99 99 99 99 99 ---------------------------------------- ------------------- ,transcriber's ,note3 ,inconsistent hyphenation in the original document has been preserved4 ,the ,errata on page xxiii have been incorporated into this e-book4 ,the ,illustration list has one image out of sequence4 ,obvious typographical errors have been corrected4 ,for a complete list1 please see the end of this document4 ---------------------------------------- ------------------- 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration ,the ,life1 ,letters and ,work of ,frederic ,baron ,leighton ,of ,stretton ,,vol4 ,i ,if any man should be constantly penetrated with a gift bestowed on him1 it is the artist who has realised as his share a genuine love for nature2 for his enjoyment1 if he puts his gift to usury1 increases with the days of his life4 ,every man who has received a gift1 ought to feel and act as if he was a field in which a seed was planted that others might gather the harvest4 ,,frederic ,,leighton4 ,august #aheb4 ,the ,life1 ,letters and ,work of ,frederic ,leighton ,,by ,,mrs4 ,,russell ,,barrington ,,author ,,of ,,reminiscences ,,of ,g4,f4 ,,watts1 ,,etc4 ,,etc4 ,,in ,,two ,,volumes ,,vol4 ,i ,,london ,,george ,,allen1 ,,ruskin ,,house #aijf ,all rights reserved ,printed by ,,ballantyne1 ,,hanson ,,co4 ,at the ,ballantyne ,press ,illustration3 ,,early ,,portrait ,,of ,,lord ,,leighton ,from the ,painting by ,g4,f4 ,watts 7,photogravure7 ,by permission of the ,hon4 ,lady ,leighton-,warren and ,sir ,bryan ,leighton1 ,bart4 ,,to ,,all ,,who ,,hold ,,dear ,,the ,,memory ,,of ,,frederic ,,leighton ,,this ,,book ,,is ,,inscribed ,,with ,,the ,,author',s ,,apologies ,,for ,,its ,,very ,,many ,,shortcomings ,,preface ,ten years and more have passed since ,leighton died1 yet it is still difficult to get sufficiently far away1 to take in the whole of his life and being in their just proportion to the world in which he lived4 ,when we are in ,rome1 hemmed in by narrow streets1 ,st4 ,peter's is invisible2 once across that wonderful ,campagna and mounting the slopes of ,frascati1 there1 like a huge pearl gleaming in the light1 rises the dome of the ,mother ,church4 ,as distance gives the true relation between a lofty building and its suburbs1 so time alone can decide the height of the pedestal on which to place the great4 ,the day after ,leighton's death ,watts wrote to me3-- 444,the loss to the world is so great that ,i almost feel ashamed to let my personal grief have so large a place4 ,i am glad you knew him so well4 ,i am glad for any one who knew him4 ,no one will ever know such another1 alas6 alas6 alas6 ,i am glad you have enjoyed the friendship of one of the greatest men of any time4 ,this is the estimate of a great artist who knew ,leighton for forty years1 and for many of those years enjoyed daily intercourse with him4 ,a few like ,watts required no length of time before forming a right estimate of ,leighton4 ,they not only knew him to be great1 but knew why he was great4 ,undoubtedly as a draughtsman ,leighton was unrivalled2 but bearing in mind his ,english contemporaries--,watts1 ,millais1 ,holman ,hunt1 ,rossetti1 and ,burne-,jones--it is not as a painter that even his truest friends would claim for him his right to the exceptional position he undoubtedly occupied4 ,what was it that gave ,leighton this position8 ,he himself was the very last to claim it as a right4 ,his creed and his practice were ever to fight against the weaknesses of his nature rather than to rejoice in its strength4 ,for assuredly1 however strong the intellect1 beautiful the character1 brilliant the vitality1 and fine the intuitive instincts1 a man may yet have within his nature foibles in common with the herd4 ,the difference is1 that in the truly great the unworthier side of nature is viewed as unworthy--is fought against and banished like the plague4 ,a good man is wise1 not because all his desires are wise1 but because his reasonable soul masters unwise desires and is itself wise4 ,he is courageous1 because he knows when to fight1 and does so under control of reason4 ,he is temperate1 because his pluck and his desires unite in giving the first place to the reasonable soul2 and finally1 he is just1 because each principle is in its place and stops there4 ,in a letter to his mother when he was twenty-three ,leighton wrote3 ,i feel ,i have of my nature a very fair share of the hateful worldly weakness of my country people2 adding1 ,still1 ,i have found no sufficiently great advantage or compensation for the tedium of going out4 ,again1 three years later1 after describing to his sister the delight he felt in the beauty he found in ,algiers1 he wrote3 ,and yet what ,i have said of my feelings1 though literally true1 does not give you an exactly true notion2 for1 together with1 and as it were behind1 so much pleasurable emotion1 there is always that other strange second man in me1 calm1 observant1 critical1 unmoved1 blase--odious6 ,he is a shadow that walks with me1 a sort of nineteenth-century canker of doubt and discretion2 it's very1 very seldom that ,i forget his loathsome presence4 ,what cheering things ,i find to say6 ,doubtless ,leighton had within him the possibilities of becoming a worldling1 and also of becoming a cynic4 ,he overrode and banished the first as despicable1 the second as hideous4 ,but it is not in the wisdom that--,socrates-like--steered his life by reason1 that we find the adequate answer to the question1 ,why was ,leighton the prominent entity he was8 ,diverse as were his natural gifts and his power of achievement on various lines1 he differed radically from that modern development--the all-round man1 who has no concentrated fire as a centre to illumine his life1 but develops all his capacities so that they shall shine forth equally on certain high levels4 ,from childhood ,leighton had one overriding passion1 and from this sprang the will-force and vitality which throughout his life succeeded in bringing his intentions to fruition4 ,whatsoever his hand found worthy to do at all1 he did with the whole might of his great nature4 ,still even that would not adequately answer the question4 ,his greatness truly lay in the fact that the choice he made of what was worth doing was never limited by personal interests4 ,he impelled the force of his powers for the welfare of others1 and for the causes beneficial to others1 as much or more than to those matters which concerned himself alone4 ,hence his true greatness and his great fame--for ,a,eschylus is right3 ,the good will prevail4 ,a sense of duty--the keenest possible sense of it1 to use ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere's words--which was the keynote of all ,leighton's actions1 was impelled in the first instance by a feeling of gratitude for the joy with which beauty in nature and art had steeped his being from a child2 a deep well of happiness1 a constant companion1 ever springing up in his heart1 which he craved that others should share with him4 ,this happiness gave sweetness to his life1 lovableness to his character1 irresistible power to his control4 ,leighton's was truly a life of praise and gratitude for the joys nature had bestowed on him4 ,he had a pleasant way of making the truth prevail4 ,the description by ,marcus ,aurelius of his third man applies well to the character of ,leighton4 ,one man1 when he has done a service to another1 is ready to set it down to his account as a favour conferred4 ,another is not ready to do this1 but still in his own mind he thinks of the man as his debtor1 and he knows what he has done4 ,a third in a manner does not even know what he has done1 but he is like a vine which has produced grapes1 and seeks for nothing more after it has once produced its proper fruit4 ,as a horse when he has run1 a dog when he has tracked the game1 a bee when it has made the honey1 so a man1 when he has done a good act1 does not call out for others to come and see1 but he goes on to another act1 as a vine goes on to produce again the grapes in season4 ,leighton's work in every direction was complete work1 because his mind grasped completely the proportion and aspect of everything he undertook4 ,his inborn affection for1 and sympathy with1 his fellow-creatures impelled him to feel that the area of self-interest1 however gifted that self might be1 was too restricted for him to find full completeness therein4 ,this could only be attained by working with and for others4 ,such feelings and doctrines are common in religious and philanthropic men2 but in the ego of the modern artist there is generally something which seems to demand a concentration of attention on his own ego in order to develop his gifts as an artist4 ,the attitude of ,leighton towards his own work1 and towards that of others1 was essentially contrary to this concentration4 ,in his letters to his mother1 and to his master1 ,eduard von ,steinle1 are found the bases on which the superstructure of his after career rested1 the underpinning of that monumental feature of the ,victorian era--namely1 in unflagging industry1 in ever striving to make his life worthy of the beauty and dignity of his vocation as an artist1 and in ever endeavouring to make his work an adequate exponent of the mysterious treasure that was laid up in his heart3 his passion for beauty4 ,in my attempt to write ,leighton's life ,i have purposely devoted more space to the earlier than to the later years of his career as an artist4 ,with an artist more than with others is it specially true that the boy is father to the man2 and if ,leighton's example is in any way to benefit students of art1 the early struggles1 the failures1 more even than the successes1 will teach the lesson that there is no short cut on the road which has to be travelled even by the most gifted4 ,from the family letters and those to his master1 which are1 with a few exceptions1 given in full1 it will also be seen that1 however high was the pedestal on which ,leighton placed his mistress ,art1 he felt keenly likewise the beauty of his family relationships1 and a deep1 grateful affection for the master who had given him his start on the road to fame4 ,if this endeavour to present a true picture of ,leighton the man has any value1 it is owing mainly to the fact that ,mrs4 ,matthews has placed at my disposal the family and other letters in her possession1--an act which demands the thanks of all those who are interested in the fame of her brother4 ,i also wish to acknowledge with gratitude the considerate kindness of several of ,leighton's friends in contributing notes and letters1 which are of true value in bringing before the public a right view of the man and of the artist4 ,first and foremost among these contributors must be placed ,dr4 von ,steinle1 son of ,professor ,eduard von ,steinle of ,frankfort-on-,main1 the beloved master to whom ,leighton in #ahgi referred as the indelible seal1 when writing of those who had influenced him most for good4 ,the first letter of the correspondence which was carried on between the master and pupil1 and preserved preciously by each1 is dated ,august #ca1 #aheb1 the last #ahhc4 ,only second in interest to this correspondence1 which discloses ,leighton's intimate feelings and aspirations as an artist1 are the notes supplied by ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere1 ,r4,a4--notes which could only have been written by one whose own nature in many ways was