opinion respecting West & Alston
as expressed last Fall.
Friday [April] 28th leave Phil* & arrive at home about
7 OClock in the Even^ All well.
I have in my pocket $366.
Delaney owes me 25.
Graham 25 p"
Lyford 20. p"
I may expect from
Williamson for
Mr R Taylors
picture 100 p"
I find at Home 150
686
The Academy owes me 140
Lott owes me
I owe House rent 118.75 p''
Taylors bill 55 p"
Grocers 32.49 p"
Deposit 340
Draw out 151.24
May 5th 1820 $188.76
[William Dunlap's expenses in Norfolk, 1819-1820]
Coach hire N. Y 75
To Bristol 5.25
Brandy, Bed at Trenton 371/2
Breakfast Steam boat on Del 50
Shaving & ferriages 37^/2
Steam boat from Bristol to Phil 50
Porterage &c 31l^
Judds Tavern Phil 1 day 1.50
Porterage &c 37^2
Steam boat to Bristol 50
Breakfast 50
Brandy &c. at Bristol 12i/^
Steam boat & breakfast [Oct.] 19th 1.
ACCOUNTS IN NORFOLK, 181^1820 533
Pencils & paints 5.50
Wests picture 25
Coach hire to Boat [Oct.] 20th 50
Steam boat, Dinner and Stage, to Frenchtown 3.75
Steam boat & supper to Bait : 3.50
Steam b' &c to Norfolk 15.25
Porterage, toll bridge 37 V2
Norfolk, 4 Mahogany pannels 5.
Oct' 25th [1819] 46.19
Nov. 1st An Eazle 1.
10th painting pannels 1 .
10th postage 50
nth Washing 2.
Balsam of Fir 25
Bridge tolls 25
Nov. 15th paper 37
painting pannels 1.25
Varnish 1.
53.87
Nov' 20th postage porterage, Wash^ 2. 14
21 postage & advertizing 2.25
25 Vermillion &c 50
27th postage 25
30th Comb, Clothes brush, post^* 1.
59.871/2
Dec' 2d postage. Washing &c 2.25
6 Wafers, & suger of lead ^7V^
8th Soap & Candles 1.
Pannels & Strainers &c 17.59
11th Postage 25
Board, painting room. Lodging, fire &c &c
7 weeks to 10th Dec' @ 12 84.
12th Washing 1.
Hams 5.
14th postage 25
15th Cleaning 50
16th postage 50
17th Freight from Phil* 1.50
Drayman 12^^
Nails 25
18th Freight from N. Y 6.41
Woodward for pannels 6.
23d postage & Tailors charge 50
534 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Dec' 25th Candles, Wash* Servants 4.50
27 postage Serv* 1.25
30th postage 25
31st Am' of Doughty's bill for Clothes & Colours. . 19.58
212.961/2
1819
[sic for 1820]
Jan'' 1st Mr Osborne for 6 pannels & 2 stretching
frames 7.50
3d Movmg & 10 pannels 10.50
7th Washing & postage 1.25
232.211/2
1820
Jan^ 7th Board to this date , 54.
12th postage 50
14th Frames (5) 40.
15th postage & porterage 50
19th Prussian Blue 1.
Lottery Tickets 30.
20th Washing & servant 1.50
21st Sent home 150.
2 [blot] postage &c 50 boots 2.50 3.
Feb^ [blot] paper, postage &c 2.
5th a packing Case 1.50
11th Board &c 65.
13th Shoes, washing 4.
omitted Jan^ 19.25
14th Servants & postage &c 1.
Mar: 6th De Revere for frames 40.
Washing, Servants &c 5.50
Mar: 20th TaUors bill 4.50
27th Sent Home 50.
Ap^ 3d 2 Frames & prints 6.
10 Hams for N. Y 15.
10th Colours & Varnish 1.
23d Frames & Stramers 15.50
Board in fuU 102.
packing 2.
Loss on money 1.80
Cash Dr
Bro* fr: home
&
150
5
Nov' 30
Sent home . . .
postage
&c &c
Cr
.. 59.871/2
.. 20.
Mr Hopkins for
Marsden
Mrs
25
.621/2
. . 1.621/2
ACCOUNTS IN NORFOLK, 1819^1820
535
Mr Dennison 20
D[itt]o 19
Mrs Hopkins 9
Capt. Allen 39
Mr Reardon 15
Mr Glenn 65
Mr Lifford 5
Mr Corrygen 15
Mr Reardon 15
Mr Coregen 10
D° 5
397
232
balance Jan' 1st 1820. $165
Low 40
Kennon 50
D° 17
Reardon 15
Hill 30
Low 25
Reardon 15
Cocke 39
Cox 39
Robertson 20
Brimhall 34
MaxweU 17.50
Poll- [blot] for Robert-
son 20
Callender 25
Lvford 15
566.50
495.25
Ballance 71.25
rec* from Watson 85.
Coxe 23.
Hunter 39.
Crawley 7.
225.25
57.50
167.75
D" ...
371/9
Soap & Candles.
1.
Osborne for pan-
nels & stretch-
ers
10.20
Smith for Cloth
& preparing &c
7.381/2
Board &c
84.25
Sundries to Dec'
31st as enter'd
in former page
46.611/2
Jan' 7th 1820 231.95 231.95
Board &c 54.
Smidries 19.25
[Jan.] 15D[itt]o 41.
19th D° . . 31.
21st D° .. 151.50
Feb' nth Board
&c 65.
13th S u n-
dries. 10.50
Mar: 6th D" . . 42.
27th D" . . 60.
Ap^ 10th Hams 15.
Frames . . 6
[495.25] 727.20
Frames
D° &c &c
Mr Glenn for
board in full to
Monday Ap^
24th
11.
4.50
42.
57.50
536 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Mrs Taylor . . 150. Osborne for
The Neilsons. 110. pack^ &c . . . . 2.
Loss on N. C.
427.75 notes 1.80
63.55 Last day at Nor-
folk, Washing
$364.20 & Serv'" .... 5.50
Books 2.50
Baltim. Peales
&c 75
Dinner 25
Supper and bed . 1.
Porterage 50
A.pi 26th
Steam boat from
Baltimore to
French Town.3.
Breakr 50
Stage to
Newcastle ..1.50 5.
Steam Boat to
Baltimore
15.
D° Newcastle
to Phila. Din-
ner &c
3.
Bill at Phil'....
4.
Stage &c. ' to
N. Y
7.25
Colours &
Brushes
15.
63.55
[Portraits painted by William Dunlap]
Norfolk
Miss Glenn
25 pd 25 order'd fr[ame]
Matilda Glenn
25 pd 25 d"
Mr BrimhaU
25 & order'd frame pd
Mr Delany
25
Mr Glenn
15 pd 15 order'd fr:
Mr Graham
30
Mrs Marsden
25 pd 34 order'd fr.
Mr Cox
30 & 9 pd order fr
Capt" Watson
60 order'd fr: 25 pd
Mr Dennison
30 pd 30 order'd fr:
ACCOUNTS IN NORFOLK, 1819-1820
537
Capt" Allen
Mr Wrifi'ord.
Mr Reardon
Mr Lyfford
Mr Corrigen
Mr Lyfford Min:
Mr Low
Mr Hill
Mrs Reed
Sold Mr Low a frame
Mr Kennon
Mr Neilson
Mr Glenn
30 pd 39 order'd fr
315
30 pd 30
30 pd 5 & 15
30 pd 30
10
50 pd 40 & 10
30 pd
15 pd & 2.50 for fr.
15 pd
50 pd A frame 17 pd
50 50 pd
20 pd
T A Cooper
Mr Reardon
<Mr WiUiamson>
Mr Cocke
Mr Hunter
Miss Glenn
Matilda
650
30 pd 15 & 15
<150> countermanded
30 pd 15 & 24 fram'd
30 order'd fr: & 9 pd
750
Feb'' 5th 24 of them for pay
6th Mr Robertson
7th Mr James Neilson
8th R Cox
9th Miss Roberts
P. R. frame & packing
$750.
30 pd 20 order fr pd
50 pd
20 pd 9 pd
150 pd
10.25 pd
Mar: 24th Mr Robt Taylor (for Mr Williamson) who expects to sell
it for me to some of the family for $75 (and did so)
25th Mr Callender 50 pd 25
31st Matt: Glenn 30 pd
DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
April 27, 1820, at Philadelphia
August 9, 1820— October 24, 1820.
Montreal, Canada
November 14, 1820— June 15, 1821
November 30, 1821— February 13, 1822
Norfolk:, Virginia
(Manuscript volume lettered Memoirs 26 owned by
Yale University Library)
MEMOIRS 26
Thursday Ap' 27 1820. My impressions on seeing
West's Christ Healing &c is the same as in Ocf & the
same or greater my admiration on seeing Alstons resusci-
tation of the Dead man.
I have passed my day in seeing these pictures (& others
at the Academy) Stewarts Washington appears worse.
Sully's Cooke still better. Sir Peter Lely & Netscher
lovely. Sully is now colouring better.
1S20
It is to me a melancholy reflection that the influence of the sordid
or selfish feelings of mankind should be so much more frequently
and ostentatiously displayed, than the effects of that natural, that
unsophisticated love of the good and the kind, which lurks in despite
of the world in every human breast. Surely it is better even in an
interested view, to bestow our acclamations on the benefactors than
on the destroyers of the Human race, on those who have enlightened
or ameliorated the rugged path of Life than on those who have en-
creased its gloom or added to its asperities. Yet how quietly & un-
feelingly do the herd of mankind receive the news of the good mans
death who has laboured successfully to exalt our common nature,
with what [illegible] those who not only have in common with their
fellow men been benefitted by his labours but have received person-
ally and immediately at liis hands the gratuitously bestowed fruits
of his labours.
These thoughts are forced upon my mind by the recent death of
our illustrious countryman B West.'^
It is the pride of Americans that he is an American, yet the
American Academy of the Fine Arts, <at the periodicaI> not only
does not convene its members to devise some token of public respect
to his memory, but at the periodical return of their annual Exhibi-
tion proclaim a festival & turn their gallery into a place of revelry
instead of a "House of mourning.
What a noble sacrifice to the art was this, for a fier}- youth of 20
to resist the pomp pride & circumstance of War & abandon his
struggling co-patriots in the hour of danger, to study painting in y'
95 Benjamin West died in London. March 11, 1820.
541
542 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Capital of y^ Enemy, but he saw with the prophetic gaze of exalted
genius the future glorious success of his present depressed country-
men & withdrew with a most heroic self immolation from a partici-
pation of their laurels that he might quaUfy himself for immortahz-
ing their faces & their future victories on canvas. Bom in Pennsyl-
vania while it was a province of Britain, West by the force of genius
removed himself to the old world when quite a youth, and imme-
diately took a stand among the first Artists of Europe.
Mr Editor
In addressing a few lines to you on the subject of B West, I feel
that it must be acceptable to the people of this great & growing
Empire to peruse a tribute <of gratitude> to the memory of their
illustrious countryman <Benjamm West>, and a few notices re-
specting him & some of his many pupils, recalled to my mind by
the event of his death. In however homely guise I may express the
feelmgs of my admiration & gratitude, my effort must be particularly
pleasing to the members of the American Academy; who have done
themselves so much honour on a former occassion by their exertions
to procure the finest possible portrait of this patriarch of American
painters, the gallant soldier & accomplished Artist, who relinquished
the sword only that he might immortalize his brother Heroes by the
efforts of his pencil, and who equally successful on the canvas and
the field, is one of the most brilliant. To this Academy and its
amiable president and gratefull of the pupils of West, I dedicate
these desultory notices.
B. W. was born in Pennsylvania & notwithstanding this early
removal from his native land; and his eminent success under the pro-
tecting patronage of his sovereign & the still more powerful influence
of his own talents enthusiasm & industry, which place him among
the luminaries of Europe, he always sighed for the simplicity of his
native land, gloried in her prosperity & wished to be gathered to his
fathers in her republican soil. Every American was as a brother to
him, and his open doors & open heart ever received them as such,
while to those who applied for his advice or instruction in the art
over which he presided, freely received both, given with the kind full
perfect \visdom of the sage & the simpUcity of the child.
