In September, 1800, Benjamin West, President of the Royal Academy of Arts in London, was addressed by the Managers asking for a contribution. It was said, in their letter, that the Hospital building," than which none, in this part of the world, united in itself more of ornament and use" was then nearly completed, and, after a due compliment to the liberality of English contributors and an appeal to the affection which he could not but feel for the place of his birth, it concluded with the sentiment, that the works of an artist which ornamented the palace of his King, could not fail to honor him in his native land. This request received, in the following year, a favorable answer from Mr. West, who suggested as the subject of the painting the text of Scripture: "And the blind and the lame West's came to Him in the Temple, and He healed them." Certainly no study more appropriate could have been selected and it was one which the Managers heartily approved. In August, 1810, notice was received that the painting might soon be looked for and expecta- Temple." tion was raised to a high pitch, not only among those especially interested in the Hospital, but also in the whole community. However, for the present, their hopes were doomed to disappointment.

The picture, when exhibited in England, excited such general admiration, that patriotism took the alarm and nobles and commons,

Painting of

"Christ Healing the Sick in the

purchased for

with one accord, agreed in making a determined effort to retain it in West's first the country. Mr. West, who could not resist the various influences exPainting erted, was prevailed upon to allow the painting to remain; but he immethe Royal diately began the work of making a copy, which he resolved should Academy excel the original. Considering the fact that he undertook this in London. work at a time when the two countries were at war and considering also his connection with the rulers and prominent men of his adopted country, we may fairly ascribe to him the merit of extraordinary independence and liberality of feeling, as well as of attachment to the place of his birth. It was not, however, until October, 1817, that the Painting reached this country. It was taken to a building which had been especially erected for its reception, upon the The second Hospital grounds on Spruce Street, and placed on exhibition; being Painting duly mentioned in the newspapers, it attracted such a throng of arrives and is placed on visitors that it yielded for several years a considerable income to the Exhibition. institution. The money received from the opening of the exhibition to its close in 1843, amounted to somewhat more than twenty-five thousand dollars; and as the whole outlay on account of the picture was not equal to ten thousand dollars, the profit, deducting the cost of exhibition, amounted to no inconsiderable contribution, and approximated the amount paid West for the first copy of the picture, which was 3000 guineas.

The earliest mention on the minutes, of the Painting, was September 1, 1800, when it was recorded that the following letter was to be sent to Benjamin West:

Sir.-The Pennsylvania Hospital by the aid of government and many private subscriptions, is at length nearly finished, and no building that we know of in this part of the world unites in itself more of ornament or of use.

Its object is the relief of maniacs and sick poor in Pennsylvania; many thousands of these of every nation and country who have maintained an intercourse with Philadelphia, have enjoyed its benefits in common with the resident poor of our own state. Conducted as the Hospital is, on a principle of extensive benevolence, it has attracted the attention of many charitable and well-disposed people at home and abroad.

Among those individuals in England who have contributed to its support, we have the satisfaction to enroll the names of many celebrated worthies of thy own acquaintance, such as the late Dr. John Fothergill, David Barclay, and others-to whom we are indebted for valuable gifts-but in applying to strangers we are not to forget our own country-men.

However long they may have been absent, and however remote from the place of their birth, their bosoms glow with ardent affection toward it, and they feel an impulse, which they seldom resist, to promote in its works of utility and taste. Impressed as we are with these sentiments, we solicit, in behalf of the contributors for the Managers' room, a painting from West.

The works of an artist which ornament the palace of his king cannot fail to honor him in his native land.

To this highly complimentary letter, Mr. West replied:

LONDON, July 8, 1801.

It is with satisfaction that I embrace the opportunity by the return of Mr. Gilpin to Philadelphia to convey to you my thanks for the polite and satisfactory letter written to me by the order of the President and Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital.

The gratification it has long afforded me in hearing of the celebrity of those laws by which that Hospital is governed, the relief it affords to the sick poor, and the benign aid it gives to the afflicted in general, has placed it among the first of institutions.

The proposal of placing a picture of my painting in a situation so honorable as that building presents, I cannot permit to pass without embracing. I therefore accept the offer.

The subject I have chosen is analogous to the situation. It is the Redeemer of mankind extending his aid to the afflicted and of all ranks and conditions. The Passage is from St. Matthew chapter 21, verses 14 and 15: "And the blind and the lame came to Him in the Temple; and He healed them. And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the Temple, and saying, Hozanna to the Son of David, they were sore displeased." The design for the picture I have made from the above passage. The picture will be sixteen feet long by ten feet high, including the frame.

I have conversed with Mr. Gilpin on this business, and have requested him to see the president and managers and to convey to them my ideas how a picture of its dimensions could be placed to most advantage.

On October 29, 1801, the following was sent to Mr. West:

Esteemed Friend.-We have received thy letter of 8th July by Joshua Gilpin, and laid it before the Managers, who have ordered us to express their grateful acknowledgements for the painting thou art preparing to present them for the benefit of that Institution. They also desire us to inform thee of their full approbation of the subject thou hast chosen, viz. "Our Savior Healing the Sick in the Temple."

In order to preserve thy contributions to posterity as well as for this generation, the Managers agree to fix it in the contributors' room, a draft of which is inclosed with the Committee's remarks for thy information.

Peace being now restored between Great Britain and France, we anticipate with increasing pleasure the prospect of receiving the painting without injury, and that instead of gracing a Paris museum, it will honor the artist in his native country.

From 1802 until 1810, no word was received from Mr. West, but in August of the latter year the artist apologizes on account of his sickness for not having finished the painting and mentions his intention of resuming his labor, and proceeding therein till he completes the work.

