Manchester Buildings, Westminster
9 March 1830

Sir,
Recollecting our conversation in January last, in the house of the late Sir Thos Lawrence, and understanding, that you have now proved the will, I no longer delay to request formally, that as His Executor, you will have the goodness to cause to be delivered to my order the portrait of Mr Wilberforce which he was painting for me, and for which I paid as usual half the price of the size which I desired at, or before, the first sitting, as I find by the Cheque on my Bankers, which I placed in Sir Thomas's hands, and which was paid in due course.

The circumstances are these:- on my first interview with Sir Thomas, after I had induced Mr Wilberforce to oblige me by consenting to sit, I told Sir Thos that I wished a head of my friend; and I paid accordingly the half price for that size.- When I afterwards saw the canvass, I perceived, that it was of a larger class; (illegible) Sir Thomas offered either to cut it down, or to complete it on the scale which he had began. I prefer'd the latter; but, on seeing the picture

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