This, the fourth of Joseph Farington's 16 volume diary, contains an instance of George III's involvement in the business of the Royal Academy.

In 1799, the Irish history painter, Henry Tresham was elected an Academician. Tresham immediately sought to advance in the Academy and petitioned the King that the Academy had not been following its own laws, preferring to elect council members by ballot, rather than by rotation.

The president of the Academy, Benjamin West, and the secretary, John Richards, visited the King to explain their position. Farington provides a detail description of West's report of the audience and shows that the King took great interest in the matter.