W. Manley, Portsmouth, to Ozias Humphry
He recapitulates business relating to a portrait for friends. He is currently staying in Portsmouth and provides a highly entertaining opinion as to the town's lack of merit. He castigates Humphry for not writing to
Sir Elijah Impey to forward his own interests. He is very low at the prospect of leaving his friends and family to go to Bengal, but will provide Humphry with a summary of the state of painting there when he arrives.
He desires to be remembered to the Acton's and the Woodgates. He requests Humphry send down [the portrait of]
Lady Craven, he will return her to her "
noble Lord" when he can "spare her".