To the fame of his great success must be attributed that predilec-
tion which so many of our American youth have shewn for the art
of painting, and to his benevolent liberality the astonishing efforts
made by American genius in this sublime branch of the Fine Arts.
That many of the aspirants failed is true & was inevitable, but a list
of the names of those who participated in his bountiful instructions,
which fell like the mercy and the dew of Heaven, upon the good and
the bad, but like that mercy was "twice blessed" blessing "him that
gave and him that took" — a simple hst of names would prove to the
astonishment of the reader, how great the influence of genius is
when guided by benevolence.
BENJAMIN WEST 543
My imperfect recollection gives me the names of — all Americans *
— and every English Artist of [word omitted] for the last half cen-
tury felt the influence of this Sun of the West. How delightful it
must have been to this good old man to see his pupils prosper & to
reflect that he never shut his heart or his mouth to the ingenuously
ambitious youth. He had no secrets or mysteries, he told all he
knew & added, "Work, night & day, draw from the Antique, paint
from nature. Study the masters but copy nature." If there is any
one of his pupils who imitated his paintings & not his conduct, who
copied him as a painter and not as a man, who received his instruc-
tions in hopes to succeed him in fame & fortune by shutting up the
treasure close for his own use alone — 0 how I pity him!
This venerable man, blessed by God with a sound constitution
and a sound mind which told him and with wisdom to know <the>
that temperance was the only guardian given by Heaven for the
prolongation of health & life, saw several generations of men pass
away while he still encreased in the vigour of intellect, and pro-
duced the surpassing works of his experienced genius. His last works
Ch[rist] rejected & D[eath] on the pale Horse. Many of his older
pupils & most of his contemporaries sunk before he terminated his
delightful labours. His enemies (for even West had enemies) were
silenced either by the grave or by <the> conviction. He has at
length sunk in a good old age. He, as every good man & every man
who exerts his talents for the benefit of man, rendered Earth more
like Heaven, and I trust has his reward, tho' not snatched away in
a Chariot of fire, his mantle during life covered many of his fol-
lowers, and now rests in an especial manner upon his countryman
Alston. Yes Alston — the accomplished Alston — if I had not seen the
sublime picture of the Dead man & the bones of the prophet, I
should have thought of Leslie & Sully as the Elijahs of our Elisha,
but Alston is the man. Yet the mantle of Genius is ample, and
Sully (the prince of American portrait painters) and the bold and
excellent Leslie, may claim a share. Long may they continue to
strive, in Love, for the greater share!
The three last named Artists all possess the irreproachable moral
character, and the liberaUity in diffusing their knowledge to others,
which render'd their great master so amiable.
New York Aug* 9**^ 1820. Wed^ afternoon 4 OClock
leave home for Montreal in the Steam Boat Richmond.
Secretary Thompson, Dr Bronson & others of my ac-
quaintance on board. Again I miss the scenery of the
Highlands by passing in the night.
* On the inside of the cover of this manuscript volume, Memoirs 26,
Dunlap wrote the following list of artists: "Stewart, Wright, Trumbull,
Mather Brown, Peale, Earle. Dunlap. Fulton, Malbone, Sergeant,
R. Peale, Waldo, King, Sullj^ Leslie, Alston, Morse, Newton."
544 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Aug* lO**" From Hudson to Athens they have open'd a
passage or canal, through the low Island which Inter-
ven'd. The Congress Steam boat leaves Whitehall every
Wed" & Sat^ at 2 P. M.— passage 9 dollars to St. Johns.
I arrive at Albany at i/o 1 OClock, and took up my quar-
ters at Fobes'.
[Aug*] 11*'' At 4 OClock proceed by the same rout as
in 1816. They are rebuilding the part of Troy which was
burnt, cross the river in a boat moved by 2 Horses on
circular wheels. Lansinburg has grown. We find the
Canal in progress and so on all the way. Schuyler's Vil-
lage has Bourgoyne's Meadow, the Canal is cutting
through it. Arrive at Whitehall about 9 OClock in the
Evening.
[Aug.] 12*^ White Hall has grown — new houses, Stores
& Inns built since 1816. a fine Lock commences the Canal
Navigation of hewn Stone. Take my passage for St Johns.
At Sandy Hill meet Mr Moore, son of Dr. Moore, here
meet Birdsal, one of the Haerlaem height detachment.
Moore joins us at W H & goes on. Embark at 2 P. M.
The scenery at this place still pleases me. The Ships of
War appear going to wreck. Have a view of Crown Point.
The scenery of the Lake about sunset was beautiful.
[Aug.] IS'*" At sunrise I find myself between Cumber-
land head and Chazee, a poor village. The morn^ Cool.
We pass Rouse's point where the U. S. have expended
$300,000 in fortifications & now find them within the
Eng: line.
All is now new to me. We pass the Isle au Noix where
the English are erecting military works to the amount
[of] three millions according to estimate. Here are vari-
ous Vessels of War half finished left as the peace [of]
1814 found them. We land about noon at St Johns, a
neat village & taking Stage for La Prairie pass over an
extensive plain the farm houses extending almost all
the way, 18 Miles. This is the Seigneury of St John,
WILLIAM DUXLAF (176(i-lS39)
By Himskif
■ Theodorr Siili>hiny WnnUy ("oil,
MONTREAL, 1820 545
the seigneur receives 414 pr. cent <oj the products>
on all property transferred. It being Sunday we met the
peasants returning from Church, families in Carts, men-
on horseback & some of both sexes on foot. All unmixed
french peasants — it is compleatly a foreign country. The
small horses & cattle, peculiar dress & physiognomy of
the people, manner of building both the stone houses &
log cabins, mode of cultivation, all is foreign. La Prairie
is a large French Village of Stone houses with tin roofs
& a church of the same materials. We are now in view
the Falls of La Chine to the W & Montreal to the N. E.
with a noble expanse of Water between. Batteaux & a
Steam boat in waiting, cross in the Steam boat to Mon-
treal in about 40 minutes — 9 miles.
Montreal. Here the same style of building prevails,
all is French at first view, but the English Soldiers and
other persons of that nation, & Americans make a medley,
all appearing to retain their own dress and manners.
French is however the prevailing language. Visit the
parade & walk over part of the town.
Monday Aug' 14*^ Walk. Write to my Wife by Mr
Wilcox. Visit the Cathedral, an imposing effect — pictures
all bad. Woman at Confession — here & there a devout
individual, deliver letters to Thos. A. Turner (AUiston
Turner & Co) president of the Bank of Canada, pleas-
antly received, dehver letter to Doctor Paine who intro-
duces me to Mr Barrett, very pleasantly received. See
the landing and military reception of Governor Lord
Dalhousie, who w^th his lady & suite come to the Man-
sion house. Visit Cuninghams Book Store & Reading
room, & see Bouchette's Map ^^ & topographical history
of Canada. Evening amused at an Auction room, retire
at 9 but obliged to get up at Eleven owing to the noises
of a Mason's Lodge over my head, at 1 OClock I get to
bed for the night or morn^
36 Joseph Bouchette. For a list of his maps, see Phileas Gagnon, Essai
de Bibliographie Canadknne (Quebec, 1S95), 659-660; Henry J. Morgan,
Bibliotheca Canadensis (Quebec, 1867), 41-43.
546 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Tuesday [Aug.] Id'"" At 6 OClock begin a walk to Fin-
lay's at lower Lachine but taking the turnpike go to the
Village of upper Lachine. on rising from the Flatts I have
a fine view of the level on my left & the rising ground &
mountains on my right, meet many men women & boys
of the Cochnewagha's coming to town, most wear a black
mantle, some blanketts, little differing in appearance
from the tribes in y® State of N. Y. Opposite Lachine is
their Village. I reach Lachine at 9 and breakfast at a
Scotch Inn. I find most of the Inhabitants of Lachine,
Scotch, Irish or English, there are two small French Vil-
lages between Montreal & Lachine. To reach Finlay's I
turn back down the bank of the river ab^ 2 Miles, King's
Stores, barracks &c form a little village called Lower
Lachine. here I was most cordially received & agreed to
stay to dinner, but threatening rain started me at I/2
past 1. On the road along the water which commands a
fine view of the Rapids, a Canadian peas' overtook me
with his trotting little horse in a small cart & politely
invited me to mount. I did so, and standing up in this
rough jolting machine, with a rope to hold myself up, I
rode into town ab' 6 miles, in a pelting rain, after chang-
ing my clothes receive a friendly call from Doc'' Paine,®'^
who had call'd on me last night. He advises to commence
painting at Montreal, so does Finlay. F. has 8 fine chil-
dren & is fixed in a good ofiice as Commissary with a good
farm & handsome house. I had occasion to exercise my
french to day & universally found the french inhabitants
polite & friendly, if two peasants pass each other in their
carts, they bow & lift their hats, as we rode past a cross,
my friend notwithstanding the pelting storm reveren-
tially lifted his hat. The crosses are very frequent, some
carved with a cock & one at Lachine was ornamented
with a cock at top, a little lower a scroll wdth INRI. The
cross piece of the figure was surmounted with spikes,
pincers, hammers, &:c & below were other devices.
s^Martyn Paine (1794-1877) removed to New York City in 1822, and
became a leading physician there. Kelly and Burrage, American Medical
Biographies (Baltimore, 1920).
MONTREAL, 1820 547
No 439 Greenwich St N. Y. John Halsted gives infor-
mation respecting Dr See's plaister for Rupture.
[Aug.] 16'" A Rainy day. See Paine & make unsuccess-
ful! efforts to obtain a room to paint in.
17''' Aug' There is a gloominess about this place which
is very appalling. The narrow streets of grey stone houses
with iron doors & windows shutters are forbidding in the
extreme. The wet prevents me from <seeing> visiting
the subburbs toward the mountain & the mountain &
my walks are confined to the narrow side pavements, the
bells of the Roman churches are almost incessantly ring-
ing & are particularly annoying in the morning.
Aug^ 18'" Friday. Walk through the subburbs and upon
the rising ground under the brow of the hill. The [re]
are several large houses along this slope with fine gardens
<fe meadows & orchards, commanding a view of the town
& river. I am introduced to several of the gentlemen of
the place. Finlay sends an apology for not waiting on me.
As Commissary at Lachine, from whence all the stores
& men appertaining to the government are embarked or
landed on account of the rapids, he is now sending on
emigrants to upper Canada. These are Scotch peasants,
Govern' <allows> lends £10 to every individual of a
family, transports them to the place of settlement after
landing in Canada, gives them land [blank] acres p'' h*^
& working tools. Notwithstanding all this I saw a sloop
load of them going to Whitehall. I presume such as had
some property & sought independance as well as land.
Engage a painting room & board at the Mansion House,
a splendid Hotel, but cannot take possession until Mon-
day 21st.
Aug' 19'" Saturday. Having now had some cloths
strained, I am to day to prepare my colours at Doctor
Payne's, who appears a sensible amiable man & interests
himself in nty affairs. Walk on the bank of the river.
548 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Montreal from the water, when near, makes a poor ap-
pearance. The front Street has a dirty ditch of a brook
running through it with bridges over it. the next Street
is St Pauls (all are Saints) & it is the principal Street
of business, winding in a crooked line with the river,
narrow & gloomy, the next, called the upper town, is
Notre Dame, it is more airy, better built, & has the Court
house. Jail, and 2 Churches in it. small streets cross be-
tween these & beyond them are the suberbs, containing
more inhabitants than the Town. Evening remove to the
Manion house. Meet there Mr Dan: McCormick. Finlay
called on me to day & introduced some gentlemen:
Sunday Aug^ 20'^ Walk with Dr Paine round the Moun-
tain by the north & over a part of it ; my friend botaniz-
ing & I enjoying the new & beautifull scenery. The whole
Island of Montreal is a plain except this hill & it is all
capable of the highest cultivation — a great part is so, and
farms, orchards, villages & spires appear in every direc-
tion. We took Shrub & water & Cakes & bread, at a Cana-
dian (e.i. a french) small public house, & were served
by a neat polite & pretty Landlady. About 4, on our re-
turn we called on Mr Barrett, the Doctor wishing to leave
his Specimens, and Mr & Mrs B: detained us to dinner,
Mr Cunningham, bookseller & Librarian, present: after a
pleasant afternoon return to the Mansion House to tea.