closely attuned to that of ,leighton's1 and which give the intimate aspect of ,leighton as an official4 ,it would be difficult for any one1 writes ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere1 to give in a short space any adequate account of a character so full and complex as ,leighton's4 ,and indeed it would require a great deal more than two volumes even to touch on all the events of this eventful life1 which might further illustrate ,leighton's character2 but ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere has noted certain salient characteristics of his friend with a sympathy1 and a fine touch1 which ,i think will prove of very rare interest in this record4 ,the tribute to ,leighton of ,mr4 ,hamo ,thornycroft1 ,r4,a4 7from a sculptor's point of view71 carries great weight1 and gives also1 as does that of another old comrade in the ,artists' ,volunteer ,corps1 an appreciative account of ,leighton as the soldier4 ,to these1 to ,lady ,loch1 the ,hon4 ,mrs4 ,alfred ,sartoris1 ,sir ,william ,richmond1 ,r4,a41 ,mr4 ,walter ,crane1 ,mr4 ,alfred ,east1 ,p4,r4,b4,a41 ,i offer my thanks for so kindly contributing notes which help to solve the problems presented by a character so full and so complex4 ,for courteous permission to publish letters ,i wish to express my thanks to ,alice1 ,countess of ,strafford1 the executor of ,mr4 ,henry ,greville1 who was one of1 if not the most intimate of the friends who loved ,leighton2 the ,hon4 ,mrs4 ,leigh1 ,mrs4 ,fanny ,kemble's daughter and executor2 the ,right ,hon4 ,sir ,charles ,dilke1 executor of ,mrs4 ,mark ,pattison 7afterwards ,lady ,dilke72 the ,right ,hon4 ,john ,morley1 ,dr4 von ,steinle1 ,mr4 ,john ,hanson ,walker1 ,mr4 ,cartwright1 ,mr4 ,robert ,barrett ,browning1 ,professor ,church1 ,mr4 ,t4,c4 ,horsfall1 and ,mrs4 ,street1 daughter of the late ,mr4 ,henry ,wells1 ,r4,a42 the executor of ,george ,eliot1 ,mrs4 ,charles ,lewes2 and the executors of ,john ,ruskin4 ,there are many other letters and notes of interest which have been preserved by ,mrs4 ,matthews1 but which cannot be inserted for want of space4 ,among these are affectionate notes from ,joachim1 ,burne-,jones1 ,hebert1 ,robert ,fleury1 ,meissonier1 ,gerome1 ,tullio ,massarani2 also friendly letters from ,cardinal ,manning1 ,viscount ,wolseley1 ,sarah ,bernhardt1 ,john ,tyndall1 ,froude1 ,anthony ,trollope1 ,sir ,john ,gilbert1 ,lady ,waterford1 and ,lord ,strangford4 ,a number of letters exist from members of the ,royal ,family to ,leighton1 all evincing alike admiration for the artist and an affectionate appreciation of the man4 ,in these pages there will be found a repetition of several sentences4 ,this is intentional4 ,watts would often remark1 ,a really wise and true saying can't be repeated too often2 and in ,leighton's letters are several tallying with this description1 which it would be a pity to detach from their own context1 and yet which are also required elsewhere to enforce the argument4 ,as regards the kindness shown in allowing reproductions of pictures1 ,i have to tender my loyal gratitude to the ,queen for the gracious loan of the picture presented to her ,majesty by ,leighton2 also to the ,prince of ,wales for allowing the ,head of a ,girl1 given to his ,royal ,highness as a wedding present by the artist1 to be reproduced in these pages4 ,other owners of pictures to whom ,i proffer also my warm thanks are ,lord ,armstrong1 ,lord ,pirrie1 the ,rt4 ,hon4 ,joseph ,chamberlain1 the ,hon4 ,lady ,leighton-,warren1 ,sir ,bryan ,leighton1 the ,hon4 ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 ,sir ,elliot ,lees1 ,sir ,alexander ,henderson1 ,mr4 ,e4 and ,miss ,i',anson1 ,mr4 ,s4 ,pepys ,cockerell1 ,mr4 ,t4 ,blake ,wirgman1 ,mrs4 ,stewart ,hodgson1 ,mr4 ,hanson ,walker1 ,mrs4 ,henry ,joachim1 ,mrs4 ,stephenson ,clarke1 ,mrs4 ,c4,e4 ,lees1 ,mrs4 ,james ,watney1 ,mr4 ,hodges1 ,mrs4 ,charles ,lewes1 ,mr4 ,h4,s4 ,mendelssohn1 ,mr4 ,phillipson1 and ,dr4 von ,steinle4 ,also to the ,fine ,art ,society1 the ,berlin ,photographic ,co41 ,messrs4 ,agnew ,son1 ,messrs4 ,p4 ,d4 ,colnaghi1 ,messrs4 ,henry ,graves1 ,messrs4 ,lefevre1 ,messrs4 ,smith1 ,elder1 ,co41 and the directors of the ,leicester ,galleries4 ,,contents ,,page ,,introduction #a ,,chapter ,i ,,antecedents ,,and ,,school ,,days1 #ahcj-aheb #cd ,,chapter ,,ii ,,rome1 #aheb-ahee #ia ,,chapter ,,iii ,,pencil ,,drawings ,,of ,,plants ,,and ,,flowers1 #ahej-ahfj #aig ,,chapter ,,iv ,,watts--,,success--,,failure1 #ahee-ahef #bbb ,,chapter ,v ,,friends #bej ,,chapter ,,vi ,,steinle ,,and ,,italy ,,again--,,first ,,impressions ,,of ,,the ,,east1 #ahef-aheh #bgh ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations ,,volume ,i #a4 ,,design ,,for ,,reverse ,,of ,,the ,,jubilee ,,medallion ,cover ,executed for ,her ,majesty ,queen ,victoria's ,government1 #ahhg4 #b4 ,,crown ,,of ,,bay ,,leaves ,from ,drawing made by ,lord ,leighton at the ,bagni de ,lucca1 #ahed4 #c4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,lord ,,leighton ,,by ,g4,f4 ,,watts1 ,,about #ahfc ,by kind permission of the ,hon4 ,lady ,,leighton-,,warren ,to face and ,sir ,,bryan ,,leighton1 ,bart4 7,photogravure7 ,dedication #d4 ,,head ,,of ,,young ,,girl ,to face page #a ,by the gracious permission of ,,her ,,majesty ,,the ,,queen4 #e4 ,,portraits ,,of ,,lord ,,leighton',s ,,father ,,and ,,mother ,,when ,,young #ag ,from ,miniatures4 #f4 ,,early ,,painting ,,of ,,boy ,,saving ,a ,,baby ,,from ,,the ,,clutches ,,of ,,an ,,eagle 7,colour7 #ai #g4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,professor ,,eduard ,,von ,,steinle #bg ,by kind permission of his ,son1 ,,doctor ,,von ,,steinle4 #h4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,mrs4 ,,sartoris1 #ahef #bh #i4 ,,crypt ,,under ,,st4 ,,paul',s ,,cathedral ,,where ,,barry1 ,,sir ,,joshua ,,reynolds1 ,,turner1 ,,and ,,lord ,,leighton ,,were ,,buried #cc #aj4 ,,portraits ,,of ,,lord ,,leighton ,,and ,,his ,,younger ,,sister1 ,,mrs4 ,,matthews #cg ,drawn by him when a boy4 #aa4 ,,early ,,comic ,,drawing ,,made ,,in ,,frankfurt #dc ,by kind permission of ,mr4 ,,john ,,hanson ,,walker4 #ab4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,mr4 ,i',,anson1 ,,lord ,,leighton',s ,,great-,,uncle1 #ahej #dh ,by kind permission of ,mr4 ,e4 and ,miss ,i',,anson4 #ac4 ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,brunelleschi1 #ahea #ee ,by kind permission of ,doctor ,,von ,,steinle4 #ad4 ,,the ,,plague ,,in ,,florence1 #ahea #ef #ae4 ,,studies ,,of ,,branches ,,of ,,fig ,,and ,,bramble #fi ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #af4 ,,study ,,of ,,byzantine ,,well ,,head1 ,,venice1 #aheb #ha ,by kind permission of ,mr4 ,s4 ,,pepys ,,cockerell4 #ag4 ,,from ,,pencil ,,drawing ,,of ,,model1 ,,rome1 #ahec4 ,,costume ,,di ,,procida #ih ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #ah4 ,,head ,,of ,,model ,,used ,,for ,,figure ,,in ,,cimabue',s ,,madonna1 ,,erroneously ,,stated ,,to ,,have ,,been ,,the ,,portrait ,,of ,,lord ,,leighton1 #ahec #aab ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #ai4 ,,sketch ,,of ,,subiaco1 #ahec #aaf ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #bj4 ,,head ,,of ,,vincenzo1 #ahed #aeb ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #ba4 ,,copy ,,in ,,pencil ,,of ,,the ,,portraits ,,of ,,giotto1 ,,cimabue1 ,,memmi1 ,,and ,,taddeo ,,gaddi #ach ,from the ,capella ,spagnola1 ,sta4 ,maria ,novella1 ,florence1 #ahec4 ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #bb4 ,,study ,,of ,,woman',s ,,head ,,for ,,figure ,,at ,,the ,,window--,,cimabue',s ,,madonna1 #ahed 7,photogravure7 #ade ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #bc4 ,,original ,,sketch ,,in ,,pencil ,,and ,,chinese ,,white ,,for ,,cimabue',s ,,madonna1 #ahec #adi ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #bd4 ,,cimabue',s ,,madonna1 #ahee #aic ,by kind permission of the ,,fine ,,art ,,society4 #be4 ,,facsimile ,,of ,,letter ,,from ,,sir ,,charles ,,eastlake1 ,,announcing ,,that ,,queen ,,victoria ,,had ,,purchased ,,cimabue',s ,,madonna1 ,,may #c1 #ahee #aid #bf4 ,,study ,,of ,,cyclamen1 #ahef #bjj ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #bg4 ,,wreath ,,of ,,bay ,,leaves1 #ahed #bja ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #bh4 ,,study ,,of ,a ,,lemon ,,tree--,,capri1 #ahei #bjb ,by kind permission of ,mr4 ,s4 ,,pepys ,,cockerell4 #bi4 ,,study ,,of ,,branches ,,of ,a ,,deciduous ,,tree #bjb ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #cj4 ,,early ,,studies ,,of ,,kalmia ,,latifolia1 ,,oleander1 ,,and ,,rhododendron ,,flowers #bje ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #ca4 ,,studies ,,of ,,pumpkin ,,flowers #bjf ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #cb4 ,,study ,,of ,,vine1 #ahed--;,,bagni ,,di ,,lucca #bjf ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #cc4 ,,studies ,,of ,,vine ,,leaves1 ,,bellosguardo1 ,,sept4 #ahef #bjg ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #cd4 ,,ariadne ,,abandoned ,,by ,,theseus--,,death ,,releases ,,her4 #ahfh 7,photogravure7 #baa ,by kind permission of ,,lord ,,pirrie4 #ce4 ,,elisha ,,raising ,,the ,,son ,,of ,,the ,,shunammite1 #ahha #baa 7,photogravure7 #cf4 ,,daedalus ,,and ,,icarus1 #ahfi 7,photogravure7 #baa ,by kind permission of ,sir ,,alexander ,,henderson1 ,bart4 #cg4 ,,captive ,,andromache1 #ahhh 7,photogravure7 #bac ,by kind permission of the ,,berlin ,,photographic ,,co4 #ch4 ,,study ,,in ,,oils ,,for ,,captive ,,andromache 7,colour7 #bac ,by kind permission of ,mrs4 ,,stewart ,,hodgson #ci4 ,,weaving ,,the ,,wreath1 #ahgc #bad #dj4 ,,winding ,,the ,,skein #bad ,by kind permission of the ,,fine ,,art ,,society4 #da4 ,,the ,,music ,,lesson1 #ahgg #bad ,by kind permission of the ,,fine ,,art ,,society4 #db4 ,,studies ,,of ,,sea ,,thistle1 ,,malinmore #bah ,from ,sketch ,book1 #ahie4 #dc4 ,,studies ,,of ,,sea ,,thistle1 ,,malinmore #bah ,from ,sketch ,book1 #ahie4 #dd4 ,,return ,,of ,,persephone 7,photogravure7 #bba ,corporation of ,leeds4 #de4 ,,study ,,in ,,oils ,,for ,,return ,,of ,,persephone 7,colour7 #bba ,by kind permission of ,mrs4 ,,stewart ,,hodgson4 #df4 ,,from ,,decorative ,,painting ,,on ,,gold ,,background ,,of ,,cupid ,,with ,,doves #bbc #dg4 ,,idyll1 #ahha 7,photogravure7 #bbi #dh4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,miss ,,mabel ,,mills1 #ahgg #bbi #di4 ,,venus ,,disrobing ,,for ,,the ,,bath1 #ahfg #bcj ,by kind permission of ,sir ,a4 ,,henderson1 ,bart4 #ej4 ,,phryne ,,at ,,eleusis1 #ahhb #bcj #ea4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,mrs4 ,,adelaide ,,sartoris1 ,,drawn ,,for ,,her ,,friend1 ,,lady ,,bloomfield1 #ahfg #bcc ,by kind permission of the ,hon4 ,mrs4 ,,sartoris4 #eb4 ,,study ,,for ,,portion ,,of ,,frieze1 ,,music 7,,not ,,carried ,,out ,,in ,,final ,,design74 #ahhc #bcd ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #ec4 ,,from ,,sketch ,,in ,,water ,,colour ,,for ,,tableaux ,,vivants1 ,,the ,,echoes ,,of ,,hellas 7,colour7 #bda ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #ed4 ,,study ,,from ,,mr4 ,,john ,,hanson ,,walker1 ,,when ,a ,,boy1 ,,for ,,lieder ,,ohne ,,worte1 #ahfj #bea ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #ee4 ,,portrait ,,of ,,mrs4 ,,john ,,hanson ,,walker1 ,,painted ,,as ,a ,,wedding ,,present ,,to ,,her ,,husband1 #ahfg 7,colour7 #bgc ,by kind permission of ,mr4 ,,walker4 #ef4 ,,figures ,,for ,,ceiling ,,for ,,music ,,room1 ,,previous ,,to ,,the ,,drapery ,,being ,,added1 #ahhf #bgf #eg4 ,,original ,,sketch ,,in ,,charcoal ,,of ,,dancing ,,figures ,,for ,,the ,,same1 #ahhf #bgf ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #eh4 ,,water ,,colour ,,drawing ,,of ,,the ,,ca' ,d',,oro1 ,,venice #bhe 7,colour7 #ei4 ,,view ,,in ,,algiers 7,colour7 #bii #fj4 ,,view ,,in ,,algiers 7,colour7 #cja #fa4 ,,sketch ,,for ,,salome1 ,,the ,,daughter ,,of ,,herodias1 #aheg #cjh ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #fb4 ,,sixteen ,,scenes ,,in ,,florence--,,illustrations ,,to ,,romola ,beginning ,by kind permission of ,mrs4 ,,charles ,,lewes4 page #caj #a4 ,,blind ,,scholar ,,and ,,daughter4 #b4 ,,suppose ,,you ,,let ,,me ,,look ,,at ,,myself2 ,,nello',s ,,shop4 #e4 ,,the ,,first ,,key4 #f4 ,,peasants' ,,fair4 #g4 ,,the ,,dying ,,message4 #h4 ,,florentine ,,joke4 #i4 ,,the ,,escaped ,,prisoner4 #aj4 ,,niccolo ,,at ,,work4 #aa4 ,,you ,,didn',t ,,think4 #ac4 ,,father1 ,i ,,will ,,be ,,guided4 #ae4 ,,the ,,visible ,,madonna4 #af4 ,,dangerous ,,colleagues4 #ag4 ,,monna ,,brigida4 #ah4 ,,but ,,you ,,will ,,help4 #bj4 ,,drifting4 #ba4 ,,will ,,his ,,eyes ,,open8 ,illustration3 ,,head ,,presented ,,to ,,the ,,queen ,,by ,,lord ,,leighton ,by permission of ,her ,majesty the ,queen ,,errata ,motto facing ,title-page1 line #c1 for from1 read for4 ,page xx1 ,no4 #di1 for ,figures for ,ceiling1 c41 read ,by kind permission of ,sir ,a4 ,henderson1 ,bart4 ,page #ca1 line #g1 for at all1 read to all4 ,page #fj1 omit note4 ,page #fg1 line #ca1 for unscorched1 read sunscorched4 ,page #ajc1 line #ca1 for worse that1 read worse than4 ,page #abg1 line #af1 for ,wasash1 read ,warsash4 ,page #afi1 line #h1 for ,pantaleoni1 read ,pantaleone4 ,page #aig1 note1 for ,vol4 ,i41 read ,vol4 ,,ii4 ,page #bac1 lines #f1 #g1 for owing 444 from1 read owing 444 to4 ,page #bfe1 note4 ,the reference number should be to ,edward1 instead of to ,adelaide4 ,page #bif1 line #ag1 for ,couture1 read ,conture4 ,,the ,,life ,,of ,,lord ,,leighton ,,introduction ,in #ahfj1 when ,leighton1 at the age of thirty1 definitely settled in ,england1 art was alive in two distinctly new directions4 ,ruskin was writing1 the ,pre-,raphaelites were painting1 and ,prince ,albert1 besides encouraging individual painters and sculptors1 had1 through his fine taste and the exercise of his patronage in every branch of art1 developed an interest in good design as it can be carried out in manufactures and various crafts4 ,leighton followed the ,prince ,consort's initiatory lead2 and1 by showing the same cultured and catholic zeal in her welfare1 was enabled to continue and develop ,prince ,albert's important work1 thereby widening and elevating the whole outlook of art in ,england4 ,it has at times been asserted that ,leighton was greater as a ,president of the ,royal ,academy than he was as a painter4 ,it would be truer1 ,i think1 to say that it was because he was so great as an artist in the highest1 widest meaning of the word1 so sincere a workman1 that he stands unrivalled as a ,president4 ,in a letter to a friend1 dated ,may #ahhh1 ten years after he had been elected ,president1 he wrote1 ,i am a workman first and an official afterwards1 and it was1 ,i believe1 because he carried into his official duties the true artist's warmth1 sincerity1 and zeal for his special vocation1 that his influence as an official was never deadened by theoretic red-tapeism1 nor by secondary or side issues4 ,leighton ever flew straight to the mark1 and the mark he aimed at in his presidential work was ever the highest essential point from the view he also took as an artist4 ,his official duties1 carried out with so great an amount of scrupulous conscientiousness1 would have gone far to fill the entire life of an ordinary human being2 yet these duties were1 to the last1 subordinated in his personal existence to his self-imposed duties as a painter and a sculptor4 ,the words1 ,i am a workman first and an official afterwards1 epitomise the creed of his life4 ,from earliest childhood art had cast over ,leighton's nature a glamour which made his heart-service to her the great passion of his life4 ,his great nature had in it many sources of stirring interest and of pure delights1 which he enjoyed keenly2 but nothing came in sight1 so to speak1 which ever for a moment seriously challenged a rivalry with the salient ruling passion4 ,his character1 as it developed1 wound itself round it2 his strongest sense of duty focalised itself in its service2 his ambition ever was more inspired and stimulated by a devotion to the best interests of art than by any purely personal incentive4 ,leighton was an artist of that true type in whom no influence whatsoever can deter or slacken incessant zeal for work4 ,in the deepest recesses of his nature burnt the unquenchable fire1 the paramount longing to follow in ,nature's footsteps1 and to create things of beauty4 ,among the many loyal servants who have dutifully worshipped at the shrine of art1 never was there one who more completely devoted the best that was in him to her service4 ,va6 your human talk and doings are a tame jest2 the only passionate life is in form and colour4#a ,leighton's nature may be viewed from three aspects4 ,though each aspect is apparently detached from the others1 it would be impossible to record a true portrait were the three not kept in view while attempting to draw the picture4 ,first1 there was ,leighton1 the great man1 the public servant1 gifted with exceptional powers of intellect and character1 who attained the highest social position ever reached by an ,english artist2 the ,leighton the world knew1 whose sway was paramount in the many councils and assemblies to which he belonged no less than when fulfilling his duties as ,president of the ,royal ,academy1 and whose helpfulness and zeal in promoting the extension of a knowledge and appreciation of ,english art in foreign countries and in the colonies became proverbial4 ,lady ,loch tells of his invaluable help in the efforts she and her husband made to encourage art1 while the late ,lord ,loch was ,governor of the ,isle of ,man1 of ,victoria1 and of ,cape ,colony4 ,i feel it would be impossible1 she writes1 to convey in a few words what a wonderful friend ,frederic ,leighton was to my husband from the time he first knew him1#b forty years before ,leighton's death1 and to myself from the time we married4 ,he was always ready to help us at every turn4 ,any deserving artist whom we sent to him would be certain to find in him a friend4 ,when we arranged the very small ,art ,exhibition in the ,isle of ,man1 you could hardly imagine with what energy and thoughtfulness he entered into the matter1 impressing upon us all the steps that we ought to take in order to secure its success1 even to the details1 such as packing and insuring the pictures4 ,he himself sent us pictures for the ,exhibition1 and guided our judgment in admiring and caring for those which were best and most to be valued1 with a paternal care and zeal not describable4 ,again1 when we were in ,australia1 and the great ,international ,centennial ,exhibition in ,melbourne took place in #ahhh1 ,frederic ,leighton selected such a good collection of pictures that they simply were the saving of the ,exhibition financially--they attracted such continuous crowds of visitors4 ,subsequently1 when an exhibition of ceramic work was asked for in ,melbourne1 and ,henry ,loch wrote to consult his friend1 amidst all ,frederic ,leighton's important work and duties1 he rushed about and secured a most interesting collection of all kinds of china and pottery1 which was greatly appreciated by the ,australians4 ,again1 in #ahib1 he formed a ,fine ,art ,committee1 consisting of himself1 who was appointed ,chairman1 ,sir ,charles ,mills1 ,sir ,donald ,currie1 ,m4,p41 ,mr4 ,w4,w4 ,ouless1 ,r4,a41 ,mr4 ,colin ,hunter1 ,a4,r4,a41 ,mr4 ,frank ,walton1 and ,mr4 ,prange1 to select pictures to send for exhibition at ,kimberley4 ,besides a picture lent by ,queen ,victoria1 at ,leighton's request1 of the portraits of herself and the royal family by ,winterhalter1 and four by ,leighton1 which he lent1 the ,committee secured #aha pictures1 though not without great difficulty1 ,leighton told us1 because the artists were afraid their works would be injured by the burning sun1 the sandstorms1 and the rough journey up from the ,cape4 ,owing1 however1 to ,leighton's untiring exertions1 a very interesting and successful exhibition took place in this then little known town of our ,english colony in ,africa4 ,on the day ,leighton died1 ,watts1 his near neighbour and fellow-workman1 in a letter to a friend1 wrote that he had enjoyed an uninterrupted and affectionate friendship of five-and-forty years with ,leighton4 ,he continues3 ,no one will ever know such another4 ,a magnificent intellectual capacity1 an unerring and instantaneous spring upon the point to unravel1 a generosity1 a sympathy1 a tact1 a lovable and sweet reasonableness1 yet no weakness4 ,for my own part--and ,i tell you1 life can never be the same to me again--my own grief is merged in the sense ,i have of the appalling loss to the nation2 it seems to me to be no less4#c ,later1 ,watts wished it recorded that ,leighton's character was the most beautiful he had ever known4 ,this tribute from the great veteran artist1 thirteen years ,leighton's senior1 but who outlived him more than eight years1 was echoed far and wide by many at the time of ,leighton's death4 ,to his powers and influence1 exercised in the ,royal ,academy as a body and to the members individually1 ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere1 the painter1 and ,mr4 ,hamo ,thornycroft1 the sculptor1 give the following appreciative tributes4 ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere writes3-- ,to begin with1 ,i never really knew him--though we had met several times before--until ,i began to serve upon the ,council with him very soon after his election as ,president4 ,this at once brought us into very intimate relations1 and a very few meetings convinced me that his opinions and actions on that body were invariably regulated by a true spirit of absolute justice and fairness to all1 and that if he had his own particular art beliefs--which he certainly had1 for art was to him almost a religion1 and his own particular belief almost a creed--he never allowed it to bias him in the least4 ,indeed1 ,i have never worked with any one who exhibited a broader or more catholic spirit of tolerance1 even sympathy with all schools1 however diverse from his own1 only demanding honesty and sincerity should be the basis of each kind of work4 ,i have always felt that no one1 who had heard only his elaborately prepared speeches1 knew his real power as a speaker4 ,he was a master of time4 ,i do not think he ever failed to keep an appointment almost to the minute4 ,he was seldom much too early1 but never too late4 ,he was an ideal president for any institution1 and after serving under him for many years1 ,i cannot think of any one faculty which a president should possess1 which ,leighton wanted4 ,mr4 ,hamo ,thornycroft writes3-- ,my earliest recollection of ,leighton was in #ahfi1 when1 with several other young art students1 ,i went to his studio4 ,he had promised to criticise the designs we had made from ,morris' ',life and ,death of ,jason4' ,this he did most admirably1 it seemed to me1 and most sympathetically1 devoting considerable time to each2 and ,i came away encouraged and