“Over Hill Over Dale” by Thomas Gainsborough

I was sending a letter via First Class mail and a book via Media Rate, as a present, to a friend using the United States Postal Service.  Both were sent at the same time in Salem to an address in Salem.  My understanding is that mail gets delivered to Portland where it can be sorted, so both will travel to Portland and back… maybe.  I told my friend I and sent these on Tuesday and was joking and wondering how long it would take the “Media Rate” package to be delivered and whether it would be delivered as quickly as the First Class letter. I further wondered if the book might be transported by ox cart.

In that vein, I concocted with ChatGPT this candidate as a poster for the United States Postal Service’s 1813 “Express Service” campaign noting that it was dismissed as being too British and possibly setting expectations of a service being too fast.  I noted that the [fictitious] painting is titled “Over Hill, Over Dale” (1780 – private collection) — Thomas Gainsborough RA FRSA