This booklet is a transcribed copy of George III's document establishing the Royal Academy of Arts in 1768. It is likely that the artist and diarist Joseph Farington (1747-1821) copied this in preparation for his extensive history of the Academy. 

The work was proposed in July 1817 and Farington, along with George Dance and Robert Smirke, was chosen to serve as a committee to oversee its production. Initially a very ambitious project, consisting of a history of the Academy, a collection of biographies of Academicians and Associates and a survey of the nature of the institution, it was soon cut to the first two parts. These parts were to be written by Farington in conjunction with Benjamin West but due to the niche nature of the work and the likely lack of interest from potential subscribers, only one copy (for the Royal Academy library) could be committed to print by the publishers, Cadell & Davies.