82 Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



of Queen's ware for Her Majesty's use, and to paint in 

 black enamel, upon every piece, a different view of the 

 palaces, seats of the nobility, and other remarkable 

 places in the British kingdom. The idea was worthy 

 of the mind of a sovereign, but the undertaking seemed 

 a great one for the powers of a private manufacturer. 

 The number of views necessary for avoiding repetition 

 of the same subjects, was about twelve hundred, and a 

 considerable proportion of them must necessarily be 

 original drawings. Some three years were spent in 

 making the collection of drawings, and painting them 

 on the ware, which was done with correctness of design, 

 so that each piece was a good picture. 



On the 14th of February 1766, Wedgwood wrote to 

 Her Majesty's representative in London : "We shall send 

 you the Eussian table and dessert service faster than you 

 can get them enamelled. I can promise with certainty, 

 that no part of it can wait for us, if you'll be so good 

 as to push Mr. Coward with his carving." Wedgwood 

 was greatly indebted to Lord Cathcart, the British 

 Ambassador to Eussia, for his kindly help, and most 

 probably his recommendation to the Eussian Empress. 

 The preparation of her table service occupied about 

 eight years, principally on account of the large variety 

 of different patterns that had to be enamelled; but 

 at length it was exhibited in London in 1774. The 

 service was shortly after presented to the Empress, 

 and received by her with entire satisfaction. It is 

 supposed that Her Majesty paid for Wedgwood's work 