Find my former travelling Companions, Moore, Grey &c
returned from Quebec.
Monday [Aug.] 21st The above gentlemen & Mr Mc-
Cormick depart. Not being yet put in possession of my
painting room I go to the mountain & Sketch. Returning
meet numbers of Scotch Highland Emigrants on the road
to Lachine from whence Finlay, as Commissary forwards
them to Upper Canada. The hard favoured dirty scotch
women and children looked wo: begone on the jolting
Canadian one-horse Carts, the men were generally on
foot. Write to my Wife.
MONTREAL, 1820 549
Tuesday Aug^ 22'' The weather remarkably fine. Walk
through the Market & buy 10 Canada plumbs for a cop-
per. This fruit is not known in y^ City of N. Y. prepare
to paint. Mr S. Barrett whose portrait I was to have
begun not coming I begun a picture of George 4th from
the engraving of [Thomas] Phillips's picture of him.
Make an acquaintance with an intelligent Scotch gentle-
man, Mr Wm Thomson, who is well acquainted with
pictures & painters.
Wed^ [Aug.] 23'^ Co? Bouchet, Surveyor General of
the Canada's, introduces himself to me & invites me
urgently to Quebec. He says he will take the King's pic-
ture. He has published magnificent maps &c of Canada
by which he says he has sunk £1700. He is the Nephew
& successor to Major [Samuel] Holland, whom I remem-
ber in 1774-5 at Amboy & whose son Jack, my playmate,
was too wild to succeed his father, but is now established
at Prince Edwards Island. Mr Cunningham invites me
to the freedom of his Library & reading rooms. Begin Mr
Barrett's portrait.
Thursday 24'^ Aug' Write to my Wife by Mr G. How-
land. I have several visitors both to day & yesterday.
Paint on y^ King & Mr Barrett. Go with Mr Biggelow at
his request (& the lady's) to see Miss Smith, a young
woman of merit, who has taken charge of a large school
of females, is patronized by the Canadians & priests &
has turn'd Roman Catholic. She wished to see me & show
her attempts at painting which are clever copies of poor
pictures. A Mrs De L'auberney & her daughter were
present at the meeting, they are of the first & richest of
the French Canadian Citizens and are vulgar gentlefolks.
am to visit them & see pictures. Mr Thomson leaves a
journal in manuscript of a journey to France & Holland
in 1818 with sketches, very neat & good, & observations
on pictures — all doing him much honour.
Friday Aug'' 25'*" At Cunninghams reading room before
breakfast. Paint as usual until I/2 past 4. we dine at 5
550 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
or 14 P^t every day. Walk with Thomson, who has the
Scotch prejudices in perfection & places unhesitatingly
all other people & particularly English far below Scotch-
men, and that in serious conversation.
Trimbee, an englishman at our house who has come
from N. Y. says ''at Montreal he begins to find civiliza-
tion."
Saturday 26'^ At Read^ Room. Paint all day. Heavy
rains. The sketch opposite is from the back of the Man-
sion House Hotel, which overlooks the St Laurence.
Grants, or St Helens Island a little down the river.
Mr Thomson communicates a memorandum of the
cost of the Elgin casts, which I copy
Large Trunk Unknown £ 4. 4.-
2 Small Trunks, Bas relief, Temple of Victory -. 5-
2 Arms d" from Frieze -. 5-
3 Horses heads from D° -. 7.6
Part of large trunks supposed to be Jupiter 3.3-
Fragment of head -. 5.-
Female arm from one of the large groupes 10.-
Bas relief of male Trunk from frieze -. 7.-
Arm of Metops -. 3.-
3 small fragments -. 3.-
Bas relief -. 5.-
4 Bas rehefs of Frieze @ £2.10 10. -.-
High relief figure fighting w" Centaur 7.7.-
Large female arm -.10.-
Mask of Bach[hus] -. 5.-
4 fragments from high relief Metops 1.10.-
Large female arm -.10.-
3 Large Bas relief friezes of Horsemen 12.12.-
Young Theseus from high relief 2.12.6
L^ of Metops -. 7.-
Bas relief of Frieze 1.10.-
High relief of Centaur 7. 7.-
Fragment of Metops -. 7.-
Bas relief of Horses head -. 7.-
2 Small Bas rehefs from Temple of Victory 1.4.-
Large arm, supposed to be Neptune -.12.-
Large figure of Neptune 10.10.-
Dead figure from high relief 2.12.6
Large piece of Breasts from Female groupe 2. 2.-
MONTREAL, 1820 551
Theseus 10.10.-
Horses head large 3. 3.-
£85.15.6
Packing Cases for the above cost 30. -.-
Say 382 dollars for casts
189 for packing cases
571
Sunday Aug' 27"^ 1820. Walk along the bank of the
river past the shipping & steam boats &c. All is rude &
dirty. Four or five Ships & Brigs & ten smaller vessels
would be the utmost amount of the apparent navigation
of Montreal, exclusive of Steam boats. The parade of a
few companies of the 37th seems to be the only public
amusement of Montreal. Go to the English Church, a
neat handsome building with an excellent organ well
play'd — a thin audience to a pretty good preacher. It
is long since [I last heard] his Majesty George &c prayed
for. Surely there are parts of the service which ought
to be expunged, & 5th repetition of the Lord's prayer
might be omitted if not two more. Walk — sketch on the
next leaf [of a grove of birches]. The steeple is the
French church by the Mansion house, to the left the
reservoir on Citadel Hill, to the right the Flag Staff on
the Champs de Mars, next to it the prison & next the
Court house, — distance Chamble mount".
Monday Aug' 28'*^ Walk & begin a sketch of Montreal
on the side of the river, paint as before, receive a letter
from my Wife.
Tuesday. Employed as yesterday. Mr & Mrs Barrett
call'd in the Evening & I went home w'' them to tea. The
Earl of Dalhousie has return'd from Upper Canada &
is at the Mansion house Hotel.
Wed^ Aug' 30''' Work as yesterday. Doctor Paine tells
me that Mr Hedge has determined to have his fathers
picture painted. Thomson speaks in raptures of Paul
552 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Potter's picture of the Young Bull — it is exquisitely
finish'd & natural.
Thursday Aug* 3P' Write & send letter to my Wife.
My portrait of Mr Barrett strikes with admiration. Mr
Proctor, an Englishman long resident in America, ex-
pressed unqualified admiration & my friend Paine is al-
most in raptures. I yesterday addressed the following
short letter to the Governor.
"His Excellency
Lieu* General The Earl of Dalhousie K.C.B. &c &c &c
An American Artist, encouraged by the accidental circumstance of
having his Painting Room under the same roof with your Lordship,
solicits your attention to a few specimens of his art, at any moment
when your Lordship may have leisure.
W Dunlap
No 16 Mansion house Hotel."
I have this morning received a verbal answer from his
Excellency by Lord Kerr, that he had received my letter,
and would visit my room, between 4 & 5 this afternoon.
Visited accordingly by his Excellency & Lord Kerr one
of his Aids. Lord Dalhousie, is a plain gentlemanly sol-
dier, he spoke of himself as a stranger in this country
as well as myself, and after some pleasant chat said he
should be glad to see me at Quebec & I must call upon
him. I assured him I would, but, he added "I shall not be
there until the end of the month." He did not think my
prospects very flattering in Canada, speaking of the King,
he said he was enormously fat, very much changed, one
of the biggest men &c" upon the whole I have reason to
be pleased with the Earl's visit tho' I do not see that
any advantage will accrue to me from it. Mr McCormick
returns here to day & with him Mr Le Roy & Son &
daughter & Son's wife. My new acquaintance Thomson
is a fine specimen of the Scotch character. He is of the
"Commissariat" in which he tells me is now included the
pay Department within 5 years, and the Commissaries
act as such and as paymasters, having charge of the Mila-
MONTREAL, 1820 553
tary Chests. He is a determined Batchelor & has formed a
plan of life altogether centered in, if not confined to self.
He intends remaining in service until he attains a rank,
the half pay of which is sufficient for his wants and then
he is to retire on half pay. He is sober, regular, method-
ical, calculating, has an instinctive bowing awe for all in
power, a civil ingratiating manner for gentlemen & ladies,
though by no means that easy behaviour which thor-
ough education or feeling produces, but for the poor &
dependant he is rough, coarse, indelicate in manner &
word & does not even disguise his thorough contempt &
real unfeeling selfishness. This is harsh drawing, not from
any unfriendly feeling on my part, he is towards me
assiduously polite in Jm way & strives to impress me
with a good opinion of himself. Why? I cannot answer,
unless it be that [he] really respects, or is pleased with
certain propensities & attainments in me, which he has
or wishes for himself. He has some knowledge of music
& painting, had read a little & cultivates a taste for the
liberal arts. I borrow of him [Henry] McKenzies "Man
of feeling" (for he has a small collection of books) & now
sit down w*" a candle to read.
Friday Sept^ P' The Gov"" departs amidst Drums Trum-
pets & peals of Cannon. Mr Moffatt engages me to copy
a picture 31 by 25. Mr Colt visits me & is introduced by
Dr Paine. Mr Cunningham calls & advises me to begin a
second picture of the King. I do so. Even^ a pleasant
game at Whist with Mess''^ Proctor, Bowyer (a young
Frenchman) & Bulow of South Carolina. Watches are
sent from Geneva to U. S. & sold at 2 & I/2 dollars and
yield 5 per cent profit.
Sat^ 2'^ Sepf Cool morning, walk & sketch. Visited by
McCormick & the Le Roy's male & female. Mr McGil-
very visited & was introduced to me. He says he has some
good portraits & I have accepted his invitation to break-
fast on monday. Go with Dr Paine & a large party to
the Hospital of the Black Nuns. There is a very clever
554 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
little picture in the Apothecary's Hall, of the persons of
the Trinity crowning the Virgin. The pictures in the
Chaple are abominable. They shew there a curious speci-
men of Goblin Tapestry from a picture of y® Nativity.
They have about 40 patients attended by these religious
females. Two young Ladies who had not yet taken the
black veil, were handsome, one of them of a most beauti-
ful complexion. Work-Baskets, pincushions & other toys
were exhibited for sale & the purchases rewarded in some
measure the charitable sisters for the trouble we gave
them. Mr McGilvary was introduced to me & I have
promised to breakfast with him on Monday morning.
Mess"^" Bulow & Lance & the Ladies of y® party go to
Quebec.
Sunday 3*^ Sepf Three weeks in Montreal. Not well,
walk. Write to my Wife. A young [man] enter'd into
conversation with [me] at breakfast whom I found to
be very intelligent. His name Skene son to the former
owner of Skenesborough, now White Hall, he was born
in England & is in the English Army. He is well in-
form[ed] as to pictures &c & appears full of observation.
My friend Paine prescribes 8 grains of Calomel & 24
of Rhubard for me, if this Diaroeha continues — after, if
necessary, Lodanum in very small doses.
Monday Sepf 4'^ Walk to Mr McGilvary's. He has a
good house & elegant Garden situated on rising ground
and commanding a superb view of the River & inter-
vening rich level. He has a fine head of himself by
Stewart, very fine, which he finds fault with because the
coat &c are slighted. He has a portrait of his brother by
Martin Archer Shee much inferiour to Stewarts but it is
admired for the Highland Military dress, a vile figure of
an Angel black & ill drawn, is very fine & very old, & a
St Cecilia & Angels well coloured but badly drawn prob-
ably a poor copy of a better picture, is supposed original
& almost invaluable. He has employed me to expunge a
figure from a groupe and paint another in its place. —
MONTREAL, 1820 555
it is his portrait full length. A lady with an infant &
two dogs form the groupe. I have a number of visitors
after my return, among them Miss Smith, Madame de
Lavaunire & Mr Roland, the latter wishes his fathers
portrait. Miss Smith engages me to tea tomorrow. A Mr
Gibbs invites me to see his house. Send off a letter to my
Wife by Mr McCormick.
