The artists repository and drawing magazine: exhibiting the principles of the polite arts in their various branches (4.1790)

Iky of ornamenting places of religious worfhip, with fuch
pictures as might be ufeful, and could poffibly give no
offence in a proteftant country; that, probably, this ex-
ample would be followed in other chapels and churches ;
that it would be opening a new and noble fcene of ac-
tion, would not only be highly ornamental to the coun-
try, but would be abfolutely neceffary for the future la-
bour of the many pupils the Academy was breeding up ;
adding, withal, an obfervation I had made fome little
time before at Milan; that, in one church there (the
Domo) there was more work of pictures and ftatues,
than the whole Academy could be able to execute in a
century, even fuppohng them to work every day. Every
one came into the propofal with great eagernefs. Sir
Jofhua Reynolds propofed, as an amendment, that, in-
ftead of Somerfet chapel, we had better undertake St.
Paul's cathedral, which was agreed to ; and he was ac-
cordingly commilhoned to propofe it to the dean and
chapter; they confented, and we had a regular meeting of
the Academy in confequence, where Angelica, Barry, Ci-
priani, Dance, Reynolds, and Weft, were, by the majo-
rity of votes, felected from the body of the Academy for
this purrjpfe; the matter made fome little noife for a
time; but, in the end, came to nothing; as we were in-
formed in October, 1773, tnat tne Bifhop of London,
Dr. Terrick, would not give his confent.

(i Very fhortly after our difappointment in the affair of
St. Paul's, I received the following letter from Valen-^
sise Green, Efq; mezzotintq. engraver to Jiis Majefty.

2 S I R,