This is another untraced early drawing. WMR described is as “a modern subject of
a patriotic turn, taken, I assume, from a little volume of naval anecdotes which
Maria used to cherish. Its theme is inscribed as follows:—‘As you are not of
my parish,’ said a gentleman to a begging sailor, ‘I cannot think of relieving
you.’ ‘Sir,’ replied the tar with an air of heroism,
‘I lost my leg fighting for all parishes.’” (see Family
Letters