74 Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



Mint, W. E. Chetwynd, afterwards Viscount Chetwynd. 

 Miss Chetwynd was proud of the rising fame of her 

 countryman Wedgwood. She knew of his intimate 

 connection with Lord Gower of Trentham, the Duke of 

 Bridgewater, the Egertons, the De Greys, and other 

 noblemen ; and being herself a lady of taste and judg- 

 ment, she took the opportunity of recommending Wedg- 

 wood's ware to the patronage of the Queen. 



The first royal order that Wedgwood received came 

 through Miss Deborah Chetwynd. It was a complete 

 tea service in cream ware, decorated with green and 

 gold. Wedgwood wrote to his brother in London, re- 

 questing him to wait upon Miss Chetwynd and obtain 

 her further instructions as to the manufacture and 

 decoration of the service. 



" I am much obliged to you," he said (6th July 1765), 

 " for your good offices with Miss Chetwynd. You may 

 be sure my best endeavours will not be wanting to 

 make the articles she orders as complete and elegant as 

 possible ; but suppose we fail in burning the gold on, 

 must we in that case stove it on, and make the ware 

 green withinside ? Must the saucers and other articles 

 be gilt any further on the outside than from the top edge 

 to the foot ? 



" I shall be very proud of the honour of sending a 

 box of patterns to the Queen, amongst which I intend 

 sending two sets of vases, cream-coloured, engine-turned 

 and printed, for which purpose nothing could be more 

 suitable than some copper plates I have by me. I can 



