PROPOSED NATIONAL GALLERY OF SCULPTURE. 319 



croakings of the china manufacturers, good instead of evil 

 commercial results, and in its promotion the far-seeing and 

 deeply-thinking Josiah Wedgwood acted as he always did, 

 for the good of all. 



In this same year, 1792, it is related that Wedgwood 

 made a liberal offer towards establishing a national gallery 

 of sculpture, &c. Professor Cockerell, when examined before 

 a committee of the House of Commons, on the establishing 

 of Schools of Art, in 1836, thus spoke of this offer of Wedg- 

 wood's : " I beg leave to mention an anecdote of the late 

 Mr. Wedgwood, related to me by Mr. Cumberland, of Bristol, 

 who wrote a pamphlet in 1792, recommending a national 

 gallery of sculpture, casts, &c., viz., that Mr. Wedgwood 

 made a tender of 1,000 in aid of such an institution. I 

 beg further to state, that I have found Wedgwood's works 

 esteemed in all parts of Europe, and placed in the more 

 precious collections of this description of works/' 



In June, 1793, a change took place in the Etruria firm, 

 caused by the retirement of Mr. John Wedgwood. The firm 

 thereafter consisted of Josiah Wedgwood, Josiah Wedgwood, 

 jun.j and Thomas Byerley, and was carried on under the 

 style of " Josiah Wedgwood, Son, and Byerley," until the 

 death of the great and good man in eighteen months 

 afterwards. 



