ELI MORGAN DUCI EXERCITUS.

_Exergue_: COMITIA AMERICANA.

_Medal for Rear-Admiral John Paul Jones, of twenty-four (p. xxi)
lignes._

_Device_: His head (M. Houdon will furnish the bust in plaster).

_Legend_: JOANNI PAULO JONES CLASSIS PRAEFECTO.

_Exergue_: COMITIA AMERICANA.

_Reverse_: Naval Engagement.

_Legend_: HOSTIUM NAVIBUS CAPTIS AUT FUGATIS.

_Exergue_: AD ORAM SCOTIAE 23 SEPT. 1779.

The following, from the same to the same, bearing date February 15,
1789, throws some light on the prices of the medals engraved by M.
Dupre:

To
M. DUPRE,
Engraver of Medals, Paris.

Mr. Jefferson has the honour to observe to M. Dupre that he pays
only twenty-four hundred _livres_ to M. Duvivier or to M.
Gatteaux for medals which measure twenty-four _lignes_, that he
paid the same sum to M. Dupre himself for that of General Greene,
and that recently M. Dupre asked no higher price for that of
General Morgan. Mr. Jefferson cannot, therefore, consent to give
more. For that sum he would expect to have the best work of M.
Dupre and not that of inferior artists. As regards time, perhaps
it may be possible to prolong it somewhat in regard to the medal
for Admiral Paul Jones, that officer being at present in Europe.
Mr. Jefferson will have the honour to await M. Dupre's answer,
and will be happy to conclude this arrangement with him.[9]

February 15, 1789.

[Footnote 9: For the French original see F, page
xlv.]

It is to be supposed that Dupre accepted these conditions, since he is
the engraver of the John Paul Jones medal, one of the finest specimens
in our collection. The Daniel Morgan piece is no less remarkable as an
effort of numismatic skill. The fight at the Cowpens, on the reverse,
is a striking example of the boldness with which Dupre enlarged (p. xxii)
the limits of his art, and, in defiance of all traditional rules,
successfully represented several planes in the background.

I cannot do better than to give the opinion, concerning this and the
other of Dupre's American medals, of M. Charles Blanc,[10] from whom I
quote freely in the following:

[Footnote 10: INSTITUT DE FRANCE--ACADEMIE DES
BEAUX-ARTS _Notice sur la vie et les ouvrages
d'Augustin Dupre, Graveur-General d