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29
Sir Joseph
I hope you will pardon the liberty I take in addressing you a letter relative to the late transaction at the Museum wherein I conceive I have been rather ill used, my reason for troubling you on this occasion is a firm belief that the grounds of my complaint is not sanctioned by you are any of the Trustees. I understood from Mr Conant that Messrs De Claussin Phillipe & myself was to have had the arrangement of discovering what prints were missing from the collection, but from what reason I know not Mr Phillipe alone who certainly knew less of the matter than either Mr De Claussin or myself was the person employed. I am proud to say my conduct in this disagreable Business has met your approbation as well as that of my Friends to whom I am more intamitely known therefore I felt myself rather hurt on being apparently shut out of an affair in which I have acted disinterestedly & with zeal for the benefit of the Institution. There is another circumstance which I must beg leave to mention. I have very repeatedly been congraulated on an honourable Election to a situation in the Museum & have been called upon by a person offering a bribe in case I declined any office & would get him the place. as I sought no reward for the part I took in the Business I cannot complain of dissapointment at receiving none, but certainly if any Emmoulement Emolument was to arise from it I humbly conceive I ought to participate in it. Much merit has been attributed to Printsellers having given up their purchases without any profit, but none except myself have really done so, although in one of the newspapers very honourable mention is made of One printseller but after the best enquiries