a sworn devotee of the great man4 ,for the next few years1 ,i had the benefit of his teaching at the ,academy ,schools1 where he was most energetic as a visitor1 and took the greatest pains to help the students4 ,he was1 moreover1 an inspiring master4 ,besides doing much for the school of sculpture1 till then much neglected1 he started a custom of giving a certain time to the study of drapery on the living model4 ,his knowledge in this department and his excellent method were a new element in the training in the schools1 and soon had a salutary effect upon the work done by the students4 ,his influence1 through the ,academy ,schools1 upon the younger generation of sculptors was very great4 ,there can be no doubt whatever that the rapid advance made in the art of sculpture during the last thirty years was to a considerable extent due to the sympathy and the interest which ,leighton gave to it4 ,leighton1 as is well known1 carefully prepared his important speeches1 like many great speakers2 but ,i never saw him fail1 or even hesitate1 when called upon to speak unexpectedly4 ,at meetings of the ,academy ,council or at the general assemblies1 his summing up and his weighing of the arguments brought forward by members in course of discussion was always masterly1 just and eloquent4 ,he had such a great sense of proportion1 and detected what was the essence and the essential part of a speaker's argument4 ,at a meeting held in ,leighton's studio1 after his death in ,may #ahif1 for the purpose of furthering the scheme of preserving the house for the nation as a memorial to the great artist1 the sculptor1 ,mr4 ,alfred ,gilbert1 ,r4,a41 on rising to speak1 said he felt too much on the occasion to be able to make a speech1 adding1 ,i can only say that all ,i know1 and all the little ,i have been able to do as a sculptor1 ,i owe to ,leighton4 ,in a letter1 dated ,february #i1 #ahif1 ,watts again writes3 ,i delighted in shaping a splendid career of incalculable benefit to his 7,leighton's7 epoch4 ,his abilities1 his persuasiveness1 the peculiar range of his cultivation1 would have fitted him to accompany a delicate embassy1 where his efficiency would have been made evident1 establishing a right to be entrusted with the like as its head2 ,i believe something of this and more1 if there could be more1 was for him in the future4 ,you know1 ,i always looked forward to his seat in the ,house of ,lords4 ,that came about1 and ,i believe the rest was but a question of time4 ,feeling this1 you can understand that my own grief seems to me to be selfish4 ,i am glad you enjoyed the friendship of one of the greatest men of any time4 ,in the speech which the ,king1 then ,prince of ,wales1 made at the first banquet held after ,leighton's death1 on ,may #a1 #ahig1 ,his ,majesty referred to the late ,president in the following words3-- ,all of us in the room1 and ,i especially1 must miss one whose eloquent voice was so often heard at this banquet--a voice1 alas6 now hushed for ever4 ,it is unnecessary1 as it would be almost impertinent in me1 to hold forth in praise of the merits and virtues of ,lord ,leighton4 ,they are known to you all4 ,he has left a great name behind him1 and he himself will be regretted not only by the great artistic world1 but by the whole nation4 ,i myself had the advantage of knowing him for a great number of years--ever since ,i was a boy--and ,i need hardly say how deeply ,i deplore the fact that he can be no more in our midst4 ,but his name will be cherished and honoured throughout the country4 ,it is not necessary to dwell more lengthily on this salient aspect of ,leighton4 ,during his lifetime it was public property1 the great name he has left is evidence sufficient to coming generations4 ,secondly1 as portrayed chiefly by his human qualities1 there was the aspect of ,leighton as his family and his friends knew him2 the beloved ,leighton1 the delightful companion1 the charming personality1 the being whose brilliant vitality brought a mental stimulus into all intercourse with him4 ,the ,leighton qui savait vivre perhaps better than did ever any other conspicuous1 overworked servant of the public2 an active1 positive influence1 radiating strength and sunshine by his presence2 and playing the game--whatever game it was--better than even the experts in special games4 ,in that which perhaps he played best1 lay his remarkable social power4 ,leighton had a deep-rooted and ingenuous sincerity of nature1 and never for a moment lost his self-centre2 yet he had the rare gift of unlocking the side most worthy to be unlocked in the nature of his companion of the moment4 ,he had the power of evolving out of most people he met something that was real and of interest4 ,never giving himself away1 he yet managed to meet other individualities on any ground that existed which could by any possibility be made a mutual ground4 ,though generosity itself in believing the best of every one1 and at times entrapped by the wily1 anything like flattery was a vice in his eyes4 ,he neither gave himself away1 nor induced others to give themselves away while in his company1 and would always abstain from obtruding his opinions1 modestly withholding judgment where he saw neither a duty nor a distinct reason to pronounce4 ,perhaps the strongest mark of ,leighton's true distinction lay in the fact that1 notwithstanding his reserve on all matters of deep feeling1 notwithstanding his love of form in the living of life as in the creating of art1 notwithstanding the perpetually shifting and urgent claims which1 as a public man and a prominent social entity1 were being continually forced upon him1 the inner entity1 the real ,leighton1 remained to the end a child of nature4 ,no need was there for him to gauge the proportionate merit of the various conflicting influences that played on his complicated life2 his own instinctive preferences clenched the matter indubitably1 asserting that the noblest grace and the finest taste lay in the spontaneous and the natural4 ,when ,watts wished it recorded that ,leighton's nature was the most beautiful he had ever known1 he referred1 ,i think1 more specially to that lovable1 kind-hearted ingenuousness and noble simplicity which were its deepest roots1 notwithstanding a life of conflicts1 ambitions1 and unparalleled success4 ,there are among those who most honour and love ,leighton's memory1 and who felt most keenly his loss1 poor and unsuccessful artists and students1 of whom the world has never heard1 but to whom the great ,president gave of his very best in advice and sympathy4#d ,he never posed1 though he was an adept in catching the atmosphere of a situation1 however new and foreign to his usual beat such a situation might be4 ,scrupulous in his attitude of reverence towards his vocation as an artist1 ever most scrupulous to render unto ,caesar the things that are ,caesar's1 the inner core of the nature remained simple and unstained by worldliness4 ,then there was the third aspect of ,leighton1 the ,leighton at times half-hidden from himself2 the yearning1 unsatisfied spirit1 which1 though subject at times to great elevations of delight1 at others was also the victim of profound depressions and a sense of loneliness--a state of being born out of that strange1 only half-explained region whence proceed all intuitive faculties4 ,such states are referred to occasionally in his letters to his mother1 and we find their influence recorded at intervals in his art4 ,in #ahdi1 on a sketch of ,giotto when a boy1 are written in the corner the words ,sehnsucht2 in #ahfe1 there is the ,david1 ,oh1 that ,i had wings like a dove2 for then would ,i fly away and be at rest2 in #ahid1 the ,spirit of the ,summit--these are all alike expressions of the home-sickness that yearned for an abiding resting-place not found in the conditions of this world4 ,oh1 what a disappointing world it is6 were words he uttered shortly before his death4 ,in #ahid1 when at ,bayreuth1 a friend was congratulating him on his ever fortunate star having even there easily overcome the difficulties of the crowd4 ,leighton1 passing over the immediate question1 answered with a striking serious sadness1 ,i have not ever got what ,i most wanted in this world4 ,no mind was ever more explicit to itself in its mental working1 than was his with regard to matters which the intellect can investigate and solve4 ,his judgment could never be warped by reason of an insufficient brain apparatus with which to judge himself and others impartially4 ,but ,leighton was a great man1 beyond being the one who owned a magnificent intellectual capacity4 ,the qualities he possessed1 which made him a prominent entity who influenced the interests of the world at large1 secured for him a footing on that higher level where human nature breathes a finer1 more rarefied atmosphere than that in which the intellect alone disports itself2 a level from which can be viewed the just proportion existing between the truly great and the truly little4 ,selfishness disappears in a nature such as ,leighton possessed1 when that level is reached4 ,the necessity for self-sacrifice forces itself so peremptorily1 that there is no struggle to be gone through in exercising it4 ,for instance--notwithstanding the absorbing nature of his occupations and the intense devotion he felt towards his vocation as an artist1 when it was a question of the country needing a reserve force for her army to draw on in case of war--a need which is at this present moment insisted on by ,lord ,roberts with such zealous earnestness--,leighton at once seized the importance of the question1 and1 at whatever sacrifice to his own more personal interests1 enlisted as a volunteer1 and mastered the art and duties of soldiering so completely that many officers in the regular army envied his knowledge and efficiency4 ,the following is an appreciation by an old comrade in the ,artists' ,volunteer ,corps3-- ,the names of those who first enrolled themselves to form the ,artists' ,volunteer ,corps in #ahfj is a record of considerable interest in itself1 and calls back many reminiscences connected with art4 ,leighton joined ,may #aj1 #ahfj1 and was in a few days given his commission as ensign4 ,probably the very character of the first recruits tended to prevent that expansion and accession of numbers without which no military body can flourish4 ,lord ,bury1 the first commandant1 became the ,colonel of the ,civil ,service ,rifles2 and whatever attention may have been given to firing and detailed training1 the early appearances of the ',artists' in public at reviews was1 as a rule1 as a company or two attached to the ,civil ,service ,rifle ,corps4 ,events1 however1 brought a change in the command1 and ,leighton having1 not without hesitation1 accepted it1 set himself at once to introduce reforms4 ,the ,captains1 he announced1 were to be responsible each for the command and drill of his company4 ,he1 to carry out before promotion as ,major ,commanding a duty which the previous laxity had never required of him1 learned the company drill by heart and went through the whole complicated system then existing1 on a single evening under trying circumstances in very insufficient space4 ,reorganisation did not rapidly fill the ranks1 and there was much hard work to be done before the ,artists' ,corps appeared as a completed eight-company battalion1 and took its place among the best of the ,volunteer ,corps of the ,metropolis4 ,the