48 WILLIAM CUMING, M.D. 



Whitchurch, which, as is mentioned in Hutchins's " History of 

 Dorset" (Vol. I., page 68), was engraved from a drawing " made 

 by William Shave, parish-clerk and a carpenter." The letter 

 affords the further information that the Rev. Francis Kingston, 

 Vicar of Whitchurch, doubting the accuracy of a drawing made 

 by him of the font, applied for corrections to one of his 

 parishioners; "and" (Cuming announces) " by this Mornings 

 post received from his own parish Clerk William Shave a very 

 elegant Drawing of it, which ecclipses that of the Vicar. If he 

 understands Psalmody as Avell as he does Drawing, I will 

 endeavour to have him sent to the Metropolis ... I must 

 desire as it will make the poor Man happy, that you will order 

 the Engraver to insert at the Bottom Williavi Shave delineavit, 

 and send me a couple of dozen of the Impressions on paper the 

 Size of the plate." Cuming's watchful supervision is shown in 

 a criticism for Gough's guidance delivered on February 19th, 

 1774: "The Plan has been returned from Weymotith, and 

 declared to be correct. I think I see two trifling Mistakes in 

 the Orthography of the Names of Places, H. Governers Lajie 

 ought to be Governor''s Lane and DelamoUis ought to be 

 Dcla»iottee's, when these Peccadillos are corrected, it may be 

 worked off." Cuming had previously (December 27th, 1773), 

 offered a suggestion regarding the same plan : "At that part of 

 the Shore which I have marked in Squares with red Ink I wish 

 to have two or three Bathing houses engraved, with a Single 

 Horse in each." Among the illustrations was comprised the 

 view of Dorchester, published by Samuel Gould in 1750. 

 Perhaps those of us who know this engraving have looked 

 with a more than indulgent eye upon the bygone townsfolk in 

 the foreground, strolling about the meads or along the newly- 

 opened road and fishing in the Frome. But since to the 

 doctor (writing on January 29th, 1772), these people were 

 modern, and therefore commonplace ; his artistic sensibility 

 prompted him to words and deeds which may seem to us almost 

 cruel : " As to those frightfid kmnan Figures'" (he tells Gough) 

 "I resign them entirely to your Mercy or your Judgment no 



