Tobacco box, Paul de Lamerie, London, 1723-24

He is frequently compared with Dr. Johnson, with whom he was slightly acquainted, but the comparison is seldom favourable.

William Field, his biographer, says of him, for example, that ' he had Johnson's pomposity without his force of mind, Johnson's love of antithesis, without his logical acuteness, and Johnson's roughness without his sense of humour' (cited in the 'Dictionary of National Biography, 1975 ed., s.v. 'Parr').

He was a passionate Whig and a staunch supporter of Queen Caroline during her public vilification and estrangement from George IV in 1820. On her return to England he visited her and became her chaplain.

Dr. Robert Fellowes (1771-1847) the donor of the box was born of modest means but became a philanthropist on a grand scale after he was left a fortune of some ú200,000 in 1824 by Francis Mascares, the mathematician and reformer. Fellowes spent considerable sums on a variety of public and private causes, such as the promotion of London University and the study of natural philosophy at Edinburgh.

He also campaigned energetically for the opening of Regent's Park to the public. Before he received his inheritance, he was greatly indebted to his friend Parr, who arranged for his introduction to Queen Caroline, as a result of which, he became her private secretary. Fellowes was as devoted as Parr to the Queen's cause and is thought to have written the replies to all the public addressess presented to her in 1820.

Although the inscriptions on the tobacco box are undated, it is tempting to attribute the gift to Fellowes gratitude to Parr for his introduction to Queen Caroline. It is a highly personalised gift: both Fellowes and Parr were able classical scholars and Parr himself was an inveterate smoker.

He is said to have 'smoked all day and told with pride how the Prince Regent joined him in pipe at Carlton House; and he used to make the youngest lady present give him a light till his friends persuaded him to give up the practice.' (The Dictionary of National Biography, 1975 ed., s.v. 'Parr').

In spite of its association with tobacco at the time of its presentation, this box was probably originally part of a toilet service. A similar box of 1724 by the same maker is in the Assheton Bennett Collection in the City of Manchester Art Gallery (Manchester, 1965, cat. no. 232, pl. XXIV).

An example of almost identical form, hallmarked for 1721, bears the mark of de Lamerie probably overstriking the mark of Paul Crespin. (Schroder, 1988, pp. 175, 177) Provenance: Dr.Samuel Parr.