Benjamin Haydon letter to the Examiner, 1811

              Mr Examiner/ I wish to add a circumstance which I omitted from not considering it of any importance namely that Wilkie before this picture was sent home to Lord Dunstanville retouched and improved the Picture considerably and the year following before it was exhibited added a day - This has no weight in my mind because the Picture was an excellent Picture when withdrawn ^and tho it might be a better one when exhibited, /---/ it does not in the slightest degree weather the ground of my suspicion - The question is not whether it was a better Picture the year following but whether it was not a good one when first part, - I affirm it was and therefore believing so in my conscience - I have in my own mind sufficient ground for my accusation - I ought to have said in my statement - “This Picture with improvements was exhibited last year” & - far from not mentioning improvements - it left an impression as if it was the same Picture in the same state - I deserve censure for omitting this - but my [ ? ], diminishes not the censure they deserve - The head I mentioned which is the but head he has painted - nor any of the principal parts did he touch