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there another year -- but Marius was eclipsed in Paris by all the modern heroes of Gaul -- indeed the number of National pictures was very great at the exhibition & Marius was treated [[illegible]] (though a [[underline]] stranger [[/underline]] & in [[underline]] Paris [[/underline]] not in the most polite manner & will go away with no high opinion of monsieur -- Civility -- I close this long letter & am glad to have done for it has really tired my weak head & hand & fear the perusal may not be able to produce a much different effect -- 
                So remain
                        Respectfully --
                        Your humble Serv't
                           Jn Vanderlyn
PS. I subjoin you a few lines -- [[illegible]] explaining the subject of the picture of Marius --
     Caius Marius of the Ruins of Carthage
This celebrated Proscript after encountering a variety of misfortunes & dangers in his flight, at length arrived in Africa, landed at the Antient Port of Carthage; on the ruins of which city he waited for & received the answer of the Roman Propretor Sextilius.
The interval of the message is the moment of time represented in the picture -- 
The subject exhibites in a double instance the instability of human grandeur: a City in Ruins, & a fallen General -- In the countenance of Marius in which there is more of [[^rude &]] savage nature than dignified -- I have endeavored to express the disappointment of ambition, with the meditation of revenge ---