personality of the ,commander did very much to achieve this result1 and ,leighton became ,lieutenant-,colonel ,commandant in #ahgf4 ,next to his duty to his ,art and to the ,royal ,academy1 as he was ever careful to say1 he esteemed his duty in the ,corps4 ,busy man1 with his time mapped out more than most1 he was always accessible and ready to give the necessary time to those who had access to him on the ,corps business4 ,he never appeared on parade without previous study of the drill to be gone through1 while his tact1 energy1 and personal charm were brought out and used at those social meetings with officers and with men which do so much to build up the tone of a volunteer body4 ,of camps and duties in the tented field he took his part cheerfully4 ,he shared the hardship of the early experience of the detachment at the ,dartmoor ,manoeuvres1 where1 camping on the barren hills above the lower level of the mist1 the extemporised commissariat followed with difficulty1 and the officers consoled themselves for the roughness of their fare by the consumption of marmalade1 which happened to be supplied in bulk1 and had to clean their knives in the sand to make some show for the entertainment of the ,brigadier at such dinner as could be had4 ,regarding volunteering so earnestly as he did1 the reports of the ,inspecting ,officers would appear of great importance in ,leighton's eyes4 ,on one occasion paragraphs had appeared in the papers about the ,corps which probably gave some umbrage to the authorities4 ,the ,inspecting ,officer kept the battalion an unconscionable time at drill1 changed the command1 fell out the ,staff ,sergeants1 yet all went well4 ,at length1 with ,leighton again in command1 and a word imperfectly heard1 the square walked outwards in four directions4 ,the confusion was put to rights1 and the well-prepared speech from the ,inspecting ,officer as to the importance of battalion drills1 c41 followed4 ,it was quite a pleasure to point out to the distressed ,leighton that the whole was manifestly a 'put up thing4' ,the answer he received on another occasion admitted of no misinterpretation4 ,riding with the ,officer after the inspection1 and anxious to know whether in his opinion he was really doing any good work by his volunteering1 ,leighton asked whether the ,officer would be willing to take the battalion he had just inspected under fire1 and received the laconic reply1 ',yes1 sir1 hell fire4' ,on ,leighton's election as ,president of the ,academy1 his twenty-five years active service in the ,corps ceased in #ahhc4 ,all the time that the history of the volunteering of the nineteenth century is known1 his name will be associated with the ,artists' ,corps to the honour of both4 ,mr4 ,hamo ,thornycroft1 ,r4,a41 also adds his tribute in the following lines3-- ,i should think that few ,commanding ,officers of ,volunteer ,regiments could surpass ,colonel ,leighton in efficiency4 ,his wonderful knowledge of infantry drill1 and the decision with which he gave the word of command1 made it very easy for the men in the ranks to obey him2 and the quickness of eye with which he detected an error in any movement frequently saved confusion in the ranks on a field day4 ,the ,artists' ,corps soon became one of the smartest in ,london4 ,i well remember how efficiently he commanded the ,volunteer ,battalion in the ,army ,manoeuvres on ,dartmoor in #ahgf1 when for a fortnight of almost continuous rain on that wild moorland he kept us all happy and full of respect for him by his fine soldierly example4 ,his thoroughness and kindness were constant4 ,after a soaking wet night he would come down the line of tents in the early morning distributing some unheard-of luxury1 such as a couple of new-laid eggs to each man1 which he had managed to have sent from some outlying village4 ,besides the obvious results of a complex and astonishingly comprehensive nature1 there were also phases in ,leighton's life which were the outcome on that side of his being half hidden to himself4 ,most of us have dual natures1 not only in the sense that good and bad reside within us simultaneously1 but we have also a less definable duality of nature2 nature's original creature being one thing1 and the creature developed by the conditions it meets with in its journey through life1 another4 ,each acts and reacts on the other4 ,we meet the conditions forced upon us in life from the point of our own individualities4 ,on the other hand1 the original creature gets twisted by circumstances and the influence of other personalities1 and becomes partially altered into a different person4 ,this backwards and forwards swaying of the influence of nature and circumstances helps to make life the intricate business it is4 ,in the case of highly gifted human beings there seem to be further complications1 arising chiefly1 perhaps1 from the fact that these form so small a minority4 ,very subtle and undefinable is the effect of such gifts on the character and nature of those possessing them1 for nature herself maintains a kind of secrecy and endows her favoured ones with but a half consciousness in respect of them4 ,she gives to the artist and to the poet the something1 unshared with the ordinary mortal1 which controls the inner core of his being1 and which is another quantity to be allowed for in his contact with his fellows4 ,it initiates his most passionate1 peremptory conditions of temperament1 yet it remains partially veiled to himself1 in so far that he cannot explain it1 nor give it its right place1 any more than the lover can explain the glamour which is spread over life by an overpowering first love4 ,when ,plato classes the souls of the philosopher1 the artist1 the musician1 and the lover together#e as having been born to see most of truth1 he recognises the same inspired instinctive quality in the artist as in the lover4 ,in the artist is linked1 as part of its separateness from the rest of the community1 the inseparable shyness of the lover4 ,anything is better than to expose the sacred1 indescribable treasure to the indifferent stare of the uninitiated4 ,we find every sort of ruse adopted by lovers and artists to avoid being forced into explicitness on so tender1 so intimate a passion2 so convincing to its possessor1 so impossible of full explanation to those who possess it not4 ,the necessity to give it a clear outline is only forced when a danger arises of the lover being robbed of his mistress1 the artist of his vocation2 then the will1 propelled by the all-conquering love1 asserts itself1 and difficulties have to succumb before it4 ,such was the result of opposition in ,leighton's case4 ,from early childhood he was known to care for nothing so much as for drawing1 and his talent attracted notice and pleased his family1 every encouragement being given him by his parents in his studies4 ,it was only when1 as a boy of twelve1 he viewed art as the serious work of his future life1 and when this view was met by the authorities as one not to be encouraged1 that the strong passion of his nature asserted its rights4 ,clearly in opposition are planted the firmest roots of those inevitable developments which make the great of the world great4 ,in ,leighton was nurtured that sense of responsibility towards his vocation1 so salient a characteristic throughout his career1 partly by his father's attitude towards the worship of his nature for beauty and for her exponent art4 ,to prove that his self-chosen labour was no mere play work1 no mere avoiding the hard work of life and the duller paths of service generally recognised only as of serious use to mankind1 for a game which was a mere pleasure1 was a strong additional incentive to ,leighton's own high aspirations1 inspiring him yet more to treat the development of his gifts as a moral responsibility4 ,he considered it almost in the light of a debt owing to those to whom he was attached by strong family affection1 that he should prove good his cause4 ,though he fought and overcame1 having once won his point1 he did his utmost to satisfy his father's ambition for him1 and to be eminent4 ,on ,august #e1 #ahgi1 he wrote to ,mrs4 ,mark ,pattison1 who was compiling notes for an article on his life3 ,my father1 of his own impulse1 sat down to write a few jottings1 which ,i cannot resist sending you1 because ,i was touched at the thought in this kind old man of eighty4 ,he1 by the way1 is a fine scholar1 and was1 at his best1 a man of exceptional intellectual powers4 ,my desire to be an artist dates as far back as my memory1 and was wholly spontaneous1 or rather unprompted4 ,my parents surrounded me with every facility to learn drawing1 but1 as ,i have told you1 strongly discountenanced the idea of my being an artist unless ,i could be eminent in art4 ,illustration3 ,,lord ,,leighton',s ,,father ,,lord ,,leighton',s ,,mother ,from ,miniatures1 by permission of ,mr4 ,h4,s4 ,mendelssohn ,still--though to excel was ,leighton's aim1 in order to satisfy his father's and also his own ambition--within the hidden recesses of that aim lay the reverent1 more single-hearted worship for his mistress ,art--seldom unveiled1 it would seem1 when with his father1 to whose purely intellectual and philosophical attitude of mind it would not have appealed4 ,those alone possessed the key to that inner sanctuary who did not need the key2 who wanted no introduction1 and were not merely sympathisers1 but native inhabitants4 ,there is a freemasonry between the inmates of these places remote from the world's usual habitations1 and these1 naturally1 have a horror of vaunting the possession of a sacred ground to the outsider1 the uninitiated4 ,many of ,leighton's most intimate acquaintances gathered no clue1 through their knowledge of him1 of the existence of the secluded spot4 ,dr4 ,leighton's influence1 however1 non-artistic as was his nature1 stimulated his son's natural mental elasticity1 encouraging a comprehensive and unprejudiced view of life and people1 a view which marked ,leighton's undertakings with a stamp of nobility and distinction throughout his career4 ,yet further--the intellectual training he received in youth probably enlarged1 in some respects1 the areas of the sacred sanctuary itself1 enabling ,leighton1 when he was the servant of the public and possessing wide influence and patronage1 not only to exercise power with the qualities which spring from a high intellectual development1 but to mellow with wisdom the guidance of the yet higher sympathies of the heart1 when helping those staggering along the road which he himself had travelled over with such success4 ,to many1 however1 especially to those possessing the artistic temperament1 it must always remain1 to say the least1 a questionable advantage to a student of art that his intellectual faculties should be forced forward at the expense of the development of his more emotional and ingenuous instincts1 at the age when sensitiveness to receive impressions is keenest1 and when such impressions have the most lasting power in moulding the future tendencies of his nature4 ,certainly the effects of a development of critical and analytical faculties is apt to prove a damper to those ecstasies of enthusiasm which inspire the most convincing conceptions in art4 ,when first starting and facing seriously his independent career alone1 ,leighton writes to his mother3 ,i wish that ,i had a mind1 simple and unconscious as a child4 ,again1 writing to his elder