Under date, April 24th, 1811, Mr. West sent the following:

Sir.-I embrace the opportunity of writing you by the return of Mr. Scott to Philadelphia, and to request that you will have the goodness to inform the trustees of the Pennsylvania Hospital, that I had finished the picture of Our Saviour receiving the Lame and the Blind in the Temple to heal them, with that success,

Correspond

ence with Mr. West.

to render it in the judgment of our lovers of the arts as holding the first rank in West's Letter my productions of the pencil.

with regard

This picture was what I painted as my donation for the Pennsylvania to the Hospital, but its popularity raising the attention of all the various classes of the Painting, people in the capital, who became solicitous that it should be considered as attached to the country, for which purpose the noblemen and gentlemen of the British Institution waited on me with proposals to possess the picture as a commencement of a National Gallery.

Under this consideration I found myself in such a predicament, that made a compliance necessary, but with a reserve on my part to make another for the Hospital, which I have commenced on a more improved plan of composition, and in the course of the ensuing summer shall complete it, I hope with equal, or more power, as it is my wish to do so; those gentlemen then made me their voluntary remuneration of three thousand guineas for letting them possess the picture.

The picture is now in the British Gallery, and such is its popularity, that thousands of people of all descriptions are crowding weekly into the Gallery to have a sight of it.

I feel highly gratified by this occurrence in having produced an historical composition which is sanctioned in Europe by those of taste and judgment in the fine arts as to make choice of it for an example to those studying this dignified department in art, and the destiny of its division in the American Hemisphere may one day produce the same effect as it is held out to produce in this.

It may be acceptable to you and to others to know what observation has been published in the London daily papers, on that picture. I therefore send with this letter, two or three of those productions.

The circumstances which have attended the picture will point out to my country-men, that the picture which I shall send them is not considered a mean one, and I hope that it will be as productive in its pecuniary aids to the Pennsylvania Hospital, as it is on this side of the Atlantic in the British Institution. I request that my respects my be given to the Trustees of the Hospital, and that I am, yours with sincerity.

To this, the President of the Board of Managers made reply, August 26, 1811:

Esteemed Friend, Benjamin West:

I received thy letter on the 24th of April last, by which the Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital are made acquainted with their loss, and the unexpected surrender of the picture to the British Gallery.

The friends of this institution cannot but express their disappointment, at the same time they make the necessary allowance for the dilemma into which the most celebrated historical painter of the age has been placed, by a powerful appeal of the principal patrons of the art, in a country where his genius has been fostered, and his labors remunerated for half a century.

The Managers learn with great satisfaction thy beneficent intention of painting another picture from the same sublime and appropriate subject. It will be a model for the improvement of American artists, and a source of great emolument to a charitable institution.

In December, 1811, Mr. Joshua Gilpin wrote that he had visited the studio of Mr. West, and that rapid progress had been made in the picture, which he had reason to hope would be finished before spring.

In view of the possible early arrival of the Painting, the treasurer of the Hospital was requested to confer with Albert Gallatin, the Secretary Secretary of the Treasury, on the means to be pursued for importing it, and, if possible, free of duty. (See page 312.)

In May, 1812, Mr. Gilpin again wrote that the Picture is so far finished as to be beyond the reach of accidents, I mean all the principal parts, so that if any thing was to happen to Benjamin West the remainder might be finished by any good artist; and still be far superior to the original. A painting of the kind must be left to the time of the artist, as, like an epic poem, it can be done only when the vein of fancy inclines them to it. He talked of finishing it, so as to send it down to the Liverpool exhibition, to be shipped from thence. I offered if it came down while the 'Bainbridge' was here to send it freight free, but the exhibition here does not commence until September.

In 1815, the Secretary of the Hospital wrote Mr. West that the original proposition of the Managers to place the picture in the centre building of the Hospital was abandoned, and that it was their intention to erect a building in conformity with the views of the artist on the grounds, especially designed for its reception. The plan was subsequently carried out.

Under date of September 5, 1815, Mr. West wrote:

I received your friendly letter of 28th of June last, and I am pleased to find that the Managers approve of my plan for a room being erected in every respect appropriate to the picture of Christ receiving the lame and the blind in the Temple to heal them.

The picture is finished, and it is a satisfaction to me, and I hope will be to the Managers, as well as yourself and the public of Philadelpbia, that it is highly approved of by the lovers of the fine arts, and the admiring throngs of London. This testimonial in its favor I believe the noblemen and gentlemen of the British Institution who so liberally solicited the first picture would gladly accept the second in its place. But the latter I think my exertions are more complete in appropriate character, as I have introduced a demoniac with his attendant relations, by which circumstance is introduced most of the maladies which were healed by Our Saviour.

I trust on this occasion my liberal countrymen will not be angry with me in thus presenting to their Hospital a better picture in this second production, than it would have received in the first instance.

Some months later, the President of the Board of Managers received the following letter from Mr. West:

of the U. S. Treasury requested to remit the

duty on West's

Picture.

Permanent

Newman Street, March 10th, 1816. Dear Sir.-Your letter of the 4th of January came safe to hand and it affords Building me great pleasure to find that the Managers of the Pennsylvania Hospital have to be agreed to erect a permanent building as a place of safety for depositing the erected for Picture of Christ receiving the blind and the lame in the Temple to heal them. exhibiting It would afford me the highest satisfaction if the directors would lay the the Painting. geometrical design for an appropriate room to shew the picture in which I submitted to your notice some months ago to Mr. La Trobe the architect and take