206 Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



piece tablet. He also modelled his own likeness in 

 wax, and a copy was sent down to Etruria for the 

 purpose of being transferred into the jasper body. 

 Flaxman took the greatest pains in beautifying the 

 commonest objects of utility. His inkstands, chimney- 

 pieces, candlesticks, seals, tureens, vases, lamps, cups, 

 and teapots were most artistic. 



It is not improbable that Flaxman was consulted by 

 Wedgwood during his temporary stay at Etruria about 

 the decoration of his house. On his return to London, 

 he wrote the following letter to Wedgwood : 



"No. 27 Wardour Street, 12th November 1781. 

 Sir As soon as Mr. Byerley [Wedgwood's agent in 

 London] communicated to me your workmen's want of 

 the drawings at large for the cornices, etc., in the saloon 

 and vestibule, I began them immediately to prevent 

 delay ; but as some of the mouldings will be enriched 

 in a manner not very likely to be well executed by a 

 country plasterer from a drawing only, I will, if you 

 please, send two or three patterns cut in plaster for 

 ostrich eggs and dock water leaf, etc. 1 



"You will probably have an ornamental frieze for 

 the saloon ; if that is not already determined on, I 

 would recommend the lions and foliage you admired 



1 The hall at Etruria has been converted into the offices of the 

 Shelton Bar Ironworks. Besides the cornices designed by Flaxman 

 the ceilings were ornamented by drawings in Oil by Angelica Kaufmann. 

 These were removed by the agents of the Duchy of Lancaster, to whom 

 the place belongs, to one of their offices in the North, probably in 

 Yorkshire. 