sister from ,algiers in #aheg1 after describing the delightful impression produced by a first visit to an ,eastern country1 he adds3 ,and yet what ,i have said of my feelings1 though literally true1 does not give you an exactly true notion1 for together with1 and as it were behind1 so much pleasurable emotion1 there is always that other strange second man in me1 calm1 observant1 critical1 unmoved1 blase--odious6 ,he is a shadow that walks with me1 a sort of nineteenth-century canker of doubt and dissection2 it's very1 very seldom that ,i forget his loathsome presence4 ,what cheering things ,i find to say6 ,allied to the third1 more intimate aspect of his nature were phases in ,leighton's feelings when heart would seem to conquer head4 ,he would at times indulge in what might almost be designated as a self-imposed blindness1 when he would allow of no criticism by himself or others of the cause or person in question4 ,an enthusiastic1 unselfish devotion1 a sense of chivalry or pity1 would override his normally clear-sighted1 intellectual acumen4 ,having set his belief and admiration to one tune1 faithful loyalty--and maybe a certain amount of obstinacy--would bind him fast in an adherence to the same4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,picture ,,of ,,boy ,,rescuing ,,sleeping ,,baby ,,from ,,eagle ,leighton ,house ,collection ,belonging also to the intuitive1 more emotional side of his nature1 was the curiously strong influence places exercised over him1 certain localities affecting him and exciting his sympathies with a strong power4 ,in #aheg he wrote to his elder sister3 ,if ,i am as faithful to my wife as ,i am to the places ,i love1 ,i shall do very well6 ,in order to seize fully ,leighton's complete individuality1 an understanding of ,italy1 his second home1 is perhaps necessary--a conception of the nature of the unsophisticated ,italian life which fascinated him so greatly when as yet no invasion had been made of cosmopolitan1 so-called civilisation4 ,as a magnet1 ,italy drew ,leighton to her4#f ,under the influence of her radiant beauty1 breathing such a life of charm and colour beneath sunlit skies1 he felt the sources of happiness in his own nature expand and his powers ripen4 ,in the fertility of her soil1 the vitality of her people1 the superb quality of her art--fine and gracious in its perfection1 and distributed generously throughout the length and breadth of her land--he experienced influences which intensified his emotions and vivified his imagination4 ,the child-like charm of her people1 so spontaneously happy1 enjoying the ease and assurance of nature's own aristocracy1 because enjoying nature's generous gifts with unabashed fulness of sensation1 in whom are non-existent those sensibilities which create self-consciousness1 restraint1 and an absence of self-confidence1 aroused in ,leighton an interest deeper than mere pleasure4 ,it was to him like the joy of a yearning satisfied1 as of those who1 having had their lot cast for years with aliens and foreigners1 find themselves again with their own kith and kin1 surrounded by the native atmosphere which had lent such enchantment to childhood4 ,again and again he returned to ,italy to be made happy1 to be revived1 to be strengthened by her4 ,her influence became kneaded into his very being1 not only nourishing his sense of beauty and rendering more complete the artist nature within him1 but touching the sources from which his artist temperament sprang1 inspiring his very personality and changing it into one which was certainly not typically ,english4 ,his rapid utterance1 his picturesque gesture1 his very appearance1 were not emphatically ,english4#g ,certain ,englishmen who knew ,leighton but slightly felt out of sympathy with him for this reason1 experiencing a difficulty in recognising him as one of themselves4 ,it was1 however1 only on the surface that a difference existed4 ,once intimate with ,leighton1 he was ever found to be au fond ,english of the ,english4 ,after the age of thirty it was in ,england ,leighton fought the serious battle of life--,italy was but the playground1 though a playground of such fascination to him that the glamour of it was spread over the working hours no less than over the holidays4 ,in these days we have to go into the smaller towns and villages to discover the typical ,italian characteristics2 but when ,leighton1 as a child1 was taken from the gloom of ,bloomsbury to this1 to him a magic world1--syndicates1 building-companies1 tramways1 and modern things generally1 had not as yet invaded either ,rome or ,florence4 ,when grown up and master of his own actions1 he wandered into unsophisticated haunts--villages and towns off the beaten tracks1 where with abnormal facility he learned the distinctive patois of every district1 listening with delight to local folk-songs1 and watching the peasants and the aborigines of the soil4 ,in early sketch-books we find records of visits to ,albano1 ,tivoli1 ,cervaro1 ,subiaco1 ,san ,giuminiano1 and to even smaller and less known villages in ,tuscany and ,veneziano1 where he enjoyed the unalloyed flavour of ,italy and her people4 ,those who pay only flying visits to the country after they are grown up would find a difficulty perhaps in realising what ,italy was to ,leighton2 but any one visiting for a few weeks even such a well-known place as ,albano1 without other preoccupation than to watch the natives and wander in the beautiful scenery to the sound of the many flowing fountains1 could still catch something of the true national spirit which fascinated him so greatly4 ,the typical ,britisher might regard the ways of these natives of the ,provincia di ,roma as irrational1 idle1 semi-savage4 ,doubtless the streets and piazzas abound in noisy inhabitants1 gesticulating with wild dramatic fervour1 who appear to have otherwise little to do in life but to loiter and look on2 sociable groups of women sit round the doorways knitting2 but it is the talk1 accompanied by excited action1 which is engrossing them4 ,charmingly pretty children are playing everywhere--idle1 troublesome1 but so happy6 ,to the accompanying sound of running waters1--night and day1--cries1 yells1 and songs ring out through the ancient little town4#h ,high up on the side of the mountains it overlooks the ,roman ,campagna1 the tragic strangeness of those land-waves rolling away1 flattened and stretched out1 for miles and miles1 under the dome of light and shadowing cloud1 a network of bright gleams and violet lakelets1 to the far-off brilliant shine on the sea limit4#i ,this noise1 dramatic action1 gesticulation1 all ending apparently in nothing in particular1 but filling the little town with such amazing vitality--what is it all about8 ,the typical ,englishman does not know--does not care to know1 despising the whole thing as beneath his notice4 ,but ,leighton knew well what it meant4 ,from experiences in his own nature he realised that it was but an innocent outlet1 through voice and gesture1 of an excitement resulting from an imperative dramatic instinct1 a vital force in the emotional nature of the ,italian4 ,he recognised the necessity for such an outlet in such temperaments through his sympathy with the glad exuberance of physical vitality enjoyed in this sunlit land2 anti-puritan though it may be1 this exuberance is none the less pure and innocent4 ,the holy ,saint ,francis in his ecstasies of spiritual illumination would1 it is said1 break out into song from the natural impulse to find an outlet and to throw off the excess of excitement1 that thrilled through his being4#aj ,leighton knew that to suppress the vitality which needs such an outlet was to minimise the forces necessary for life's best work4 ,he himself1 in the working of his mind1 was possessed of a magnificent facility--a facility which left the strength of his emotions fresh and free1 to enjoy the ecstasies of admiration and delight which the choice gifts of nature and art had given him2 but there are many among modern men and women1 taught by much reading1 who overweight their physical vitality in the effort to develop intellect and to forward self-interest1 till all simple physical enjoyment is lost1 and the natural man becomes repressed into a mental machine incapable of any spontaneous emotions of joy1 and blunt to the fine aroma of life's keen and pure pleasures-- ,my nature is subdued to what it works in4 ,to ,leighton the simple joyous child of nature1 in the form of the unsophisticated ,italian1 was a preferable being4 ,to the end of his life he retained much of the child in his own nature1 and had ever an inborn sympathy with the love for children so evident everywhere in unspoilt ,italy2 for the gracious caressing of them by the poorest of the poor--old men in the veriest tatters and rags showing a complete and beautiful submission to the dominating charms of babyhood4 ,the memory of the hideous1 gruesome stories of baby-farming in ,england strikes indeed a contrast with the scenes that abound at every turn in any old1 dirty1 picturesque ,italian village1 and assuredly settles the question1 ,is our ,english development of civilisation an unalloyed benefit8 ,as a contrast to the definite1 explicit ,german development of his intellectual machinery1 ,leighton had special sympathy with the emotional spontaneity of the ,italian race2 also as a contrast to the selective and finely poised conclusions to be worked out in theories of composition learnt from his beloved master ,steinle1 arose a special admiration for the casual1 unpremeditated1 inevitable grace and charm in the manners and gestures of this southern people4 ,what laboured theories so often failed to achieve1 nature here was always doing in her most careless moods4 ,in considering the intimate aspect of ,leighton's nature1 and the interweaving of the original fabric with the forces developed by the circumstances he encountered1 the influence of ,italy must assuredly be given a very distinct prominence4 ,from her and her people he acquired courage in the exercise of his intuitive preferences1 also a development of that rapid and direct insight so inborn in her children4 ,like the lizards that dart with such lightning speed across her sun-scorched walls and over the gnarled bark of the weird olive tree1 the perceptions of the typical ,italian are swift1 and fly straight to the mark4 ,in the ,italian1 however1 this vividness of perception is mostly expended in ejaculation and dramatic gesture1 which1--subsiding1--leaves a state of indolence and nonchalance1 untroubled by any mental exertion4 ,in ,leighton the rapidity with which his perceptions seized the core of truth was backed by an intellectual activity of extraordinary power1 by which he worked his intuitive sensibilities into the interests which guided the solid aims of his life4 ,probably no ,englishman ever approached the ,greek of the ,periclean period so nearly as did ,leighton1 for the reason that he possessed that combination of intellectual and emotional power in a like rare degree4 ,the human beings who achieve most as active workers in the world1 are doubtless those in whom can be traced a capacity for making apparently incompatible forces pull together towards a desired end4 ,leighton succeeded in allying two distinct developments in his nature2 and by1 so to say1 putting these into double harness and driving them together1 acquired an advantage which few other artists1 if any1 