The artists repository and drawing magazine: exhibiting the principles of the polite arts in their various branches (2.1788)

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** Inconvenience, an annual fale will be appointed, to
" which every man may fend his works, and fend
<£ them if he will without his name. Thefe work.3
*' will be reviewed by the committee that conduct the
*£ exhibition ; a price will be fecretly fet to every
ec piece and regiftered by the fecretary. If the piece
" expofed is fold for more, the whole price fhall be
tc the artift's ; but if the purchafers value it at lets
than the committee, the artift fhall be paid the de-
deficiency from the profits of the exhibition.,s
Happy had it been, if the moderation of thefe
fentiments had deeply impreffed thofe under whole
direction they were communicated to the public I
the commonwealth of arts, might then have fiourifhed
beyond the utmoft expectations of its friends;
beyond the abilities of defpotic combinations. As to
the ,plan of felling, &c. it was tried, but foon quitted,
the chief benefit falling to the (hare of Meffrs. Lang-
ford.

When a charter was obtained, and their majefties
and the royal family honored the exhibitions with
their prefence, the arts and artifts feemed at their
zenith of reputation. We wifh to draw a veil over
fubfequent tranfaclions, which it would be ufelefs and
mortifying to repeat; let others learn a leffon of mo-
deration, and equity; of the evils of pride, and diffen-
fion, from thofe fchifms which have ruined the arts
among us. We fhall only add, that contrary to what
has been afferted, a great perfonage acted with much
candour, and circumfpection in the bufinefs alluded
to. It is not commonly known, that a correfpon-
dence paffed between Mr. K. and Sir W, C. the
whole of which was fubmitted to royal inrpecuon5
2 and