Oldalképek
PDF
ePub

Appendix E.

525

APPENDIX E.

BOSWELL'S LETTERS OF ACCEPTANCE OF THE OFFICE OF SECRETARY FOR FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE TO THE ROYAL ACADEMY.

(Page 420, note 3.)

LETTER I.

'Agli Illustrissimi Signori Il Presidente e Consiglieri dell' Academia Reale delle arti in Londra.

'Avreste forse illustrissimi Signori potuto scegliere molte persone piu degne dell' ufficcio di Segretario per la corrispondenza straniera; ma non sarebbe, son certo, stato possibile di trovar alcuno dal quale questa distinzione sarebbe stata piu stimata. Sento con un animo molto riconoscente la parzialitá che l'Academia a ben voluto mostrar per me; e mi conto felicissimo che la mia elezione sia stata graziosamente confirmata dalla sua Maestá lo stesso Sovrano che a fondato l'Academia, e che si é sempre mostrato il suo beneficente Protettore.

'Vi prego, Signori, di credere que porro ogni mio studio a contribuire tanto che potro alla prosperita della nostra instituzione ch' é gia arrivata ad un punto si rispettevole.

'Ho l'onore d'essere,

⚫ Illustrissimi Signori,
'Vostro umilissimo,

'e divotissimo servo,
'GIACOMO Boswell.'

'Londra,

'31 d'Ottobre, 1791.'

LETTER II.

'A Messieurs Le President et les autres Membres du Conseil de l'Academie Royale des Arts à Londres.

'MESSIEURS,

'C'est avec la plus vive reconnoissance que J'accepte la charge de Secretaire pour la Correspondence etrangêre de votre Academie á laquelle J'ai eu l'honneur d'etre choisi par vos suffrages unanimes gracieusement confirmés par sa Majesté.

'Ce choix spontané Messieurs me flatte beaucoup; et m'inspire des desirs les plus ardens de m'en montrer digne, au moins par la promptitude avec laquelle Je saisirai toute occasion de faire ce que

Je

[blocks in formation]

Je pourrai pour contribuer à l'avantage des Arts et la celebrité de l'Academie.

'J'ai l'honneur d'etre avec toute la consideration possible, 'Messieurs,

'Votre serviteur tres obligé tres humble et tres fidel,

" A Londres,

'ce 31 d'Octobre, 1791'.'

LETTER III.

'Boswell.'

'To the President and Council of the Royal Academy of Arts in London.

'GENTLEMEN,

'Your unsolicited and unanimous election of me to be Secretary for Foreign Correspondence to your Academy, and the gracious confirmation of my election by his Majesty, I acknowledge with the warmest sentiments of gratitude and respect.

'I have always loved the Arts, and during my travels on the Continent I did not neglect the opportunities which I had of cultivating a taste for them'. That taste I trust will now be much improved, when I shall be so happy as to share in the advantages which the Royal Academy affords; and I fondly embrace this very pleasing distinction as giving me the means of providing additional solace for the future years of my life.

'Be assured, Gentlemen, that as I am proud to be a member of an Academy which has the peculiar felicity of not being at all dependant on a Minister3, but under the immediate patronage and superintendence of the Sovereign himself, I shall be zealous to do every thing in my power that can be of any service to our excellent Institution. 'I have the honour to be, 'Gentlemen,

[blocks in formation]

'I am much obliged to you for the very polite terms in which you

1 In this letter I have made no attempt to correct Boswell's errors.

2

'Boswell, when in the year 1764 he was starting from Berlin for Geneva, wrote to Mr. Mitchell, the English Minister at Berlin:-'I shall see Voltaire; I shall also see Switzerland and Rousseau. These two men are to me greater objects than most statues or pictures.' Nichols's Lit. Hist. ed. 1848, vii. 319. › See post, iv. 302, note 1 for Boswell's grievance against Pitt.

[blocks in formation]

have been pleased to communicate to me my election to be Secretary for Foreign Correspondence to the Royal Academy of Arts in London; and I request that you will lay before the President and Council the enclosed letters signifying my acceptance of that office. I am with great regard,

'Sir,

'Your most obedient humble servant,
'JAMES BOSWell.'

'London,

'31 October, 1791.

'To John Richards, Esq., R.A. &c.'

Bennet Langton's letter of acceptance of the Professorship of Ancient Literature in the place of Johnson is dated April 2, 1788. I must express my acknowledgments to the President and Council of the Royal Academy for their kindness in allowing me to copy the above letters from the originals that are in their possession.

THE END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

« ElőzőTovább »