38 Fakadav, Correspondence of Lt.-Col. J. L. Philips. 



pool Musical Festival, and with tiic Academy Exdiibition 

 at the same town : — 



Liverpool 4 August 1784. 

 Dear Leigh 



I thank you for your information respecting the Oratorios which agrees 

 with the account our Committee were possessed of, the Gentlemen who have 

 the management of ours are entirely ignorant of music in every shape, and 

 have eiigag'd themselves in a monstrous expense, it being already ;^i,ioo so 

 that the prospect of gain is not much, it will beyond comparison be the best 

 Band ever got together in this part of the kingdom, and the performances 

 will fairly deserve the advanced price, though this measure causes great 

 murmuring at present, yet I think people will all go when the time conies — 

 the Committee in the present situation of the business are not likely to 

 increase their terms with performers. I don't know what they offer'd your 

 fiddlers, but I hear it is more than Crathorn had for going over to your 

 festival, and I apprehend setting Burchall aside you have none who deserve 

 more than Crathorn. 



Mr Roscoe has received a letter from Miss Gartside with four paintings 

 which I will take care shall be properly placed, we are now busy preparing 

 for the Exhibition, pictures are coming in daily, Dan Stringer* has sent us 

 seven. We shall have 9 or lO of Wrights', as many .Sandby's, and are 

 likely to liave the best picture that Zoffany ever painted, Garrick in Tancred, 

 in short I believe seriously it will be as good an Exhibition as the Royal 

 Academy was. I wrote to Stodardt but have yet had no answer. We are 

 more in want of Drawings than anything, I remember you promis'd us two 

 and I hope you will have them ready, it will do if they are here three weeks 

 from this day and I hope Mr Kershawf will send us something. I am 

 preparing two tinted drawings. If you have anything of Sandby's framed we 

 shall be obliged to you for 'em as we have his liberty to put up all his works 

 that we can find. 



If you don't come over to the festival you will certainly come over to the 

 exhibition, it will open a fortnight before then continue open for all that 

 week and the week following. I shall be obliged to you to let me know 

 what drawings we may expect from Manchester, pray has Mr Astley nothing 

 he could let us have, have you any acquaintance with him ? Pack desires 

 his compliments to you. lie is going to Dublin very soon. 

 Believe me yr. sincere friend and Servt. 



Til OS. TAYLOR. 



On August 9th Taylor speaks of a farce in which Miss 

 Phillips is to play at Manchester. The subject of the 

 Exhibition is continued in the next letter : — 



* Daniel Stringer, of Knutsford. 

 t Apparently Thomas Kershaw, who joined this Society in 1781. 



