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 2) (London: Ackermann, 1824)

MR. BUCHANAN’S IMPORTATIONS.—Italy. 125

chanan had purchased Mr. Champernowne’s interest
in these pictures, and he was most anxious that
the collection should be purchased for the govern-
ment, as he was well aware that the period would
not long continue when objects of that superlative
class would be longer attainable, as Mr. Irvine’s
letters had already stated. He was well aware of
the truth of Mr. Irvine’s remarks, but still hoping
that the importance of the subject might attract
the notice of some of the men then in power, he
continued to give his instructions to purchase
whatever could be obtained most capital, and to
forward the same to England without delay, to
render the collection of as much consequence as
possible before he should resort to breaking the
same up. As there were some capital gallery
pictures, which will be found mentioned hereafter
in these letters, likely to be procured in the north
of Italy, he authorised him to purchase these, and
afterwards furnished him, for that purpose, with
credits to the amount of £5000, which, in addi-
tion to the purchases already made, was a sum
with which much could be done in the event of
war again breaking out, which soon afterwards
happened.
Had the administration of Mr. Pitt chosen to
lay out the small sum of £20,000 at that period,
under the direction of Mr. Buchanan, aided by