xni Wedgwood's Artistic Work 135 



wood wrote to Bentley in 1769 : " It doubles iny 

 courage to have the first manufacturer in England to 

 encounter. The match likes me well. I like the man ; I 

 like his spirit. He will not be a mere drivelling copyist 

 like the antagonists I have hitherto had, but will venture 

 to step out of the lines upon occasion, and afford us 

 diversion in the combat. ... If we must fall, if Etruria 

 cannot stand its ground but must give way to Soho, and 

 fall before her, let us not sell the victory too cheap, but 

 maintain our ground like men, and endeavour even in 

 our defeat to share the laurels with our conquerors." 



Boulton and Wedgwood, however, never waged war- 

 fare with each other. They remained sincere friends 

 during the rest of their lives. Wedgwood paid a 

 visit to London, accompanied by his wife and Mr. 

 Bentley, in October 1768. The apartments above 

 the warehouse were prepared for their reception, 

 and they spent many happy days there. Matthew 

 Boulton, from Soho, was in London at the same time, 

 and he and Wedgwood went about searching for antique 

 vases; the one to reproduce them in bronze, and the 

 other in jasper or basalt. 



After a month's stay in London, Wedgwood, his wife, 

 and Bentley returned to Burslem. Bentley was the 

 guest of Wedgwood at the Brick House. During the 

 first six months of 1769, Bentley passed from London 

 through Burslem to Liverpool to wind up his affairs at 

 the latter town, and to counsel his friend as to the new 

 buildings at Etruria. At length the ornamental works 



