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foot I am obliged to muddle it upon an iron [[drawing of a pedestal?]] which would destroy its appearance in a photograph[[.]] If I can arrange a support for it that will not be visible when it is in plaster I will have it photographed in that state and not wait till it is in bronze. I have had a great deal of trouble in doing it but was bound to get through with it if I destroyed it afterwards it was too great an undertaking it is a fact but now the struggle is our I am more contented. No one here expected I would come of [[strikethrough]] out with it as it is a regular fete in sculpture to do a figure upon one foot with both arms in air and above all with flying drapery[[.]] Old sculptors find the greatest difficulty in arranging such drapery, as you can imagine the difficulty I had with my little experience[[.]] It was one great struggle against my own mean propensity to do things smally and I hope I have banned [[?]] by it to look at nature and art more largely[[.]] It is a personal gratification only. I do not suppose the Americans can appreciate it although they never saw anything like it. However [[?]] I have tried to render my idea as pleasingly as possible and we will see what the result will be. 

The only think that bothers me now is the expense of putting my figure in bronze. The chasing it after it is cast will cost the most. The finer proof will cost about 400 francs, but if I have other proofs taken after from the finer which [[strikethrough]] is [[/strikethrough]] proof which already chased they

Transcription Notes:
Not sure what the "L" shaped word or drawing in the third line of the first page is... perhaps a drawing of a pedestal he wants to put the sculpture on? Also, he doesn't really use .'s so I put them in [[]] before a word starting with a capital letter to make it easier to read.