¹

Dear Sir

I just received yr favor & shall obey your commands about the Drawings. Stringer is not quite so neat as Moses: yet is rather cheaper in his prices. two of his drawings are very fine – one is of Lichfield cathedral the other of a door in that church.² Those I would recommend you to have from him. some of the others moses shall do on the margins.

I received yesterday the second part of Holbein's works for which accept my best thanks.³ They are extremely elegantly done, & a present worthy of your friendship. my Son will probably make himself acquainted with the artist at Basle & with his further design. He departs from hence on Thursday⁴ but not without p[...]resenting his best compliments. our separation for so great a length of time rather flutters for I must say that in these days he is a rara avis.⁵

I am Dear Sir most faithfully yours

Th. Pennant

Downing

Have you seen Cordiner's scotch views by Mazel N^o 41 Drury lane. they are most picturesque published in Numbers.

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Editorial notes

1. Details about David Pennant suggest the beginnings of his first continental tour, which involved travel in Swizterland (vs Madrid, Alicante in 1788, second tour; not sure about third, but Pennant mentions to Allen David's wish to visit the North, which I suspect may mean Russia) Consider relationship with no. 46: mention of Holbein in a marginal note by Bull; David setting out in August. This a July / August 1785 date; Cordiner not a problem, and Mazell's address (no. 41 Drury lane) seems consistent with other evidence in these letters
2. Lichfield Cathedral is discussed in Pennant, The journey from Chester to London (1782), pp. 101–12.
3. See 1034.
4. The date may be c. 20 August 1785, the beginning of David Pennant's first tour.
5. 'a rare bird', 'a rarity'.

i. A pencil note at the top of the page, in Richard Bull's hand.