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American Academy of Arts and Letters
Office of the Permanent Secretary
Room 411, 70 Fifth Avenue
New York

July 20, 1916

Dear Mr. Freer:

I am sure, from the interest you have expressed in the American Academy, you will be glad to see this letter from the Académie Françoise, recently received. I am making considerable progress with the work of the Academy as entrusted to me and have already enlisted the interest of a gentleman of large means in New York.  How I wish that I had come into relations with you before you had disposed of your wonderful collection of American paintings! It breaks my heart to feel that one who has done so much for the American art as you have should in no way be connected with the American Academy. If you could only give us a Whistler, or something else of representative character; I believe that within a year, or at most two, the Academy building, the plans for which have been drawn by McKim, Mead & White, will be an actuality.  I send you the latest list of members and a circular of "Information".
I hope this will find you in good health.
Faithfully yours,
R. U. Johnson

Charles L. Freer, Esq.,
Berkshire Inn,
Great Barrington, Mass.