From Thomas Beddoes to Unidentified   December 1808

Another letter, the address of which seems to have been arrested by the hand of death, has been found among his papers, designed to recommend to the notice of a friend and patron of the arts a young painter of Bristol, (Mr. Bird, ) who has since rendered himself sufficiently known by the uncommon truth and felicity with which he has delineated scenes of rural life and rural manners; and to whose skill the Author is indebted for the likeness prefixed to this volume.