INTRODUCTION 



made by this Society, the books are to be delivered 

 to him, with the thanks of the meeting, for the 

 great trouble he is so good to take," 



In 1773, in the account of payments, is one of 

 ^2, 2S. od. to Mr. Yoxall, for survey of intended 

 alterations and plans. This, I presume, refers to 

 the building of the new dining-room. In 1775, the 

 sum of ^Ta, 2s. is given to two poor cottagers for 

 losses by fire, and there is an entry of iis. 6d. for 

 advertising Hunt. 



In 1779, the payment by the Club to Crank 

 for Mr. John Smith Barry's picture is entered as 

 follows : 



£ s. d. 



" Picture . . . .2100 



Frame . . . . 9 16 o 



Case . . . . . I 19 o 



Carriage of Picture . .210" 



This picture is full length. At his master's feet sits 

 Blue Cap, the winner of the match at Newmarket in 

 1762. The portrait of the master is excellent, but 

 the artist has been less successful in the hound. 



Crank, who resided at Warrington, was at that 

 time a well-known painter, and much patronised 

 by the neighbouring gentry. I have been told that 

 many years after his death, one of his pictures was 

 sold as a portrait by Gainsborough for a large sum. 

 As shown in the proceedings, Mr. Smith Barry 

 had "politely consented to sit in 1773." Unless 

 the order were delayed, the picture must have 

 progressed but slowly, if only finished in 1779 ; 



xxxvii 



