230 



Mr. Quincy, in a letter to Mr. Nichols, thus writes : 



" The portrait of Washington, certified by Benjamin 

 Goodhue, Esq., on which you ask my opinion, certainly 

 satisfies my recollections of him, as he appeared in 1789 and 

 1790. At that time I saw him twice or thrice, and aiter- 

 wards several times in 1795. The certificate of Mr. Good- 

 hue is also almost conclusive, in my mind, for he was the 

 last man who would sign such a certificate lightly. The 

 common likenesses of Washington, like those of Stuart, 

 which were painted subsequently to 1789, give a false ex- 

 pression to his mouth, owing to having at this period, false 

 teeth the dentists of that day having not the skill to con- 

 ceal their work, like those of the present time. I regard 

 the portrait in your possession as quite valuable ; and if, as 

 you state, it was a sketch of St. Memin, it has great preten- 

 tions to correctness. I well knew that artist. He had great 

 merit, and if it be from his hand, its correctness may be 

 depended upon, and it is worthy of preservation." 



In connection with this subject, Mr. H. M. Brooks exhib- 

 ited several Washington medals, some of which were verj 

 beautiful. Mr. Brooks has had medals or coins with the 

 impression of Washington struck from some two hundred 

 different dies the earlier ones were all complimentary. 



An interesting discussion then followed on this subject ; 

 after which the Chair gave an interesting account of tho 

 designs of the Mount Vernon Association in Essex County, 

 and also of a visit he made to Ashland, the home of Henry 

 Clay, in the summer of 1861. 



Adjourned. 



Monday, January 26, 1863. 

 Meeting this evening, the President in the chair. 

 Records of preceding meeting read. 