Tuesday Sepf o'^ 1820. Very warm weather this two
days. Paint on my two pictures of George 4th. Drink tea
with Miss Smith: Her friend Madame De Lauverniere
with her, the Scotch French Canadian Lady born in
Schenectady, a very warm night.
[Sept.] 6'** Wed^ Very warm. Walk. My friends Bar-
rett & wife and Cunningham come hither (to the Man-
sion house) to board, B: having broken up House keep-
ing. Making an arrangement for another painting room.
Receive the portrait I am to copy for Mr Moffatt. Rec*^
a letter from my wife dated 30^^ Aug'. Mr GriflBn a young
gentleman introduced to me by Mr Cunningham calls
<fe engages his miniature. Mr Gerard °^ of the house of
Richardson Forsyth & Co. calls & talks of a picture. Paint
on the King. Walk over fields out of town & return thro'
the [blank] suburb just at dusk. A long closely built
street of French houses with such casements or windows
as we see in the flemish pictures, with the swarming
population of peasants presented a scene totally unlike
America. ,
Thursday Sept" 7'^ Walk. Begin Mr Griffins miniature
& the Copy for Mr Moffatt. Mr McGillvray called. I
show'd him a sketch & he is to send in the picture. Yes-
terday the N. W. Co.'s Voyageurs arrived & they add to
our motley population, they are Canadian peasants with
the additional wildness of half sailor, half savage. Many
are quite Indian & all look quite as dark.
88 Samuel Gerrard.
556 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Friday S'"' Sept' Walk to McTavish's '» house & a little
up the Mountain behind. This gentleman died & left
his house & plans for a superb establishment on the side
of the hill unfinished. The view is beautifull beyond my
powers of description, few terms which may be applied
to the finest scenery but are appropriate to this. Paint
on Mr Griffin. The heat very oppressive. Paint on the
King's 2d picture. M : [blank] French Consul at Charles-
ton & self have an animated conversation. Even- ex-
tremely warm.
Saf" 9"" Take my walk to the Race Course about a mile
from Town or 2 miles from my quarters. Paint on Mr
Griffin. Weather pleasant, but warm. Paint on Copy for
Mr Moffatt. Afternoon & Evening extremely warm.
Ther: for some days from 82 to 94.
Sunday lO*'' Sepf 1820. Morn^ very pleasant. Mr Proc-
tor sends to invite me to walk but am engage [d] to
Thomson & Barrett to visit Grants Island or St Helens,
Proctor joins the plan. This Island, St Helens, is called
Grant's, from having been owned by a person of that
name, it is ab* % of a mile long, contains 100 acres, and
the English Government have bought it by bartering
for it, several Lots and Houses in Montreal, they are
erected pubhc edifices & intend quartering their troops
there. Mess"^ Barrett, Thomson, Bowyer, Proctor, George
Proctor & self took a Batteau and cross'd to St Helen's,
visited the house & gardens formerly Grants, and en-,
circled the Island, the center is a rocky Hill cleft by a
ravine, on the north end the English have stores, & Bar-
racks, no troops on the Island at present, crossed to Mon-
treal Island below the town & walk'd up. During our
absence Gen' [Jacob] Brown & Suite & a many other
Yankees arrive.
99 Simon McTavish (1750-1804), oae of the organizers of the North
West Company.
MONTREAL, 1820 557
Monday IT'' Sep: Write to my Wife. Preparing to
move. Introduced to Capt° Bing ^""^ of y^ R Navy. Read
at Cunningham's. Extremely warm. Ev^ rain.
Tuesday [Sept.] 12'*^ Rain. Leave Martinant's Mans"
Hotel & breakfast at Annesly's. Bouchet returns and as I
judge will not take the King's picture. At Mr Annesley's
(who is a frame maker & picture & Look^ Glass dealer,
and a Batchelor) I am to live & paint at $5 p' week, at
Martinants it has cost me $13, both exclusive of Washing
& extra's. Paint on Griffin, read at Cunnmgham's.
[Sept.] IS"" Rain still. Clears in Afternoon. Paint on
Griffin, on Moffatts friend & begin Rev^ M' [John]
Bethune the E: priest.
[Sept.] 14^^ Paint as yesterday. Lovely cool day. Walk
with Thompson; talk of Naesmith, Wilkie, Allan, &
Thompson the Engraver, Uncle to this gentleman. Eve-
ning at Barretts rooms. Mrs B : plays & sings, Thompson
accompanies on Violin.
Sept'' 15'^ 1820, Friday. One of the great Market days
at Montreal & the only day on which they have a fish
market. Roman catholic influence in this. It is remark-
able that at Montreal & Norfolk, the extremes of my
travelling on this Continent, they have two similar cus-
toms not found to my knowledge elsewhere. They sweep
their Chimneys by pulling a rope up & down with brush
wood attached to it, & they bring theu" country produce
in One horse Carts which are arrange [d] in order on
the Market Square. Another lovely morning. Paint as
yesterday.
Sept' 16"" Saturday. Paint as yesterday & on Barrett.
After dinner walk with Annesley to McTavish's House &
up the Hill to the Mausoleum & pillar erected to his
memory by the McGillevray's. They are embosom'd in
100 Hon. Henry Dilkes Byng.
558 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Trees, surrounded by a paling, & the pillar on higher
ground behind the Tomb. The whole is impressive. We
mounted the Mountain clambering, & gained a very ex-
tensive view of Montreal the River & plain.
Sunday [Sept. 17] Having been unwell again for 3
days, I at last take the medicine Dr P left for me when
he went away & confine myself to the house. Work on
Griffins Min : & write to my Wife. Weather Cool.
Monday IS''^ Sepf Unwell. Walk. Cool weather. Paint
on Mr Bethune.
19th [Sept.] Tuesday. Cooler. Unwell. Walk. Work on
Min: Mr [Harman] Blenerhassett call'd to see me. This
Man made notorious by his connexion with Burr, is now
here practicing Law for a living. He is a polite & appar-
ently well informed man, appears at least 60 years old,
and is very near sighted. Yesterday Mr McGillevray sent
the picture & called on me. Mr Hare, D. Com: Gen. who
was introduced to me by Finlay, call'd by McGil^' request
to talk over the alterations. Several visitors to day.
Wed^ [Sept.] 20'^ Cold. Walk. Still unwell. I saw a
little up the river an encampment of Indians, 8 or 9 Tents
of the rudest kind. Birch-bark suspended over poles & a
birch canoe near, or making part of each Tent. Dirty &
squalid they appeared to pig together in their wretched,
little, imperfect shelterings, hugging themselves in their
blankets; a fire of sticks at the entrance of several of
the Tents. I amuse myself with studying the prints in
Ackerman's Repository. De Lampre & Berzy ^^^ are the
painters who have preceded me here, the first has been
to see me, he now declines painting portraits, & paints
large Historical pictures for the R. C. Churches at 100
dollars a piece, the other who had som.e little merit as a
painter is dead. There are two others here beneath notice.
Went in the evening to See Mr Charles perform his slight
of hand & hear his ventriloquism. Both very good.
101 William von Moll Bercz>'.
MONTREAL, 1820 559
Thursday morning. White frost. Fine day. Paint on
Griffin. McKenzie (Moffatts) Bethune & McGillivray.
Walk.
Friday 22"^ Sept' 1820. Very pleasant. Finish Griffin &
receive 30 dolP the first money I have rec"^ since I left
home. Paint on Bethune.
Sat^ 23'^ Mild with high wind. Even^ & night rain.
Paint on McGillivray.
Sunday 24'^ Clear & colder. I am still unwell. Work a
little on McGillivray. Walk. Afternoon mild & very pleas-
ant. Walk. Night rain.
Monday 25'^ Sepf Windy. Write to my wife by Capt°
[John] Garland to whom I was introduced last even^
at the Mansion House H: He & his wife are going to
Virginia and have come from Green-Bay, an U. S. Gar-
rison ab^ 200 miles beyond Michilimackinack. Paint on
Bethune & McKenzie. some visitors. Afternoon quite
cold. Walk. Evening reading by the fire. See & eat a poor
peach, the only one I have seen, they can be raised as
wall-fruit, but are not for sale. Grapes are plenty & good
and apples abound of the finest. The delicate plover are
brought to Market in great quantities. They come up y*
River in flocks. Pheasants are brought to market. The
partridge (Quail of N. Y.) is unknown here.
Tuesday 26*^ Sepf Frosty morning but very fine. Re-
ceive letter from my wife. Morning wasted in waiting
upon Mr McGillivray, who came too late to sit & ap-
pointed tomorrow. Afternoon walk. See strawberry vines
in blossom. There are no Robbins, no meadow Larks &
no partridges in the fields or woods here. I have men-
tioned the similar customs of Norfolk & this place as to
Chimney sweeping & attending Market, there are other
customs common to the two & not found elsewhere to
the best of my knowledge. Supplying the inhabitants
560 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
with water by carting it in casks, here from the river,
at N. from a pump as formerly in N. Y. from the tea-
water-pump. Young men going out to shoot on Sunday.
But how different are the two places in many respects.
The cold close cautious inhospitable manners of the mot-
ley & jarring population contrasts strongly with the free
open warm hospitable Virginians, as the solid prisonlike
hybernacle stone houses <with> their deep retiring win-
dows & doors with Iron shutters with the light open sum-
mer habitations of the children of the south. But then
here is no slave population! 0 what a paradise would
Virginia be, if it had instead of its slaves the hardy
ignorant french peasants of Canada, if it had the intelli-
gent population of the middle or Eastern States of Amer-
ica it would be still more blessed.
Wed'' 27'^ Sepf Walk. Summer mornmg. Paint on
Bethune & Barrett. McGillivray has his first sitting.
Afternoon parade of the troops.
Thursday 28^^^ Sept^ Up at 4 OClock & took some Tea.
At 5 thro' a thick fog ride down to Long point & stop at
[William S.] Leney's. Mr Annesley & myself took shoot-
ing equipments & it clearing up (with Mr Leney) we
went in search of plover over the plowed Lands up from
the River. We saw a few & got one. They are the same
Bird that is found on Long Island. After dinner we went
in a Canoe to Busherville's Islands some miles down the
river. We there found more of these Birds, shot a few
Ducks & Geese & return'd to Leney's about sun-sett.
Leney has given up engraving and turn'd farmer. He has
purchased 400 acres of Land at Long Point 4 & I/2 miles
from Montreal, the situation delightfull & the soil good.
Montreal up the river, w^ Grants or St Helen's Island,
down the river Boucherville & Point aux Tremble, with
Islands, Farm houses & a fine country over the river,
make a rich Landscape terminated by the Mountains of
Chamble.
MONTREAL, 1820 561
Friday [Sept.] 29'^ Walk. A fine morning. Paint on
McGillivray & Bethune.
Sat^ [Sept.] 30"" The weather resembles our Indian-
Summer. Walk on the very pleasant ridge of the Hill
which forms the 3d step from the River, the 1st is the
bank or level of St Paul's Street, 2d, level of Notre Dame,
then come the beautiful intervale land of meadows, gar-
dens & Orchards crossed by the streets of the Suburb
Saint Lawrence & you ascend the third level or step on
which is Sherbrook Street, which looks down on the Town
& appears as if at some period it had been the bank of
the river, the 4th 5th & 6th steps take you to the top
of the mountain. Paint on ^IcGillivray. Afternoon walk.
Sunday Ocf 1st 1820. A fine clear morning. Go on
board 2 of the Steam Boats for Quebec. I wish much to
go thither before my return & good health and good
weather next Saturday will perhaps tempt me. At 1
OClock Thomson & self cross'd to La Prairie in the Steam
Boat, stemming the rapid current in a curious and pleas-
ing manner. We were 2 hours going the 9 miles. We
walk'd round the Village & enter'd the Church, where
the kind of miserable pictures & Images, with tawdry dec-
orations disgust the sight as in Montreal. We then walked
down the river to Longueuile, a very pleasant walk,
fine road, substantial farm houses in uninterrupted suc-
cession, and rich farms extending in lines back from the
river, over a perfect level. After a walk of 10 miles we
sought food & refreshment at a tavern in the Village.
