MEMOIR OF DRURY. 43 



be at liberty to dispose of the remainder for your 

 own advantage, and I would undertake to engage 

 that her Grace should have a fine collection in due 

 time. She was mightily pleased with this declara- 

 tion, and desired I would not forget it. I must 

 here mention, lest I should hereafter neglect it, that 

 she is more attracted by the beauties of the Lepi- 

 doptera than any of the others, and, as such, collects 

 them with more avidity than any of the rest. This 

 hint I think will not be unserviceable to you. It 

 remains with you to improve it to the best advan- 

 tage, wherein if I can be an actor, but a word to 

 the wise is enough. 



cc In my last I told you I had got two pictures 

 to compose for one of the Queen's ladies, and hoped 

 to improve that circumstance to the benefit of natu- 

 ral history. I have this view still in my head, and 

 believe I shall accomplish it. The lady I speak of 

 is Madame Schwellenburg, keeper of the Queen's 

 wardrobe, an exceeding worthy woman, and from 

 her merit has great weight with the Queen. It is 

 to her great interest, as I judge, that I am indebted 

 for being appointed Goldsmith to her Majesty, in 

 conjunction with Mr. J., an honour I received the 

 9th ult. When I carried her the pictures, she was 

 charmed with them, though by the way they were 

 not the best I could have composed, if I had been 

 at liberty to have chose my own subjects, and in 

 the fulness of her satisfaction, asked me what re- 

 compense she could make me, and took me into a 

 closet of pictures to have my judgment about hang- 



