266 Josiah Wedgwood CHAP. 



taking, for I must do him the justice to say that I 

 never saw a bas-relief executed in the true simple 

 antique style half so well as that he did of the 

 Apotheose of Homer from one of my Vases, and one of 

 which you were so good as send to me. 



"Your ornamental Flowerpots and other pieces of 

 work are much admired here, but for a piece you sell 

 for twelve shillings they ask at least two guineas ; so 

 that there are few purchasers. If you could, instead 

 of sky-blue, make your ground look like an onyx as 

 in the Vase itself, it would be better ; for there is no 

 natural stone of the sky-blue colour. Unless you hold 

 up the Barberini Vase to the light, it appears to be 

 of a real onyx, and was long mistaken for one. 



" I most heartily wish you success in your present 

 arduous task. Follow your own judgment, for I am 

 sure no one can see clearer into the merit of the 

 original, and the difficulty of copying it, than you do. 

 I think, with you, the form might be more elegant, 

 and I would try to make one more elegant, but it must 

 be simple. Your most obedient, WM. HAMILTON." 



"Wedgwood replied to this letter, thanking Sir 

 William for his great efforts to advance the arts in 

 his native country, and for the splendid vases which 

 he had placed in the British Museum. He also 

 thanked him for the models in clay taken from the 

 statues he had dug up at Herculaneum. He promised 

 to inform Sir William of the excellent new modellers 

 he had employed principally Mr. Webber on the re- 



