Spent this morning at home, and read my maps. As there was no House of Representatives,
I was obliged to amuse myself as I could. I agreed to accompany Madame and the Girls
to Mr. King’s painting rooms
1 after their return from Georgetown whither they went in the Carriage with John. They
did not return till late and Mr. Cheves
2 was introduced and received, but this was so good an opportunity that I did not wish
it lost so we went. The pictures, some of them are excellent, others only moderate
and others bad. That of Cyr. King of Maine
3 is said to be good, Mr. Wirt’s is good, General Brown’s
{ 48 } and a number of others are remarkably fine. I think my father’s a good one, but by
no means so good as I think one could be made.
4 His eyes are placed in such a way that one appears directly over his nose. He has
some very sweet fruit pieces, which would adorn a summer house or even a dinner parlour
very much. Some voluptuous pieces also which it would not do to notice before ladies.
One in particular which appeared to be Joseph and the wife of Potiphar although we
could not see for a veil which John and myself attempted to raise, when we discovered
the deception. It was very accurate.
We went down into his painting room, he was copying his portrait of Mr. Webster, which
is one of his best likenesses as it appears to me. The eyebrows and expression of
the eyes is very admirably copied. There was also a portrait of John Mason, not finished
but nearly so, which was a remarkable likeness. One of Mrs. Mason also.
5 As Mr. King appeared to be very busy with his picture we left him soon and Madame
returned home with John and I, the girls set off to go and take a walk for the first
time this winter.
On reaching the steps of our house, we met Ned Wyer who insisted upon it, Madame should
fulfil her promise of going to see his house and his mineral collection. As this was
a good opportunity and nothing to do we went over. He has hired a house of one story
in height opposite to our house and lives in glorious independence nobody knows how.
His rooms are neat and well kept. He showed us every thing, his shells and minerals,
some of which are certainly very handsome. He wants to sell them but rates them so
high he never will be able to part with them. To day he manifested the love of giving
away for which he is so noted—and made me think that in a little while he would have
no collection to sell. After an Examination of all things we retired home, dined and
on the return of Madame and ladies from Mrs. Thornton’s had an oyster supper.