Memorandum deploring the poor state of Mint engraving and suggesting various strategies for improving it
The Engraving of Mint and Medals is to be regarded as a great ornament to a Nation, of which all flourishing Kingdoms are Carefull, that this work may be done to the best perfection; whereby a King is much honour'd when His Effigy is represented thereon in the best likeness, proportion, and finness of worck, and is given a General satisfaction to all the subjects of ye whole Kingdom to see this worck done with much art and finish'd to perfection; it is not only a present satisfaction but to all posterity a perpetual memory and honour to the King represented thereon, if it is done with the best art and great application; as there is no publick service more expos'd to the Iudgment of the whole Nation as going thorough {sic} the hands of every particular then ye Engraving of ye Mint it ought to be a singular notice taken, that as the Nation doth provide for ye Expences thereof, they should be serv'd also with ye best work, seeing that if any deffect appears it Cannot be hid, but is always exposd to the whole Kingdom and the Iudgment of those which Can discern between good and bad work If any deffects are not remedied, it may give occasion to attribute a want of vigilante in whom the power is lodg'd to have the direction thereof, and although in defence of such defects some good Coulor'd reasons may be aledg'd to particulars, it will not take Effect by ye publick who Iudge according to what they see, and finding that in former Reigns, as King Charles and King Iames the 2d's: the work was done with more art and neatness, they will Iudge the present much inferiour in all its parts as it is in reality, and therefore have a Contempt for it.
The Engraving of ye Mint and Medals being done with great defect as is Generally acKnowledg'd, The Court and Ministry are very sensible thereof, and the Kings desire is that this work might be done with more Capacitty to the Contentment of ye Publick; it is presum'd that Yr: Hr: who is vested with the power to reform where such a publick trust is not serv'd so well as is requir'd, will have more regard to satisfie the King as concerning His own Royal Person and the publick then to formalities, or the Interest of Private Persons, for Which some methods might be taken that the Publick should be better serv'd without prejudice to any, and as Yr: Hr: hath new in several successiv Reigns with great honour and vigilance directed the affairs belonging to the Mint it would be a great addition of honour if under His direction the work of Engraving should be brought to a better perfection, and the Irregularities which have occasiond the deffects reform'd, and such measures taken that in the future the like might be prevented, and that the Mint should always be provided with the best Engravers to which end the Following proposals are humbly to yr: Hr: Clear and wise Iudgement submitted.
|1| The cheif {sic} point that the Mint should be best serv'd with the Engraving, is to make Choice of such an Engraver, which Can give proofs to maKe the best work for heads and Reverses of Medals, Embossing of wax great and smahl seals and stone Engra
ving to have a great practise in fine work of antiquity, He will not only be able to serve best in this post; but also be fittest to bring up good Disciples to serve well after him, and if in future such a method will be taken, then the service of the Mint will always be well supplied, which has been omitted by the present Engraver and His predecessor; and as the Engraving of the seals hath been always Ioind and Comprehended in one except since the decease of Mr: Harris, where a separate seal Engraver for the King hath been appointed, which is a Considerable {branch} att the Change of every Reign, it is supposd to be done upon this ground that Mr: Kroger who being not an Engraver by by {sic} profession but a Ieweler was thought not to be qualified to do the seal work in which he had no practice; yet it would be encouraging and deserving that those which labour Constantly for the King and publiK service in the Coin and Medals to have also upon such occasions the benefit of that work from the Crown
|2| As the Engraving of the Mint is to be regarded, as the Cheif {sic} work, and an art, all the others being but mechaniK, it is next to the choosing of the best qualified Engraver, the cheifest {sic} {motis} to be best serv'd, to provide the same with a suitable salary to the quality of the work, as it hath been observ'd in former Reigns, which will oblige the Engraver to apply his utmost endeavours to make himself deservd thereof
|3| It would be of gret service that 2 or 300£ should be Employd to maKe a Collection of all sorts of AntiK and Modern Medals or Impressions thereof, fine prints, anticK has reliev's Figures and Heads to remain always registred in the Mint for the use of the Engravers att present and for the future
|4:| It would be proper to give permission to such an Engraver for some Month to make the above sayd Collection partly att Patis, and att ye same time to examine all the methods that are in practice there for the perfection of the work in Coin and Medals, to the end that it might be done here so well as |in| any in\part of/ Europe.
|5| It would not be sufficient to bring up disciples to instruct them with all Care and application, but to render them fitter to the performance of the best work they ought to be some years brought up in the Academy of drawing and Embossing att Paris, that they may have a solid foundation, to do in future the work with more perfection; by these Methods the Kingdom will be in the future always serv'd to great satisfaction.
