Correspondence of Lietit.-Col. J. L. Philips. 3 7 



John Landseer was a line engraver. His earliest work was 

 the illustration of Macklin's Bible, but subsequently he 

 devoted great attention to engraving animals after the old 

 masters, an occupation which no doubt gave a bent to the 

 genius of his more famous son. He was elected an 

 Associate Engraver of the Royal Academy in 1802, the 

 year of Sir Edwin's birth, and died in London in 1852 : — 



Queen Ann's St. East 12 Sepf 1809. 

 Dear Sir 



I too have been in the country for the last fortnight for the benefit of my 

 health (being troubled with a giddy head,) and have just now met your letter on 

 my return. I cannot at present write so much at length as I should wish, 

 having just at this moment many demands on my time — tho' my absence has 

 been but short. 



I very readily enter into correspondence with you on a subject which 



(since I attended at the Bank, where I witnessed enough of Mr. 's 



■effrontery) has engaged no small portion of my attention. You may see that 

 I had it in mind when I read my friend Lutrin, where the rub at p. 68 was 

 intended for the more particular notice of a Bank Director who is also a 



director of the Royal Inst. n I can " eat mutton cold," but cannot be for 



•ever cutting " blocks with a razor." I have already lost much time in fruitless 

 endeavours to remedy the existing evils, among the idle, the indifferent, the 

 interested & the insensible, & have really been sickened to see how little 

 they care for what is said, and how much they choose to be imposed upon by 

 WHO speaks. 



I am much afraid that your acquaintance with Bank Directors will not 

 avail in the present case, unless it should enable you to awaken their 

 consciences as Men for as Bank Directors, their conduct has but confirmed the 

 assertion of Swift — or whoever else it was that said public bodies were without 

 consciences. Have you observed that they care at all about the number of 

 poor Devils that are hung? In one county or another, these poor sufferers 

 must have amounted to a very considerable number, yet what single step have 

 the Bank Directors taken to prevent such executions? 



"When we consider on the one hand, that these poor tempted men are hung 

 for doing that which every letter Engraver's Apprentice who has been half a 

 Year at his profession may easily do, and on the other, the public & private 

 consequences of allowing the issue of Bank paper to remain as at present ; & 

 when we also reflect on the apathy of the Bank directors — that they absolutely 

 do nothing to prevent the recurrence of the mischief, & seem to indttlge Mr. 



's fear of losing his place — what can we infer but that as Bank Directors 



they care only for the Credit of the Bank ? 



When we further consider, what you have truly stated, that they have at 

 the Bank a secret means of knowing the true from the false notes, & that they 

 do not pay the forgeries, how can we hope that an application to the Bank 

 Directors or writing to the Alonthly Mag : will avail ? 



