Rome 30 May 1838
Sir,
I had the honor to receive your valued and gratifying letter dated the 30th January last, annexing the Printed Circular, announcing that your useful and praiseworthy Society, had been pleased unanimously to elect me one of its honorary members, and communicating at the same time the highly interesting and curious Historical facts, to which (sensible of my own unworthiness) I must attribute the honor confered on me in this selection –
I take the liberty therefore of requesting you, as Secretary and chief organ, to express to the Society my Sincere thanks and gratitude and to assure it that I feel the obligation more deeply from my always having been the enthusiastic admirer and advocate of the wonderful people to which it belongs, and that my warmest prayers will be offered up to Div[in]ing Providence, for a long continuance of those invaluable institutions, and of that National character which with the blessings of peace, prosperity, and union cannot fail to ensure to your country, as heretofore, the respect, applause, and admiration of the World –
I need not assure you, that I will embrace such occasions as may offer of being useful to the Society and of promoting its prosperity and the success of its labours by every means within my power –
It remains for me now only, to request you will take an early opportunity of trasmitting to me the welcome Diploma, and its accompaniments by such safe channel of conveyance as may soon offer, and what I would prefer, through the medium of my worthy and literery friend George W. Green, Esq. The United States consul in this Capital.
I have the honor to be, very Sincerely,
Sir,
your faithful and most obedient Servant
Alberto Thorwaldsen