1845-02-28 Bigelow Chapel Stained Glass: David Ramsay Hay to Jacob Bigelow (page 1)

Edinburgh 28th Feby. 1845

Sir,

I beg to acknowledge receipt of your favour of
the 14th Dec. last together with the lithographic outlines
of the cemetery chapel windows, which were forwarded to
me about the middle of last month. I feel highly gratified
by the proof which your letter affords of the estimation in
which my professional skill is held by you, and I have en-
deavoured to evince my sense of the value of your good opinion
by the thought which I have bestowed on a series of designs which
shall be shortly forwarded. Your lithographic outlines I have
put in to the hands of Messrs Ballantine and Allan of this city
who have been selected by the Royal Commission of the Fine Arts
to furnish the painted glass for the principal portions of the New
Houses of Parliament. These Gentlemen thus placed at
the head of their profession, are intimate friends of mine
and they are now engaged under my instructions in making
the designs you require. I have requested them to forward
you also an estimate of the cost of executing these designs
in painted glass in the best manner, and I would
strongly advise you to commit the matter intirely [sic] to them.
Their work in brilliancy and harmony of colour equals
the best specimens of the antique, and far excells them
in symmetrical proportion, as well as in accurate
drawing. No water coloured sketch can convey a
correct idea of the effect of painted ^glass. Neither can

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