have possessed since the time of the ,greeks4 ,but1 being essentially ,english as well as ,greek-like1 ,leighton pushed this combination of powers to a moral issue4 ,he held as his creed of creeds that the mission of ,art was to act as a lever in the uplifting of the human race1 not by going beyond her own domain1 but by directing the sense of beauty with which her true priesthood must ever be endowed1 in order to eliminate from man his more brutal tendencies1 to refine and perfect his insight into nature1 and to develop his delight in her perfection4 ,he held that1 the stronger the emotional force in an artist1 the stronger the sense of responsibility should be2 the more he should seek to express it in a manner which would elevate rather than deprave4 ,in his picture of ,cymon and ,iphigenia1 ,leighton expressed the main dogma of his belief4 ,in sentences towards the end of his second address to the ,royal ,academy students in the year #ahha1 he eloquently describes the complex and deep nature of those aesthetic emotions whence spring the ,arts3-- ,it is not1 it cannot be1 the foremost duty of ,art to seek to embody that which it cannot adequately present1 and to enter into a competition in which it is doomed to inevitable defeat4 ,on the other hand1 there is a field in which she has no rival4 ,we have within us the faculty for a range of emotions of vast compass1 of exquisite subtlety1 and of irresistible force1 to which ,art and ,art alone amongst human forms of expression has a key2 these then1 and no others1 are the chords which it is her appointed duty to strike2 and ,form1 ,colour1 and the contrasts of ,light and ,shade are the agents through which it is given to her to set them in motion4 ,her duty is1 therefore1 to awaken those sensations directly emotional and indirectly intellectual1 which can be communicated only through the sense of sight1 to the delight of which she has primarily to minister4 ,and the dignity of these sensations lies in this1 that they are inseparably connected by association of ideas1 with a range of perceptions and feelings of infinite variety and scope4 ,they come fraught with dim complex memories of all the ever-shifting spectacle of inanimate creation1 and of the more deeply stirring phenomena of life2 of the storm and the lull1 the splendour and the darkness of the outer world2 of the storm and the lull1 the splendour and the darkness of the changeful and transitory lives of men4 ,nay1 so closely overlaid is the simple aesthetic sensation with elements of ethic or intellectual emotion by these constant and manifold accretions of associated ideas1 that it is difficult to conceive of it independently of this precious overgrowth4444 ,the most sensitively religious mind may indeed rest satisfied in the consciousness that it is not on the wings of abstract thought alone that we rise to the highest moods of contemplation1 or to the most chastened moral temper2 and assuredly ,arts which have for their chief task to reveal the inmost springs of ,beauty in the created world1 to display all the pomp of the teeming earth1 and all the pageant of those heavens of which we are told that they declare the ,glory of ,god1 are not the least eloquent witnesses to the might and to the majesty of the mysterious and eternal ,fountain of all good things4 ,not only could no attempt be approximately made at giving a real and vivid picture of ,leighton's remarkable personality were not the three aspects of his nature taken into account1 but also if the influences which affected him strongly during those years when his genius and character were being developed were not also considered4 ,his conscious nature and feelings1 during the first thirty years of his life1 can be best traced in his letters1 notably in those to his mother4 ,it is easy to recognise1 in reading his mother's letters to him1 from whom he inherits the warm tender generosity which made his nature so lovable4 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,professor ,,edouard ,,steinle ,drawn by ,himself ,when at ,frankfort1 in #ahde1 he first became acquainted with the most indelible influence of his life in that inner sanctuary in which he had hitherto been a lonely inmate4 ,seven years later1 in the ,diary he calls ,pebbles1 written for his mother1 when1 fully fledged1 he leaves the nest to battle alone on the field of life1 he pays a tribute of unqualified affection and gratitude to his master1 ,steinle1 who first unlocked the door to ,leighton's full consciousness of the depth of his devotion for his calling 7see pp4 #fa and #fb74 ,in #ahgi1 the year after ,leighton was elected ,president of the ,royal ,academy1 in the same letter to ,mrs4 ,mark ,pattison already quoted from1 he writes1 respecting the influences which affected his art development3 ,for bad by ,florentine ,academy1 for good1 far beyond all others1 by ,steinle1 a noble-minded1 single-hearted artist1 s'il en fut4 ,technically1 ,i learnt 7later7 much from ,robert ,fleury1 but being very receptive and prone to admire1 ,i have learnt1 and still do1 from innumerable artists1 big and small4 ,steinle's is1 however1 the indelible seal4 ,the thoroughness of all the great old masters is so pervading a quality that ,i look upon them all as forming one aristocracy4 ,during the first year when he settled in ,rome1 in the beginning of #ahec1 he made the acquaintance of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,sartoris4 ,leighton's friendship with ,mrs4 ,sartoris 7,adelaide ,kemble71 many years his senior1 and one who had ever viewed her art as a singer from the purest and highest aspect1 became a strong and elevating influence in his life4 ,professor ,giovanni ,costa 7the ,nino of the letters71 one of ,leighton's most intimate friends from the year #ahec to the end in #ahif1 wrote of ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 referring to the early days in ,rome from #ahec to #ahef3aa ,the greatest influence on the life of ,frederic ,leighton was exerted by ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,sartoris 7,miss ,adelaide ,kemble71 who had the mind of a great artist4 ,mr4 ,sartoris was one of the greatest critics of art1 and ,mrs4 ,sartoris had a most elevated and serene nature4 ,this great friendship with ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,sartoris brought with it many others1 notably those of ,robert ,browning and of ,mr4 ,henry ,greville4 ,some years later1 ,leighton writes of ,mr4 ,henry ,greville1 in a letter to his pupil and friend1 ,mr4 ,john ,walker3 ,he is indeed one of the kindest and best men possible1 ,i look on him myself as a second father2 and ,henry ,greville in a letter to ,leighton writes3 ,i wish you were my son1 ,fay--,fay being the name given to ,leighton by his inner circle of intimates1 and certainly a stroke of genius in the one who invented it4 ,writing from ,frankfort to his mother1 where he returned to show his works to ,steinle after his family had finally migrated to ,bath and he to ,rome1 he says3 ,i have had such a letter from ,henry 7,henry ,greville72 there never was anything like the tenderness of it4 ,you would have been just enchanted4 ,the friendship with ,mrs4 ,sartoris only ended with her death in #ahgi1 the year after ,leighton was elected ,president of the ,royal ,academy4 ,being then close upon fifty1 deeply sensible of the grave responsibilities involved by his new position1 ,leighton entered on a fresh phase in his career4 ,as president of the centre of national living art1 this phase involved a serious view being taken of the interests of art such as could be encouraged by a public body4 ,also as one who had been helped and encouraged by personal friendship and influence to work out the best in him1 with his ever eager and generous nature he felt anxious to hand on the help he had received by devoting a like sympathy to the individual interests of other workers4 ,his field of action had become enlarged1 and he rose with consummate ability to the fulfilment of the duties this larger area entailed on him4 ,not only by his biennial addresses to the students of the ,royal ,academy1 but by the speeches delivered spontaneously at the councils and elsewhere1 when no preparation would have been possible1 his fame as an orator was established4 ,many there are who have heard the impromptu speeches he made1 who can vouch1 as do ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere and ,mr4 ,hamo ,thornycroft1 that these were just as fine in language and excellent in the concise form in which the words were made to convey the intended meaning1 as those which ,leighton had carefully prepared beforehand1 and possessed1 moreover1 the charm of an unlaboured effort4 ,illustration3 ,,from ,,drawing ,,of ,,adelaide ,,sartoris ,paris1 #ahef ,the seventeen years1 during which ,leighton was ,president of the ,royal ,academy1 and prominent in every direction as the leader of the art of his country1 were not without saddening influences4 ,his duties necessitated contact with many varieties of human nature1 some far from sympathetic to him4 ,the contrast between his own disinterested reverence for beauty1 moral and physical1 with the indifference displayed by many of his brother artists towards his own high aims and aspirations1 forced itself more and more on ,leighton as the optimistic fervour and enthusiasm of youth waned with years and failing health4 ,he had to face the depressing fact that selfish motives are the ruling factors with most men1 even with those who ostensibly follow the calling of beauty4 ,much of the joyousness of his spirit was lessened accordingly1 though his sweet reasonableness1 to quote ,watts' truly suggestive words1 never deserted him4 ,this prevented any bitterness or resentment from finding permanent location in his nature4 ,another source of distress arose from the fact that his great position aroused the jealousy of the envious4 ,however exceptional his tact1 however truly heartfelt his consideration for others1 no virtues could stand against the vice of being so pre-eminently successful in the eyes of the envious1 whose vanity alone placed them in their own estimation on a level with the great4 ,nothing perhaps excites so rampant a jealousy in unappreciative and envious natures1 as does the unexplainable charm of a delightful personality4 ,it aggravates the dull and envious beyond measure to see a being thus endowed galloping over the ground in all directions with ease1 there being in their eyes no sufficient explanation for the pace4 ,such success is viewed by the envious as a kind of trick1 some witchery of fascination1 which deludes the world into bestowing unmerited advantages on the conjuror4 ,those1 on the contrary1 who can appreciate a transcendent and delightful personality1 recognise it as the convincing grace of the power of uncommon gifts flashing their radiance into the intercourse of every-day life1 modestly ignored as conscious possessions but inevitably sparkling out in any human intercourse1 and from a social point of view making the greatest among us the servants of all4 ,jealousy fights with hidden weapons4 ,what man or woman ever acknowledged being jealous8 ,the passion is disguised4 ,hence the hideous sins that follow in its wake3 ingratitude1 treachery1 calumnies1 are called into the service to blacken the offending object4 ,bacon says of envy3 ,it is also the vilest affection1 and the most depraved2 for which