They agreed to give us, having nothing else, some bread,
eggs & brandy. The brandy came first in dirty tumblers
& proved to be miserable rum. The Landlady brought in
six eggs in a soup plate and one large pewter spoon, she
then went out & brought in a part of a loaf of sour brown
bread grasped in one hand and a saucer with some salt
in the other, and with the spoon she ground the salt from
coarse to fine in the saucer. This was our dinner & ap-
paratus, no plates, no knives, 6 eggs to be eat as we
562 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
could with one large spoon. This amused me much, and
with great difficulty we got two knives & another saucer,
tea-spoons were not to be had. We soon dispatched the
eggs, and went off to the Horse boat which plies be-
tween this place & the Cross, 2 miles below Montreal.
The crossing was very pleasant, and after a walk to
my quarters, my Tea, bread butter & cheese were very
acceptable. I found and brought home some Mushrooms.
The Haws are really a pleasant fruit in this country
and to day we found a fruit in appearance like a small
apple, but sweet & totally unlike the crab apple. It must
be noted that this Canadian Tavern, so utterly devoid
of comfort was not a Hovel, but a decent looking House,
with large sign, several apartments, pictures of Saints,
virgins & abundance of crucifixes, and immediately in
front of the Village Church.
Monday Ocf 2*^. A Summer day. I yesterday saw a
procession come out of Notre Dame Church. First the
Beadle in his Livery coat then 3 Boys bare headed with
white Linen over their shoulders & black gowns under,
the center boy carried the Crucifix of silver & the others,
each a candle, next came 8 boys 2 & 2 dress'd as the first
but with black caps on night cap shaped, & last 8 or 10
Priests, with the same kind of caps. Paint on McGillivray
& my 2 Kings pictures. Place the first at Cunningham's
reading room for sale.
Tuesday Ocf 3*^ Summer like morning. Walk on the
Ridge or Sherbrooke Street. These 3 or 4 days past the
trees have put on their variegated coats. Paint on Mc-
Kenzie & King. Miss Smith & Mad*" De L'Aubigne w'^
me, the first to see me paint. Walk with Thomson.
Wed'' [Oct.] 4**" Quite warm. Indian Summer. Walk
up the river. Paint on McGillivray. Afternoon Misty
Rain from S. E.
Thursday 5^'^ Rainy day: quite warm. Paint on Mc-
Gillivray & McKenzie.
MONTREAL, 1820 563
Friday 6"" It clears mild. Paint as before.
Sat^ y*' Ocf 1820. Clear and slight frost. Finish Mc-
Gillivray & McKenzie. The first brings his sisters, daugh-
ter & friends to judge the picture & the verdict is favour-
able. Pack up. Even^ call on Dr Paine & with him pass
the evening with the Barrett's.
Sunday Ocf 8'^ Fine clear frosty morning, prepare for
a walk to Lachine to Finlay's, as I hope to embark for
Quebec tomorrow or to-night. I walked to Lachine by
the River & enjoy'd much pleasure from the Scenery.
Finlay out, his Lady after confinement pretty well, stay
i/o an hour & walk back, making a walk of 17 or 18 miles
at least, take dinner at CoP Fleets who now keeps a
Chop-house.
Monday [Oct.] 9'^ Wind S. E. a little rain. Rec*^ from
Mr Moffat t an order for 50 dollars and left it with Mr
Annesley. Embark at 9 in y® Telegraph for Quebec. Lower
Canada is betw° 45 & 52 N. L. and 63 & 81 W. Longitude.
Discover'd by J Car tier in 1534 in 1759 it becomes perma-
nently Englands. population 1815 335,000 of whom 275,-
000 are Can[adians] to whom their laws religion &c
were secured, it is govern'd by Governor, Executive
Councill & Legislative Council appointed by the King &
has a third house elected by the Freeholders. The Gov'
may prorogue or dissolve at pleasure and the King may
annul any Law within 2 years. They are notwithstand-
ing in their present state actually free & free from taxes,
except those flowing from the necessity of buying all
manufactures from England. England must indulge them
in every point for fear of the U. S. Canada owes its free-
dom to us and our Revolution. Some one told an Irishman
that he <was much more free in> had more liberty here
than in his own Country. "Liberty" says Pat "Liberty]
when I'm six months in the year up to my knees in
Snow." After dinner we land at Berthier, a pretty village,
wooden houses, a fine Island opposite to it used as a graz-
ing place for the cattle of the village. Women paddling
564 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
over in canoes to milk the cows. Head wind & we anchor
in Lake St Peters.
Tuesday Morning [Oct.] 10^^ Cold cloudy morning
and going down Lake St. Peters with a head wind, at 7
OClock we are ab' 70 miles on our way, (out of 180).
Lake St Peters is 25 miles long & 9 wide. At a l^ past 9
we arrive at the Town of Three Rivers at the mouth of
the river St Maurice. Bouchet states this to be the third
in rank in Lower Canada. Its appearance is poor & not
larger than La Prairie. We stop here an hour. In the
afternoon we come to Anchor in Storm & Rain, and toss-
ing with a river-sea.
Wed^ [Oct.] ir^ The Storm continues & we remain
at anchor until after 4 OClock in the afternoon. The
scenery then becomes very fine as gilded by an evening
Sun. We arrive at Quebec about Ten OClock and sleep
another Night on board The Morning of Thursday I go
on shore.
[Thursday, Oct. 12] The Coup d'oeil of Quebec even
from the boat at the Wharf is striking, after depositing
my baggage at the Union Hotel, I walk over a part of
the rugged town, through two of the Gates or passages
which pass through the fortifications and enjoy a wild
prospect from various points. After breakfast call on
Bouchet. I found him in his ofiSce & he looked as if he
saw in me one risen from the Dead: He soon recover'd
and was very glad to see me & after being seated enquired
if I had finished the Kings picture. I answered ''Yes,
and I have brought it with me and expected it to pay
my expences from Montreal & and back again." "That
will be S40 at least" said he. "Yes, but if you take the
picture you shall have it for 130, cash if not I shall try
to Raffle it off for $50. He said he must have it, and then
began the old story of his losing 1700 guineas by his
Maps concluding by offerring me in lieu of cash, an order
on James Thomson of N. Y. for $16 due for a set of Maps,
and two setts of Maps complete, value 7 Guineas each.
QUEBEC, 1820 565
I accepted his offer and was introduced to his Lady and
four sons who were so fully employed in putting a squirrel
into a cage that they could scarce attend to me. All was
truly French. They had half finishe'd Breakfast when the
New Cage came home & all was left in disorder. B. De-
manded why he was not called to Breakfast, the Lady
cried, "Bun, Bun, pretty Bun," I was invited by him to
sit down & take Tea. "Adelaide I am astonished at you."
The Lady sat down to Table pouting & frowning. I paid
my prettiest attentions to her and smiles were restored.
M: Charles had given her the squirrel, he was a charming
man, &c &c. Arrangements were made for one of the
young men to attend me to the plains of Abraham and
show me the Lions of Quebec. On the plains of Abraham
and in the prospect of Wolfes Cove I enjoy'd feelings
from recollections & Associations truly enviable. On re-
turn^ we visited the principal Fr[ench] Church. A picture
of the Annunciation is worth notice. From various points
of the Fortifications the views are beautiful and some,
sublime. In the afternoon I went again to Bouchet get
the order on T and the Maps, having delivered the pic-
ture to his servant. He wrote the order but could only
give me one complete sett of Maps and one imperfect
sett. 10 sheets making the great Map of Lower Canada,
the general or two sheets including both Canada's on a
smaller scale, and the volume of Topographical descrip-
tion, making one complete sett, valued by him at 7 G^ and
the same sett of the Large Map (10 sheets) and the book.
He added 3 maps of the District of Gaspe. On returning
to my Lodgings I found that the order was not addressed
to any person. I went back. Bouchet had gone out. I was
ushered up stairs and found Madame in great trouble.
The squirrel had been let out of the Cage to play, and
would not return but took refuge in the Window Cur-
tain & was gnawing it to pieces, the servants were called
to catch Bun, who flew from one piece of furniture to
another she crying "Bun Bun pretty Bun" when he was
at a distance & shrieking when he approached, this farce
continued an hour with intervals of a few words to me.
566 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Bouchet return'd, finished the order and I, declining
their invitations to Tea, took my departure. The be-
haviour and language of this family are amusing, a mix-
ture of French & English in both, and full of the English
affectation of interlarding every thing that is said w**
"You know" and "Do you know."
I had an opportunity before Dinner to go through the
Lower Town & St Roque's suberb. Nothing can be finer
than the effect of the rock and Ramparts of Cape Dia-
mond lowering over the Houses & ships below. St Roques
suberb is the filthiest miserable place I ever beheld, but
the frowning battlements even here repaid me for wad-
ing thro' the filth below them. The upper Town is one
complete Fortress, encircled by Walls, ditches, towers
Battlements, herisse with Cannon, and only accessible
from the Lower Town and Suberbs, through arched gate-
ways threaten'd by towers & guns. It is altogether a
wonderful place and so unlike any thing in America that
I can scarcely imagine myself on my Native Continent.
Friday Oct^ 13^^^ At 6 OClock, I began a Walk to the
Falls of Montmorency, distant 9 miles from Quebec, by
Dorchester Bridge ove[r] the River St Charles. After
passing the bridge and over a low plain, I ascended for
miles passing through the long irregular village of Beau-
port. At a Canadian Inn, I got some bread which I could
not eat, some Tea & Eggs & then proceed to view the
Falls and adjacent scenery and to make sketches for my
portfolio. This falls are said to be 200 feet high or more
& the river being very full I saw them to advantage. The
scenery in various directions is picturesque & truly grand.
In one of my sketches I have the brow of the Fall & over
it the aqueduct lead^ to the Great Saw Mills on the West
side, with Points Levi and Quebec in the distance. I re-
sumed my walk, turning to Quebec & reached my lodg-
ings before 3 OClock after a ramble of 18 or 20 miles.
Saturd'' [Oct.] 14'^ Before open daylight I embarked
on board the Steam Boat Quebec for Montreal and about
% past six we under steam & sail. I sketched the views
QUEBEC, 1820 567
of the Town as we passed up the river which are in this
book. I yesterday saw a Canadian country Funeral. Four
men bearing the corpse the coffin cover'd by a coarse
sheet, 10 or 12 others attending in disorder & all talking,
laughing & shouting through the Village of Beauport.
One man foUow'd some yards behind, with a handkerchief
to his face, he was unnoticed, and the only mourner
The fine weather to day and the ample accommoda-
tions of this Quebec recompense me for the sufferrings
on board the Telegraph in going down the River. All is
to day cheerful & the banks of y^ River have almost a
summer aspect. A Band of Music composed of the
Waiters contribute to the cheering effect. In the after-
noon the wind changes and rain follows for the night.
Sunday 15 Ocf Lake St Peters. Here we anchored for
the night and now proceed with fair wind & cloudy sky.
Travellers on this river are principally from the U. S.
or Europe. Going down we had 1 American (for so we of
y^ U. S. are designated when not called Yankee) 3 Scotch-
men & one Canadian priest. Now we are 2 Americans,
2 Scotsmen, 2 Irishmen & three American Canadians (as
I suppose) one of them is Chrysler on whose Farm ^'^^ the
battle was fought in 1813 which stopt Wilkinson. Upper
Canada is fast settling with Scotch and Americans, the
latter in greatest proportion and (I speak from hearsay,
the conversation of those who envy & hate them) thriv-
ing in every undertaking so as to promise ultimately to
make the whole country American.
