Buchanan, William: Memoirs of painting: with a chronological history of the importation of pictures by the great masters into England since the French Revolution (Band 1) (London: Ackermann, 1824)

IS ORLEANS COLLECTION.
Duke of Orleans to Thomas Moore Slade, Esq. who
paid for them 350,000 francs, and who by great
management succeeded in having them sent to this
country at the moment that matters begun in
France to wear the most serious aspect. This pur-
chase was made for the late Lord Kinnaird, Mr.
Morland, and Mr. Hammersley, in conjunction
with Mr. Slade.
The principal part of this magnificent collec-
tion, consisting of the Italian schools, was con-
signed, on the part of Mons. Laborde de Mereville,
to a house of eminence in the city of London, and
it is believed that they were in the hands of that
house when a treaty was entered into by the late
Mr. Bryan, as authorised by and on the part of
the late Duke of Bridgewater, the present Earl
of Carlisle, and the Earl Gower, now Marquis
of Stafford, for the purchase of that part of
the collection, including also the French school,
which was agreed on at the price of 43,000/.
sterling.
When this important purchase was concluded,
which secured for England one of the richest col-
lections, and at the same time one of the most
valuable acquisitions which had presented itself in
modern times, it was determined on by these three
noblemen to select a certain proportion of the pic-
tures for their own private collections, and to