It gives me great pleasure to comply with your request. You will perceive that after seven years’ devotion to Art I have improved considerably in figure drawing. I regard figure-drawing as my specialty, although some think I am as good at landscapes & still life., these persons even carrying compliment so far as to say they cannot tell my landscapes from my still life, nor either of them from my marine views.

In this portrait the President is not saying “Now I lay me down to sleep.” 〚See note under picture for explanation of the situation.”〛