Distance from N. Y. to Alb [any]
mile
160
Alb: to Whitehall
74
Wh : to St Johns
150
St J Mont'
27
M^ Quebec
180
Q. Montm''
9
600
102 Chrystler's Farm, near the head of the Long Sault Rapids, on the
St. Lawrence River, where American troops were defeated November
11, 1813. C. P. Lucas, The Canadian War of 1812 (Oxford, 1906).
568 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Off Wm Henry at 12 OClock that is, 46 miles from
Montreal, rainy Ev« 6 OClock clears is W. N. E. The
Saw Mills at Montmorency employs 80 labourers, cost
about £60,000 St^ At Three Rivers is a Fall of the River
St Maurice at which are great Iron works. The owner
Ball is on board, it is a great establishment for Cast Iron
ware, &c. Arrive at 8 OClock at Montreal but for dark-
ness, & Storm cannot Land.
Monday morn^ [Oct.] 16**^ Still rain or thick Mist. At
Montreal. Go to Annesley's. McGillivray refuses to pay
1120, tells Annesley in a note that my demand is founded
on his not making a bargain. Write a note addressed to
Annesley rebutting the charge & asserting the fact that
$150 would have been my price, to which if he had not
agreed I should have [been] at home two weeks ago.
Call on Cunningham he has not disposed of the picture
of the King, takes my directions to do it at any price
& remit me the money before P' Nov"". Receive from
Barrett $15. Annesley again calls on McGillivray & he
refuses to pay more that $100. Prepare to depart and go
down to the Boat for La Prairie, leaving the boys w'' the
handbarrow laden to follow. Annesley with me. Annesley'
turns back for my Great Coat. I proceed and go on board
the Boat. Wait in vain for my baggage. Jump on shore
as the Boat pushes off. Messrs Colt & Ogden advise me
to look for my baggage on board the Quebec & other
Steam boats. I do so, in vain, return to Annesleys & find
that he seeing the Steam boat go off & supposing me
with her, took my baggage to the New Market & em-
bark'd with it in a canoe to overtake me at La Prairie.
Thus he will have a long journey in pursuit of me while
I am by his fire-side. Ab* 8 OClock Annesley return'd;
He having seen me on board supposed that I had gone
on, & stopping the baggage took a small boat below,
while I was seeking him above, crossed to Longueile, got
a carriage & arrived a[t] La Prairie before the Steam
Boat, not finding me he left my baggage, rode to Lon-
gueile & cross'd again in pursuit of me.
MONTREAL, 1820 569
Tuesday 17'" Ocf A fine frosty morning. Write to Mc-
Gillivray in a manner that if it does not produce ray
money will at least make him feel his inferiority. Shew
the letter to Dr Paine. Go to La Prairie to look to my
baggage. We are two or three minutes on the Rocks. See
for the first time one of the N. W. Indian Bark Canoes
man'd by 18 or 20 Voyageurs 9 or 10 on each side. With
each a paddle or short oar all keeping time to their
Choral Song. All the oarsmen or paddlers dress'd in dark
blue with round black hats and a steersman with a pad-
dle, dress'd in figured Chints or Calico. All looking like
Savages. See for the first time the sabot or wooden shoe
on the peasants of La Prairie they are used as our go-
loshoe. At 1/2 past 2 we go to Fleet for a dinner and then
to Annesley. Evening with Dr Paine at Mr Barrett's.
Wed^ 18"^ Ocf 1820. Frosty morning. I have before
mentioned the New plan of Ship-building invented by
Mr Annesley's father [William Annesley]. I have this
morning heard read a letter from him to his wife dated
Aug'' 18'" last, in which he states that he has proved his
theory by 20 vessels, from a Wherry to a ship of 360 tons,
& that now, at Hull a ship is building of upwards of 700
tons burthen, after the completion of which he will pub-
lish a pamphlet with engravings, now preparing, and then
sell his patent, for England, & return to his Wife & fam-
ily in America. The letter is a plain, sensible, excellent
letter from a Husband who had been long seperated from
his family & struggling for a great object against, power
prejudice and the interest of many individuals. At Cun-
ninghams at Paines. Go to see some miserable paintings
sent from France to sell to the Churches here. Go to see
De Lampre who is painting from prints for the Churches.
Afternoon Annesley tells me that McGillivray has sent
for his picture & tells him to call next week for the $120.
Ride with Annesley. afterwards take a walk and see a
Crayon picture said to be done by Copley 50 years ago,
the head of a lady beautifully painted with great breadth
& simplicity.
570 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Paint at Montreal
Mr Barrett 25 pd
Mr Griffin 30 pd
Mr Bethune 30 pd
MrMcKenzie 50 pd
Mr McGillivray 120
Prince Regent for [which ] I rec^ Maps
insf^ of money promised
D° D° sold for 50 by Mr Cun-
ningham
Expences of Journey to Canada Bro^ forward 196.71/2
voyage to Quebec 10. . .
At Quebec 4. . .
Steam boat Quebec 12. . .
D° 2.50
Mr. Annesley 15. . .
and an order on Cunningham for $22.25
from the proceeds of the Kings picture
Ocf 17'^ Expences to La Prairie &c 1.25
18'^ pd. printers 3.25
Thursday 19'^ Ocf A Mild morning. Take what a hope
will be my last Walk o' the morning in Montreal at pres-
ent. Leave Mont^ at 10. At 12 arrive at La Prairie. At 5
arrive at St Johns on the Richlieu or Sorrell or Chamblee
whose mouth I pass'd a few days since. Capt° Bing of the
R Navy who commands at Isle au Noix in company.
Some interesting conversation with him respecting the
affair in Chesapeake Bay last War. I am favoured with
a summer like day for this part of my return Journey.
We are to sleep at Johns and embark after breakfast.
Friday Ocf 20''' A fine morning with white frost. Em-
bark at 8 OClock and enjoy a summer voyage on the
Lake. Mr Garden a Scotch gentleman of Montreal con-
tributed to my pleasure by his conversation. Mr Bowyer
from the Mansion House is with me. The sunsetting in
the broad part of the Lake was almost as fine as I saw it
in August, both were truly beautiful & sublime.
MONTREAL TO NEW YORK, 1820 571
Saturday Ocf 2V' We arrive at 6 OClock at Whitehall
the morning foggy & promising another summer day. I
landed at Burlington last evening & saw part of the town
by the light of a clear full moon. We had previously stopt
at Plattsburg but I did not go on shore. All the scenery
from Plattsburg to the time of sunsetting when we were
approaching Burlington was truly superb, the clouds of
the most varied brilliant & soft tints and the Mountains
partaking of every hue of the pallette, while the nearer
points, Islands & headlands shone in the vivid colours of
an American Autumn. We leave Whitehall & ride over
hills with bold scenery in every direction by the same
road which I pass'd in the Fall of 1816. Arrive at Albany
^ past Eleven.
Sunday Ocf 22*^ Obliged to stay at Albany. Chancelpr
Kent has just gone to N. Y. Walk around the Town. It
is perfect summer. Afternoon walk with Boyer.
Monday [Oct.] 23*^ Prepare to embark. A fine morning.
Meet C[harles] Rhind on board y® Paragon. Sit up to see
the passage of the Hudson through the Highlands and
by that means see the Towns of Poughkeepsy & New-
burgh.
Tuesday [Oct.] 24 Arrive at N. Y. and am struck by
the contrast between the beauty & richness of the City
Harbour & shipping and the appearance of the cities of
the North. Find my family well.
Leave New York on Tuesday the 14'^ of Nov' [1820]
with my Wife for Norfolk. Leave my son & daughter to
keep house in Leonard Street. We arrive same evening
at PhiP & took up our abode with Mr Charles Chauncey.
Go on to Baltimore the 19*^ and stay at Barnums Hotel
until 20'^
Our abode w^ Mr Charles Chauncey & his amiable
family, his Wife ^'^^ & her sister Miss [Charlotte] Chester
103 Charles Chauncey (1777-1849) mamed Hannah Chester (1781-
1821). Her sister, Juha Chester, married Matthew C. Ralston of Phila-
delphia. See Stiles, History of Ancient Wethersfield, Conn., II, 216.
572 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
are of Wethersfield Con: Another sister is married to
Mr Ralston of PhiP & Mr [Henry] Chester a brother is
likewise settled there. We pass'd our time until Sat 12
OClock, in visiting friends & seeing the City, new to
my Wife, then took leave of our friends, and arrive
in Bait. 3 OClock Sunday morning, the 19'^ Nov"" at 7
OClock we are well lodged at Barnums Hotel
Monday 20''' Nov'" Leave Baltimore in the Steam B'
Norfolk for Norfolk after passing a pleasant day in Balti-
more, showing my Wife the beautiful buildings of that
City.
Tuesday morning 2P* Nov'" Squally & Rain as we enter
the Harbour of Norfolk. Land being received by Mr T
Williamson who politely accompanies us to his house &
insists on our staying with him until suited with Lodg-
ings. Engage lodgings & board at Mrs Murphy's at $12
p"" Week.
Wed^ [Nov.] 22"^ Still summer. See Lyford who says
Mr Broughton will have 3 pictures painted at $25. Din-
ner party at Mr Williamson's.
[Nov.] 23*^ Summer with clouds. Hope to have my
painting room ready in about a week.
[Nov.] 30'*' A Snow Storm. I am still without painting
or Exhibition Room but hope to have the first finished
in 2 or 3 days. We left Mr Ws on monday y^ 27^'" and
are in Granby Street.
Norfolk Dec'" 1^^ A fine Winter morning, the earth
cover'd with Snow.
Sunday Dec' 10''' I yesterday return'd from William-
sons hav^ walked out the day before with my gun.
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1820 573
Monday ll"* Dec"" Began a portrait of Mrs. William-
son. I have finished my Historical picture which I call
''Christ's first Teaching in the Temple."
[Dec] 12*** Write a Catalogue. Finish my picture of
Susannah at the Bath.
Wed^ [Dec] 13'^ Paint on Mrs W. Busy in preparing
my Exhibition Room.
Thursday [Dec] 14"" Finish my picture of Mahomet
afte[r] his return.
Friday [Dec] 15'^ Warm as summer. Work on pic-
tures for Exhibition. Finish Mrs. Bourke's picture. I have
borrow'd from Mr Glenn, Dr Clarke's Bible & read
therein.
[Dec] 16"^ A Violent Storm. Ev^ Snow. Work all day
on the picture of Mrs Cooper & child for my Exhibition.
[Dec] 17"^ Rain & thaw. Work a little.
[Dec] 18*^ Monday. Rain. The snow has disapeared
entirely: Work on my pictures for Exhibition. The floor
is at length laid of my Exhibition Room & I hope to open
it on friday.
Thursday Dec"" 2V' Last night & to day violent rain.
Yesterday was perfect summer. I have been busily en-
gaged in painting on and arranging for Exhibition in my
new Gallery. I have advertised to open it on Saturday
next. My Catalogues are printed. I shall show near 60
pictures of my own painting.
Friday Dec"" 22*^ Finish hanging pictures & making
other arrangements for my Exhibition.
Sat^ [Dec] 23'* Open my Exhibition. The rec^ $2.25.
An additional Setter engaged. This is (as Christmas Eve)
the great market day. Weather very fine.
Sunday 24*** Weather Still warm
574 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
25**' Christmas day. Raw & cold. My Exh'' rec*^ $6,121/2
Begin to copy Mr Hunters picture for Mr Owens. Yester-
day Mr Cammack & to day CoP Armistead engage por-
traits. The Herald speaks in high praise of my pictures
particularly my largest or "Christ's first teaching."
Dec'" 26*^ Snow Storm with rain. Even^ cold & clear.
Begin Wm Cammack's & Wm Armisteads portraits. Re-
ceive a letter from Earl of Phil^ with a Box of Frames.
A letter from Sully from Baltimore, saying he is doing
well & a letter from my daughter. My friend Holland ^"^
is dead.
[Dec] 27*^ A fine frosty day. Paint on my Copy of
Mr Hunter
[Dec] 28*'' Rain all day. Receive 3 frames from Earl
priced 9, 12, & 14 dollars, which with Box Freight &
Cartage makes them cost me 9:50, 13:50, 16:50. My
prices must be 11, 15, 20. Paint on Capf Cammack & a
View from Queens Town heights.
