o the General's. I have also
agreed, if he can see Generals Greene and Gates, whose busts he has
a desire to execute, that he may make a moderate deviation for this
purpose, after he has done with General Washington.

But the most important object with him, is to be employed to make
General Washington's equestrian statue for Congress. Nothing but the
expectation of this, could have engaged him to have undertaken this
voyage; as the pedestrian statue for Virginia will not make it worth
the business he loses by absenting himself. I was therefore obliged to
assure him of my recommendations for this greater work. Having acted in
this for the State, you will, I hope, think yourselves in some measure
bound to patronize and urge his being employed by Congress. I would not
have done this myself, nor asked you to do it, did I not see that it
would be better for Congress to put this business into his hands, than
into those of any other person living, for these reasons: 1. He is,
without rivalship, the first statuary of this age; as a proof of which,
he receives orders from every other country for things intended to
be capital. 2. He will have seen General Washington, have taken his
measures in every part, and, of course, whatever he does of him will
have the merit of being original, from which other workmen can only
furnish copies. 3. He is in possession of the house, the furnaces, and
all the apparatus provided for making the statue of Louis XV. If any
other workman be employed, this will all have to be provided anew, and
of course, to be added to the price of the statue; for no man can ever
expect to make two equestrian statues. The addition which this would be
to the price, will much exceed the expectation of any person who has
not seen that apparatus. In truth it is immense. As to the price of the
work, it will be much greater than Congress is probably aware of. I have
inquired somewhat into this circumstance, and find the prices of those
made for two centuries past, have been from one hundred and twenty
thousand guineas, down to sixteen thousand guineas, according to
the size. And as far as I have seen, the smaller they are, the more
agreeable. The smallest yet made, is infinitely above the size of
life, and they all appear outrees and monstrous. That of Louis XV., is
probably the best in the world, and it is the smallest here. Yet it
is impossible to find a point of view, from which it does not appear
a monster, unless you