DILECTA 595

mother, my Scottish aunt, and her servant Mause,¹ ought to have been guarantee enough to attentive persons; the inattentive I would beg at least not to trouble me with letters till the sequels of Præterita and Dilecta are in their hands.

36. For the present I return to the documents in my possession respecting Turner; of which the following, signed by Turner the day after I was born, must, I think, take priority in point of date, and has this much of peculiar interest in it, that the drawings of which it disposes the destiny with so much care, were never made. Turner’s intention that they should be all of equal value is prettily intimated by his submitting the decision of his property in them to cast of lots.

37. “Agreement between J. M. W. Turner, Esq., W. B. Cooke, and J. C. Allen, February the Ninth, One Thousand Eight Hundred and Nineteen.

“Mr. Turner agrees to make Thirty Six Drawings on the Rhine, between Cologne and Mayence, at the Price of Seventeen Guineas each Drawing. -The first Two Drawings to be made in advance, which are to be paid out of the Profits of the Work.-The Second Two Drawings to be paid by W. B. Cooke in June 1819, and the rest to be paid on delivery.

“It is agreed that none of the Drawings shall be sold for less than Thirty-four Guineas each under the Penalty of One Hundred Guineas. Mr. Turner to be paid Two Pounds on the Sale of every Five Hundred Numbers. The Plates to be estimated at Fifty Guineas each-they are to be the Size of Eleven Inches and a half by Eight Inches and a Quarter.

“The Work to be divided as follows,-Mr. Turner to hold one Eighth Share, W. B. Cooke to hold Five Eighths of the Work, T. C. Allen to hold Two Eighths. The Work to pay its Expenses by its returns before any Dividend is made between the Parties.

“Mr. Turner to have a best copy of the Work, with Etchings.

“A Settlement for all Numbers and Copies sold, to be made at regular half Yearly periods within a Week after Mr. Murray settles his half Yearly Accounts on the Work.

“When Seven Drawings are made for the Work, Mr. Turner to have one of them by casting lots. When the second Seven are made, a like casting of Lots to take Place for one of them. The Third Seven the same. The fourth Seven the same, and Mr. Turner to have the casting of lots for one out of the remaining Eight.

“No other Engraver to be employed in the Work than W. B. Cooke, and J. C. Allen, without the Consent of Mr. Turner. It is agreed that

¹ [See above, p. 63.]

[Version 0.04: March 2008]