[Dec] 29*'' Very warm, with high wind & showers all
day. Curious effect of damps upon some of my pictures
even so as to make them appear utterly ruined, restored
by drying them near a stove. Paint on Capt'' Cammack.
. [Dec] 3P* Sunday Pleasant.
Jan^ r* 1821. Slight frost, very pleasant. Begin
Broughtons portrait. Dine at Williamsons.
[Jan.] 2"^* Threatens snow but clears in the evening.
Paint on Mrs Williamsons portrait. My Exhibition in-
creases in value & my principal picture pleases. Become
acquainted with Gen' [James Patton] Preston the late
Gov'" of this state.
104 John Joseph Holland, scene-painter and artist, died in New York
City December 16, 1820, in the 45th year of his age. (N. Y.) Commer-
cial Advertiser, December 18, 1S20.
.|()H\ .|()Si;i'Il HOLLAND (r. 177(>-LS2(I
AtTKIIUTKI) Til \\'lI.I.I.\M DlNLAI'
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1821 575
[Jan.] 3*^ A most pleasant day. Work on the portrait
of Mrs. Williamson
[Jan.] 4^^ Cold. 5'^^ Very' cold.
[Jan.] 6^^ Violent storm of rain all day. Paint on
Brought-on & a little on the Play scene of Hamlet.
7^^ Sunday. Snow. 8'^ Clear & Cold. 9^^ Clear & Mild.
[Jan.] 10** Wed'' Springlike. Last even^ past the eve-
ning in company with Tazewell; a most extraordinary
man. Eloquent unaffected, mathematical, quick as light-
ning, sportive & cool.
[Jan.] 11*^ Rain. Yesterday 2 pictures engaged.
12*^ A Spring day of sunshine.
13'^ Saturday. Rain all day.
14*^ Sunday. Clear & Summer heat. Evening at Doctor
Barraud's with Gen' Taylor & others.
15'^ Clear & mild. 16'^ Cold and threatning snow.
17*^ Wed^ Snow 18"^ Thursday Clear & cold, the
ground cover'd with snow. The 19^^ is the same. I finish
Cammack to day & paint for 2 days on Crocker.
Tuesday [Jan.] 23'^ The first fine day since the 14*\
24*'' Very cold & Snow. 25*^ The cold is excessive for
this climate 2 degrees of Farenheit. 26**" it begins to mod-
erate 27**" Sat'' Moderate & the harbour which had been
closed is open. 28**^ Sunday Warm as Spring. 29*'' Still
warmer & 30*" still warmer, and the three days clear &
beautiful.
I have begun a picture of Capt'' Warrington on specu-
lation. Last even^ pass'd with the 2 Parson Lowes ^^^ and
there Wives
105 Rev. Samuel Low and Rev. Enoch M. Low.
576 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Feb^ W 1821 Monday. A fine clear day. I am this
day 56 years of age. This is my second birthday in Nor-
foik, yet since the last what a variety of scenes have I
pass'd thro'! I sate down yesterday to answer a letter
from my amiable friend Doctor Payne of Montreal which
revived the events of last Fall & may perhaps lead me
again to Canada. But in all thy wiU be done Oh God!
And may I remember that if I truly wish thy will to
be done I shall strive to do thy will, and that thy will
is truth and love!
Norfolk, Friday April 27''^ 1821. ReC^ the following
letter
Private
D' Sir
Should the Theatre not be appropriated in a few days, the pro-
prietors will have it conducted on their ace*. If so, would you be
wiUing to go as their Agent to London, to Embark at New York
on 10 of May or Earlier.
Should you like the suggestion, an early meeting would be advis-
able. I leave this about Wed'' for Phila" where I may stay two or
three days (at the Washington Hall). You'l have the goodness to
write me immediately both to Phil' & N. York.
With regard y"
John K Beekman
Baltimore Barnums Hotel
W Dunlap Es'
to this I answer'd
Friday Afternoon
Ap* 27*'^ 1821
D' Sir
I have but just received your letter from Baltimore. I did not
[intend] leaving this place until July; but upon receiving your
answer to this, saying that you will pay my expences to N. York,
and (in case an arrangement for the Voyage suggested does not
take place) my expences back to Norfolk, I will immediately embark
in the Steam Boat for the purpose of an interview with you in
New York.
If this should reach you in time to admit of your reply's coming
to my hands on or before Sunday 6'" May, I shall have it in my
power to be in N. York on the 10".
Y" &c. W D
John K. Beekman Es"
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1821 577
May 13*" [1821] I rec'* an answer to the above dated
the 5**" saying that this day Mr Simpson had concluded
his agreement for the Theatre & that Beekmans plans
were at an end.
[May] 29'*" Leave Mrs Murphy's boarding house &
settled with her. My Wife goes with Mrs Williamson to
Ferryville & I go to W's town house. The heat is now
in the afternoon of 2 days 88 of Farenheit. 1 day said
to be 92.
June P' 1821. Go down to Ws plantation. Evening
rain.
2^ So cold as to require fire.
3*^ Ride to the Bay-side.
4*" Return to Norfolk. See a picture said to be a Rubens
*'St John's head presented to Herod. Introduced to Mr
Roberts Cashier of Bank of Fredericksburg.
Monday [June] IP*' Last week mostly at the Ferrj^.
Return'd to day. Of the forest trees of this part of Vir-
ginia I have remark'd many kinds of Oak not seen with
us, the Willow-oak is very beautiful, the live oak, post
oak, Chesnut oak &c. The Chinquepin makes a figure.
Thursday & Friday 14 & 15 excessive heat. Painting
Miss Nivison
Nov^ 30'^ I went home to N. Y. with my Wife the last
of June and remained there until the 22*^ of Nov'' I am
now again in Norfolk for the third time, the place be-
comes more & more desolate, but I Hope to find por-
trait painting enough here & in the neighbourhood to
support me while I finish my picture of Christ Rejected.
If I can do so, & accomplish that object in May next I
hope I may be better off in pecuniary matters hereafter.
578 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Dec"" P' A Wet day. I have a prospect of employment
in Elizabeth City N. C. I am preparing my rooms here
for the reception of my paintings & materials.
Sunday 2^ Dec' Wet day but still mild. Even^ rain.
Hear Mr [Joshua T.] Russell the presbyterian preach.
Read Wirts life of Patrick Henry. Meagre <fe inflated.
[Dec] Z^ Write to Earle for prepared cloths. Clear
mild weather. I find that the room which Mr M Glenn
had intended for me is now occupied as a place [?] for
Negroe slaves bro' here to ship by the Slave dealers. I
am therefor off from that place. Dine at Neilsons.
[Dec] 4^^ Mild rain. Go to Ferryville and live 3 days
on Oysters & Hoe cake, shooting partridges. 7'^ Return
to Norfolk.
[Dec] 8**" Saturday. Rain all day. Hear from home.
Write to J. K. Beekman respecting an Exhibition room
in N. Y. to be built for me.
[Dec] 9*^ Sunday Clear & cold not freezing.
10'^ Dec"" Cloudy & cold not freezing. On the opposite
page is the inscription for the Crucifixion as given by
Clark.
IH20TS o Nafcopatos o BatJtXeus roir) I0TAAI12N
lESUS NAZARENUS REX lUDAEORUM
W. receives a letter from EHzabeth City N. C. decUning
my professional services, except for one picture.
[Dec] 12^'' Yesterday got my picture up. Williamson,
has written again to Elizabeth City.
13'^ Hard Rain. Write to my Wife. Preparing to paint.
15*^-17^*' Frost. Work on my great picture and begin one
portrait. To day a thaw.
18*^ Rain which clears up mild
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1821-1822 579
19'^ Clear & warm. Williamson goes to the Ferry.
[Dec] 20'*' Thursday clear & warm. Paint on Garrison
& on the great picture, as I do every day. Receive a final
answer from Elizabeth City; I am not wanted.
2P' Warm. Cloudy & evening hard rain. Not well.
Williamson returns.
[Dec] 22'^ Saturday. Warm Showry. Clear & like May.
Change to cold rain and a stormy night. 23'^ Sunday. Cold
& cloudy. 24'" Cold damp weather. 25*^ At day break hail,
morn^ cold but clears. Write to my Wife and paint on
my picture.
Dec"" 26*^ Clear & cold but pleasant receive a letter
from my wife, all Well on the l?'*"
Thursday [Dec] 27'^ Work as usual. Crawley has
open'd his JMuseum in conjunction with one Griffith &
for first 3 days & evenings rec'^ an average of 18$ 4[th]
day 5.
Saturday [Dec] 29"" To day & yesterday are perfect
Spring days pleasant as May.
30*'^ Mild, cloudy & showers.
3P' Clear & Mild. I have advertised that my Gallery
is open, without mentioning my large picture. I will let
it be seen in an unfinished State & the other pictures
are as last Year.
Jan^ r' 1822. This is my third New Years day in Nor-
folk. The weather is clear & mild. Receive 12 frames
from Earle of PhiP.
Evening at Mclntoshes with W. & Judge Parker, an
Egg-Nogg party.
[Jan.] 2^ WedJ Clear & warm as May. Receive a letter
from my Wife, all weU the 26''^ Dec: Thank God! Mc-
Lean better & thinks of coming this way.
580 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
3*^ Clear and warm. Agree with Major Cooper for board
at $6. p"" Week & to have fire every evening.
4*^ A Snow Storm. 5*^ Clear & cold
Sunday [Jan.] 6*'' Clear & mild. Remove to Major
Coopers Write to my Wife. Lame with Rheumatism.
Sleep still at Williamsons as he is out of town.
7^^ Clear & warm. Nearly finish Garrison. W. comes
home. I am very Lame.
nh
Warm Rain. I am better.
[Jan.] 9*^ & 10'^ Clear & mild. I am to paint 3 pictures
for Shiels & Co.^^^ who are to print for it. Begin 1"'
Mrs Shiels.
ir^ Clear & very cold. Begin 2^ Mrs S.
12*^" Saturday. Clear & mild. Begin Mr Ashburn of y"
firm of Shiels & Co.
14^'^ Sunday was cold & clear & to day clear & cold.
My Exhibition yields a little, partly owing to advertis-
ing in the Beacon which I do on ace* of painting for the
printers. I received a letter from my Wife by which I find
that the P' 2" & S^ of Jan^ were in N. Y. as here. Receive
a letter from J. K. Beekm*" saying a corner Lot in Broad
Way cannot be purchased &c.
[Jan.] 15*^ Tuesday. Clear & mild. Shiels expresses
himself in high & warm terms of praise & admiration of
my picture in y® Beacon of to day.
16*^ Clear & cold. Shiels (H.) engages his portrait,
paint on Ashburn & Mrs H. Shiels & on C[hrist] rej*^"^
17*'' Paint on Mrs W. Shiels. receive letter from A.
Robertson & packet of papers by y'' Tell Tale.
18*^ Perfect spring. Lame with Rheumatism in both
knees. Begin Mr Shiel's picture.
106 (Hamilton) Shields, Ashburn, and (William C.) Shields, printers
of the American Beacon, which Hamilton Shields founded in 1815.
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• xxr^f
^
NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, 1822 581
19*^ A Lowering & Showery Spring day. Dine with
Hamilton Shiels his brother & Mr Ashburn present. Very
pleasant evening. The Shiels's are from Phil*
[Jan.] 20*** Sunday. Warm Rain. 21^' Mild & damp
22'^ Clear & summer like. 23** Clear & cold Spring
Weather.
24*^ Clear & very cold. At night a slight chill
[Jan.] 25'^ Clear & intensely cold. Quite well again &
my Rheumatism almost gone. Afternoon the weather
begins to moderate. At Neilson's, introduced to Messrs.
Brown & Armistead of Petersburg.
26*^ Very cold but moderates to a pleasant mild eve-
ning. Part of last evening with Williamson & part of this
with Lowe.
[Jan.] 27'^ Rain all day. A few days ago Mr Ogilvie, a
presbyterian Minister calFd to see my picture. After
warm praises he said he would preach on the subject.
