40 Faraday, Correspondence of Lt.-Col. J. L. Philips. 



Writing on September 8th Taj-lor remarks on the 

 capital appearance made by the Exhibition, and of the 

 "beautiful performances" of Miss Gartside. rhili[)s, we 

 gather from a letter written on Sej)tember 30th, did not 

 attend the Exhibition. On November 19th, 1784, Taylor 

 writes : — 



I must confess my negligence of late has deserved reprehension though I 

 assure you I have several times sat down with intention to write hut have been 

 prevented by the many weighty avocations which take up my attention. I 

 have been again compell'd into the arduous office of secretary of the 

 Academy, for nobody else would take the trouble of it, & I was loth to 

 desert an institution which I have more & more every day occasion to think 

 Well (jf, and I think its pemanentcy is now established beyond doubt, the 

 number of members and students is double wliat they were last year anil the 

 places are commonly all fill'd every night. We have a handsome sum in 

 hand from the Exhibition and last year's subscriptions. 



On February 24th, 1785, Taylor writes that his friend 

 Charles Eyes is going to London on behalf of the Corpor- 

 ation with reference to the Parliamentary approval of 

 new docks of which Eyes, it seems, drew up the plans. 

 Probably the reference is to the King's and Queen's Docks, 

 powers for which were obtained in that year. On March 

 28th, after referring to Miss Phillips'* marriage, Taylor 

 goes on to say : — 



You mention'd when you were here that you believ'd Wainwright woud not 

 be engaged at your festival, some days since we were talking about it, and he 

 spoke as if he had no doubt of being employ'd but had no expectation of 

 playing the Organ or harpsichord. I ask'd what he would play if he had an 

 offer, and he said the Violincello — surely there can be no objection to this 

 but on the contrary I shou'd think you would be glad to have him, for I know 

 that at our meeting they found it diflicult to procure any good Basses — I 

 shou'd be sorry if he had the mortification to find himself neglected, and in 

 my opinion it should be laid down as an invariable rule if these meetings are 

 to be triennial that the musicians of each shou'd be employ'd in preference 

 to others, but I am sure it is unnecessary for me to say anything to you to serve 

 Wainwright, as I know yov. esteem him and I make no doubt you will use 

 your inlluence in the Concert to get him an engagement. 



Philips was married in 1787, and henceforth was to 

 remain much more at home than formerly ; indeed his 

 • Mrs. Crouch. 



