Page 182 - Bollettino di Numismatica on line Studi e Ricerche n. 3-2017

IV. LETTERE DI WILLIAM EWART GLADSTONE, 1843

Nei volumi di corrispondenza di William Ewart Gladstone (Londra, British Library), esaminati da
chi scrive quando si trovavano ancora nel Department of Manuscripts del British Museum, molte sono
le carte del futuro Primo Ministro relative agli anni nei quali egli ricoprì la carica di Master of the Mint
(1841-1845) (Craig 1953, p. 301). Numerose le lettere che riguardano Pistrucci, in particolare per quan-
to concerne la sua posizione nella Zecca londinese e i problemi relativi ai conii della medaglia per la
vittoria di Waterloo che Pistrucci tardava a terminare pur avendo ricevuto l’incarico ufficiale nel 1819
(Pirzio Biroli Stefanelli 1989, I, pp. 97- 103, nn. 35-41, tavv. 18-21). Su questi stessi argomenti Gladstone
corrisponde anche con James William Morrison, Deputy Master of the Royal Mint dal 1801 al 1850 (I.
Epistolario, lettera 1, nota 25) e soprattutto con William Richard Hamilton (I. Epistolario, lettera 1, nota
6) che sostiene sempre con molta determinazione la posizione del suo protetto. Delle lettere, che sono
relative agli anni 1842-1844, se ne trascrivono due relative alla questione della medaglia di Waterloo,
indirizzate a William Richard Hamilton (n. 1) e, in lingua italiana, allo stesso Pistrucci (n. 2).
(Londra, British Library, Add MS 44527, ff. 90B, 105, 106b, 107, 108b, 112b, 123, 124, 124b, 135, 138b,
139, 139b?, 140, 140b, 141, 142b, 143, 143b, 144, 169, 169b, 171, 173b, 175b, 178b, 181b, 182, 183b, 186,
188, 189b, 190b; Add MS 44360, f. 90).

1.
Londra, British Library, Add MS 44527, f. 112b
Jan. 3 1843
W.R. Hamilton
Private

My dear sir,
I am very glad to find from your letter of the 1 which I have prensed with attention and interest, that you
had yourself in former occasions urged upon Signor Pistrucci the expediency of his applying himself to
the completion of the Waterloo Medal and had thus anticipated the suggestion which I ventured to make;
not judicially as pronouncing a final opinion upon his claims and obligations but availing myself of your
favorable position to convey to him what I thought would be the sure and effectual and the most honourable
mode of solving the difficulties that affect this case. Again adressing you in the same capacity I must confess
myself as yet unable to perceive any other alternativa which would be entirely satisfactory. I even doubt the
expediency of an increase of Mr. Pistrucci salary, unless it can be made out that it is required by good faith,
and that, as you are aware, is disputed. I feel quiet confident that the question of salary ought to be kept apart
from that of Waterloo Medal. I not only admit, but feel, I would venture to say, almost as strongly as you can
do, the desirableness of giving Signor Pistrucci public employment; if at any time I have spoken warmly of
his talent, he may rest assured that I should have spoken more warmly still, had I not been restrained by a
consciousness that my judgment is valueless, and if at any time I have seemed to maintain reserve it is from
the same reflection that I do not by becoming Master of the Mint acquire any capacity or substantial tititle to
prounance about the merits of a work of art. But strongly as I am impressed with the desire that mr. Pistrucci
genius should have free scope in the proper department for its exercise and expecially in execution of public

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