To day he calls & shows me a written Sermon which he
leaves with me, for remark & correction.
28*^ Rain. Begin Major Coopers picture.
29'^ Moist & chilly. Receive letter from my Wife &
one from Cunningham of Montreal. Write to both.
30*'' Rain. Paint on Major Cooper. The picture is for
Mr Rich'^ Archer, and is painted as a Sportsman, Cooper
being a remarkable Shot.
[Jan.] 3P* Rain. Mr Sheldon of W^'burg engages his
miniature.
Feb^ V' [1822] Mr S. says he must go home & cant
have it done. The rain ceases but it is cold & cloudy.
Saf^ 2°*^ Feb^ A fine clear mild day but Sunday Rain
all day & evening. I yesterday got in wood for the Win-
582 DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
ter. My picture continues to grow and my Exhibition
yields something daily.
[Feb.] 8'^ Ever since y^ 2^ it has been either rain or
very cold. Ogilsvie has made known his intention of
preaching & printing a Sermon on my picture.
[Feb.] 9'*^ Sat^ Clear & mild. Last Sat^ W^son sat out
for Douthat's & got there on tuesday even^ 4 days & 3
nights. I am bless'd that I did not go.
ir^ Last night it snow'd but scarce a vestige is left this
evening. Receive a message from W^son which induces
me to resolve on going to Westover. Write to Douthat
& to my Wife.
12"" A Spring day. Receive a letter from my Wife all
weU 5'\
[Feb.] IS*'' Spring weather till evening, then Winter
again.
April 2P' 1822. Norfolk. The continuation of my jour-
nalizing is in a red morocco cover'd book.
Dr Exliibition in Norfolk 1820
[1820] posting BiUs 50 Dec'
Freight of pic-
tures &c 15.
Osborne's Bill ... 45.
Greens D° 10
Broughtons D" . . 27.50
Rent 10 1821
Brocksholme's Jan''
wages 12
Cleaning 25
Paper 25
Loss in chang-
ing 50
Cleaning door . . .25
[1821]
Feb'' r* B's wages 12
Mar 1" D° 12
Ap' r* D° 12
157.25
[Jan.]
.820
23'*
^^5
Rec* .
Cr
2.25
6.121/2
97
1.25
98'"
. ... 25
29'"
30'"
1.
5.75
r'
6 75
9d
. . . . 2 50
3"
50
5'"
75
10'"
&9'" .
3.50
75
IT"
75
12'"
15
& 13'"
3 ^^
2.871/2
,'eeks 35.00
4.
1Q
25
23->
0
ACCOUNTS IN NORFOLK, 1820-1822
583
MaySl'* B's [wages] & [Jan.]
print* 15
25 to 29 4.87y2
172.25
111.37
Feb^
Sunk $ 60.
[Feb.]
30'"
4.25
31"
1.50
3*
3.25
S"' .
6 weeks 55.121/2
3.75
15'" .
1.371/2
17'" .
75
Mar r*
8 weeks 61.
6.121/2
Rec" to April 1"
14 weeks open 91.12y2
May
29'" 19.25
31s' 50
111.371/2
Dr
Paintmg at Norfolk
Cr
To Expences in coming
By T Williamson
hither & residing to
charged 50.
this time Dec' 27'". 143.
P*
W Cammack 75.
[Dec]
28'" Freight &
P*
Owens 30.
Cartage ... 2.I21/2
P^
Broughton 41.66
1821
Shovel &
Lost
Wilton Hope .... 20.
tongs 1.25
CoP Armstead ... 50
Board .... 20.
p* 40 p"
D° 6.
P*
Mr Osborne .... 30.
Jan'
15'" D° & wash-
P^
Cap' Crocker ... 40.
mg 15.
p''20
22" D^D" &c.. 14.
(if one it must be
30'" Sp: Turp:
50)
&c. & Board
P-
Doctor Fernandes. 10.
&c 14.50
From W Cammack
Due James
for frame 20.
Earl 14.
P*
Broughton (2'*) .. 41.66
Feb'
r' Fixing &
P^
Feb' 17'" Judge
repair*
Parker 50.
Stove 1.50
R e c" of Uv
5'" Board 13
Broughton
Sent to N.
Cash 40
Y. 10 &
Billp" ....27.50
postage &c.
67 50
to 8'" .... 24.25
P^
Wadsworth 5.
12'" Board &c. . 15.
P^
Mrs Cosby 50.
19'" D° &c 13.
584
DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
Feb^ 26*" D° &c 14
Mar 5"" D° &c 15.
9*" Freight &c.
of 11
Frames . 5.50
12*" Board &c.. 14.
16" Mr Green
for Cloths
&c 4.
26*" Board &c. . 28.
Ap 2** Rent 15.
Board &c. . 14.
9 D° &c 14.
Stove pipe. .50
23 Board &c. . 27.
May 7 D" 26.
Green for
cloths 3.
Dr Barraud (Wil-
liamsons charged.. 50.
1 May Fran^ S. Taylor. . 30.
p^ 15 p-^
p* Geo: Loyall with
frame 65.
p- F. S. Taylor
frame 10.
p* Rob* Douthat 2. .100.
E Low 50.
Lost Miss Neveson .... 50.
Mrs Crocker 40.
May
463.621/2
30*" Board &c . 45.
Dr
Painting in Norfolk &ca. 1821 Nov'
Cr
Travelling Ex-
pences 30.50
Wood 1.00
Sawing 50/100
Cart^ 25/100 .... 2.25
Snake Exhibition . .25
Dec'
3 p^ Capt° Cammack
for frame 15.
8*" Serv*' & postage. . .75
10*" Freight & Cartage. 6.
12*" Washing &c 1.121/2
22*" To Green for
frames & pannells. 10.75
D° for work on
rooms 9.
25 To Wattles for
services in full. ... 5.
Servants 1.50
postage .50 2.
Sent to my Wife. . 20
3r* paid Cartage 18
By
Dec'
15*"
Cash from Judge
Parker 40.
Garrison 25.
p** 20
Exhibition 50
from Green 3.
(money lent)
Rev"* E Low 50.
p" 25 & 25
27*" Exhibiti
on
?5
sr* D"
'>5
1822
Jan^
r* D° ...
50
7*" D° . . .
50
8*" D° . . .
1
12*" 1 25 .
14*" 2.50 3.75
Mr A Taylor his
fathers portrait
framed 100.
;?y"' ,^;.
-11"
"^v.,
,>„r^>t
^^K^%;^:^^>
m,
/: A
, - ./".
^- ■ J-^-:
J
X
3
ACCOUNTS IN NORFOLK, 1820-1822
585
1822
Jan^
r' Freight of frames. 6.75
postage 25
2* D° 25
7'" Washing 2.
14"" postage 50
D° & Frank 50
15"" postage 25
17^" D" 50
19'" Board 2 weeks to to
morrow 12.
2r' Green for Wattles
board in full 4.
Postage 25
29" Paper, Postage,
Shoes 3.50
oV Sent to my wife. , 40.
Discount on money
.25 postage .50 75
Feb^
9-1
Wood, Cart^ Saw-
ing &c 2.25
Mending boots 121/2
Shoes 2.50 2.621/2
178.93
Sent home 60
My Expences & Ex-
pences of p[ainting]
Room 118.93
Rec* & to be received on
account for 386.62
15"' Exhibition
1.
16"" D"
.75
17'" D°
1.25
18'" D"
1.75
ig"" D°
, 150
21" D" ...
25
22'' D"
1.25
Messrs Shiels Ashburn &
Shiels 3 portraits (for
which I am to receive
in payment printing
in Bills, advertisem" &
pamplilets)
75.
W. Shiels portrait p*. . .
25.
[Jan.]
23" Exhibition
3.50
24'" D°
1.
25'" D°
.25
26'" D° ....
2.121/2
1.
28'" D"
Major Cooper
a portrait
40.
29'" Exhibition
.50
3r* D"
2
Feb^
r'
1.75
Od
.75
4'"
125
386.62
[Balance] 267.69
Dr
Paintmg in Norfolk 1821-2
Cr
1822
Feb'
5'" Washing 2.
12'" postage .25
Washing &c 1.121/2 1. 371/2
Mar
12'" Journey up James
River 24.75
By Balance . . .
Feb^
5'" Exhibition
7'" D'^
8'" D"
9'" D"
12'" D°
13'" D"
267.69
.25
.25
1.75
2.50
2.50
586
DIARY OF WILLIAM DUNLAP
12*" postage & Dray-
men 75
Sent to my Wife.. 100
& D. GiUespie 80 180.
Gum mastic &
Sponge 50
15'" postage .25
Green for Cloths. 10.75
28'" Wash« 2.2
Ap'
3^' Sully for Canvass. 45.
Lucas for Lamps. 35.
9 Staples &c for Ch:
Ref 1.
Freight of Lamps
&c 1.
12 Gilding 3.
22 Screws &c. 621/2
Stove pipe 6.50.. 7.121/2
Frames (Earle) . 150.
Green Baize 10.
Sending Douthats
pictures off 25
27 My Wife 75
D Gillespie 50 . . 125.
Baize 2.50 Spikes
.50 3.
postage &c 50
31 Washing 2.
May
5"- Baize 4.371/2
Sund' 4.25 7.621/2
printing 75.
10" Sundries for Exh". 4.371/2
Maj' Cooper to 2"
May 42.
D° D° .... 40.
20'" Shoes & Vermil-
lion &c 6.50
25'" Washing 2.50
postage &c .50. . 3.
C y 1 e n d e r for
C h r i s t 's first
teach^ 2.50
27 Trousers & stock-
ings 4.
14'" D° 5.00
From Tho' Mar-
shall 60.
Rob' Douthat . . . 180.
Mar.
13'" Exhibition 25
14'" D° 1.50
28'" Mr Baker of Suf-
folk p-* 50.
Exhibition 1.75
Williamson for
Spencer 5.
p* Mr Baker en-
gages a frame ... 16.
(p- 10 & 6)
Williamson frame
for Dr B 15.
p* Mr Hall por-
trait 25.
(p"" 10 & 15)
(and 25 to be
taken in Books)
Exhibition 25
p"* R Douthat
4 portraits & 6
frames 270.
Api
20'" T. Moran
a portrait p* 50.
22 Ham: Shiels D°.. 25.
27 (Exhibition has
yielded to this
time $46)
May
25 Exhibition of
Christ Rejected
from r' of May. 67.871/2
Mr E Low a
frame 15.
p* Mrs Crocker's
portrait 40.
p^ frame 16.
1120.561/2
ACCOUNTS IN NORFOLK, 1820-1822
587
31" Frames 28S &
Sundries .50 28.50
Frame Major Cooper. 16.
2 d° WiUiamson .. 36.
818.50
1822
June
1" packing Boxes . . . 7.25
printing 25.50
1172.56
1003.65
, 100
, 15
5
1
1172.561/2
Hams 24.40
Owens for Candles 2.50
Drays &c. .50
Rent 150 150.50
168.91
115
M' Taylor
Low
Garrison . . .
Moran
283.91
1028.65
Rent unp" 25.
1003.65
121.
162.
Dr
T[homas] W[illiamson]
Cash Ap' V 1821 26.
D" Johns Exp« 94.78
Mrs W picture 50.
Frame 15.
Dr Barauds D" 50.
Frame 15.
port* Spencer 5.
Frame for John's Copy of
[illegible] 10.
Frame for the Sketch of
Christ rejected 25.
Frame for W Ds portrait. 11.
Balance 25.22
Cr
176.
Cash
Rent from Jan'' 1821 to
July 1S22 150.
326.
326.
Rec" Norfolk April 6" 1821 from Wiir Dunlap Fifteen dollars in
full of all demands whatsoever up to this date.
$15. Joseph Orsborn
[On a separate sheet laid between two leaves is the following
receipt:]
Norfolk April 2, 1821. Received of M' W" Dunlap Twenty five
dollars for One Quarters Rent of the Exhibition Room due 31" Ult°
Thom Williamson
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