cause it is the proper attribute of the devil1 who is called the envious man1 that soweth tares amongst the wheat by night1 as it always cometh to pass that envy worketh subtilly1 and in the dark2 and to the prejudice of good things1 such as is the wheat4 ,leighton suffered from the jealousy of the envious1 though in most cases the open expression of it was smothered during his life by reason of his power and position4 ,besides being tender-hearted and easily hurt at any feeling of hostility shown against him1 he cordially hated any phase of the ugly4 ,in the spring of #ahie ,leighton said to a friend3 ,my one constant prayer is that ,i should not live beyond seventy4 ,his great dread was to be a burden to any one--to cease to be useful to all4 ,his wish was more than fulfilled4 ,he passed onward five years before the allotted three score and ten4 ,many there were who felt with ,watts that life was indeed darkened2 a great light was extinguished1 a beloved friend was no longer amongst them to help1 encourage1 and brighten the days4 ,to a wide social circle1 a personality1 rare in its charm and endowments1 differing from all others1 had passed off the stage4 ,it was as if1 amid the sober brown and grey plumage of our quiet-coloured ,english birds1 through the mists and fogs of our northern clime1 there had sped across the page of our nineteenth century history the flight of some brilliant-hued flamingo1 emitting flashes of light and colour on his way4 ,to the wide public a power and a control1 noble and distinguished in its quality1 had ceased to rule over the art interests of the country4 ,last1 but not least1 to his brothers and sisters1 as ,leighton called all earnest students and artists1 it was as if a strong support1 a centre of impelling force1 an inspiration towards the best and highest in art1 had been suddenly swept away4 ,on the day of his funeral1 a friend1 whose husband had known him from the commencement to the end of the brilliant career1 wrote the following notes3--#ab ,lord ,leighton's funeral to-day was as brilliant as his life1 and we came home from the majestic ceremony at ,st4 ,paul's ,cathedral feeling that his kind and gracious spirit would have rejoiced--for all he loved and honoured in life were there mourning for the loss of their gifted and genial friend4 ,as the procession moved slowly into the ,cathedral the crimson and golden pall was ,venetian in its brilliancy1 and the long branch of palm spoke touchingly of pain over and the conquest won4 ,music1 the sister ,art he so devoutly worshipped1 lifted up her voice in pathetic accents to the dome of the vast ,cathedral1 striving to re-echo the solemnity and grief around4 ,dear gracious ,leighton1 how vividly my husband recalled his earliest impressions of him1 the handsome young artist at ,rome4 ,visions arise in the mind of joyous days in his second home there1 the cultured and hospitable house of ,adelaide ,sartoris1 which formed the happy background of ,leighton's life4 ,he remembered the departure of his picture ',the ,triumph of ,cimabue1' sent with diffidence1 and so1 proportionate was the joy when news came of its success1 and that the ,queen had bought it4 ,it was the month of ,may4 ,rome was at its loveliest1 and ,leighton's friends and brother artists gave him a festal dinner to celebrate his honours4 ,on receiving the news1 ,leighton's first act was to fly to three less successful artists and buy a picture from each of them 7,george ,mason1 then still unknown1 was one71 and so ,leighton reflected his own happiness at once on others4 ,to-day as we viewed the distinguished 7in the best sense of the term7 mourners1 it seemed an epitome of all his social and artistic life4 ,he never forgot an old friend1 and not one was absent to-day4 ,the men around his coffin all looked heartily sad4 ,it was only when those peaceful words came1 ',we give ,thee hearty thanks1 for that it hath pleased ,thee to deliver this our brother out of the miseries of this sinful world1' that we remembered the agony of his last three days on earth1 and we could be glad for our dear friend that it was past4 ,we could give hearty thanks1 but it was for him and him alone1 for we turn with heavy hearts to our homes1 feeling that with ,frederic ,leighton ever so much kindness1 love1 and colour has gone out of the world4 ,illustration3 ,,crypt ,,under ,,st4 ,,paul',s ,,cathedral1 ,,where ,,barry1 ,,sir ,,joshua ,,reynolds1 ,,turner1 ,,and ,,lord ,,leighton ,,were ,,buried ,from a photo1 by permission of ,messrs4 ,s4,b4 ,bolas ,co4 ,attached to the wreath which lay on his coffin were the lines written by our ,queen3-- ,life's race well run1 ,life's work well done1 ,life's crown well won1 ,now comes rest4 ,in ,leighton's own letters1 more than is possible in any other written words1 will be traced those qualities of character and feeling which guided the rare gifts nature had bestowed4 ,these1 used with unstinting generosity for the benefit of others1 established for our national art a position1 cosmopolitan in its influence1 never previously attained by ,english painting and sculpture1 and of which it may be fairly hoped1 future generations1 no less than the present1 may reap the benefit4 ,,footnotes3 #a ,george ,eliot--,romola4 #b ,lord ,loch's cousin1 ,colonel ,sutherland ,orr1 married ,leighton's elder sister in the year #aheg4 #c ,quoted in ,g4,f4 ,watts' ,reminiscences4 #d ,an incident1 one out of many that tell of ,leighton's hearty1 eager helpfulness1 happened on one of the evenings at the ,academy1 after the prizes had been given away4 ,a student was passing through the first room1 on his way to the entrance4 ,he looked the picture of dejection and disappointed wretchedness1 poorly and shabbily dressed1 and slinking away as if he wished to pass out of the place unnoticed4 ,millais and ,leighton1 walking arm in arm1 came along1 pictures of prosperity4 ,leighton caught sight of the poor1 downcast student4 ,leaving ,millais1 he darted across the vestibule to him1 and1 taking the student's arm1 drew him back into the first room1 and made him sit down on the ottoman beside him4 ,putting his arm on the top of the ottoman1 and resting his head on his hand1 ,leighton began to talk as he alone could talk2 pouring forth volumes of earnest1 rapid utterances1 as if everything in the world depended on his words conveying what he wanted them to convey4 ,he went on and on4 ,the shabby figure gradually seemed to pull itself together1 and1 at last1 when they both rose1 he seemed to have become another creature4 ,leighton shook hands with him1 and the youth went on his way rejoicing4 ,it is certain that if other help than advice were needed1 it was given4 ,but it was the extraordinary zest and vitality which ,leighton put into his help which made it unlike any other4 ,he fought every one's cause even better than others fight their own4 #e ,in ,plato's ,phaedrus1 ,socrates says3 ,the soul1 which has seen most of trouble1 shall come to the birth as a philosopher1 or artist1 or musician1 or lover2 that which has seen truth in the second degree1 shall be a righteous king1 or warrior1 or lord2 the soul which is of the third class1 shall be a politician1 or economist1 or trader2 the fourth1 shall be a lover of gymnastic toils1 or a physician2 the fifth1 a prophet1 or hierophant2 to the sixth1 a poet or imitator will be 'appropriate'2 to the seventh1 the life of an artisan1 or husbandman2 to the eighth1 that of a sophist1 or demagogue2 to the ninth1 that of a tyrant2 all these are states of probation1 in which he who lives righteously1 improves1 and he who lives unrighteously1 deteriorates his lot4 #f ,he wrote to his sister in #aheg from ,algiers3 ,i shall spend my next winter in my dear1 dear old ,rome1 to which ,i am attached beyond measure2 indeed1 ,italy altogether has a hold on my heart that no other country ever can have 7except1 of course1 my own71 and although1 as ,i just now said1 ,i was most delighted with ,africa1 and have not a moment to look back to that was not agreeable1 yet there is an intimate little corner in my affections into which it could never penetrate4 ,and later he wrote in a letter to his mother3 ,i have so often been to ,italy1 and so often written to you from thence1 that it seems quite a platitude to tell you how much ,i enjoy it1 and what a keen delight ,i felt again this time when ,i once more trod the soil of this wonderful country2 indeed1 by the time you get this you will already yourself be in full enjoyment of its pleasures1 and though naturally you cannot feel one tittle of my attachment and yearning affection for it1 yet you will have all the physical delights of sun and serene skies and a good share of the wonder and admiration at the inexhaustible natural beauties of this garden of the world4 ,i came through ,switzerland this time1 but as quick as a shot1 as ,i was in a hurry to get home to ,italy4 #g ,du ,maurier1 who took much interest in tracing indications of various racial distinctions in the remarkable people of his time1 was troubled on this point4 ,he was convinced that in ,leighton existed indications of foreign or ,jewish blood1 but was quite unable to discover any facts in support of this theory4 #h ,leighton wrote in a letter to his sister from ,algiers of the strange sounds which the ,moors emit1 adding3 ,much the same sort of thing is noticeable in the peasants near ,rome1 whose songs consist 7within a definite shape7 of long-sustained chest notes that are peculiar in the extreme1 and though often harsh1 seem to be wonderfully in harmony with the long unbroken lines of the ,campagna4 #i ,on ,december #a1 #ahef1 ,leighton writes to ,steinle3 ,my ,italian journey afforded me in every way the greatest pleasure and edification1 and ,i seem now for the first time to have grasped the greatness of the ,campagna and the giant loftiness of ,michael ,angelo4 #aj ,apres de pareilles emotions1 il avait besoin d'etre seul1 de savourer sa joie1 de chanter sa liberte definitivement conquise1 sur tous les sentiers le long desquels il avait tant gemi1 tant lutte4 ,il ne voulut donc pas retourner immediatement a ,saint-,damien4 ,sortant de la cite par la porte la plus voisine1 il s'enfonca dans les sentiers deserts qui grimpent sur les flancs du ,mont ,subasio4 ,on etait aux tout premiers jours du printemps4 ,il y avait encore ca et la de grandes fondrieres de neige1 mais sous les ardeurs du soleil de mars l'hiver semblait s'avouer vaincu4 ,au sein de cette harmonie1 mysterieuse et troublante1 le coeur de ,francois vibrait delicieusement1 tout son etre se calmait et s'exaltait2 l'ame des choses le caressait doucement et lui versait l'apaisement4 ,un bonheur inconnu l'envahissait2 pour celebrer sa victoire et sa liberte1 il remplit bientot toute la foret du bruit de ses chants4 ,les emotions trop douces ou trop profondes pour pouvoir etre exprimees dans la langue ordinaire1 l'homme les chante4--,vie de ,s4 ,francois d',assise1 par ,paul ,sabatier4 #aa ,notes on ,lord ,leighton1 ,cornhill ,magazine1 ,march #ahig4 #ab ,the ,morning ,post of ,february #d1 #ahif4 ,,chapter ,i ,,antecedents ,,and ,,school ,,days #ahcj-aheb ,some light is thrown on ,leighton's ancestry by the following letter1 written by ,sir ,baldwyn ,leighton to ,sir ,albert ,woods1 ,garter1 at the time when a peerage was bestowed on ,frederic ,leighton4 ,it deals with the question of associating the name of ,stretton with the ,barony4 ,,tabley ,,house1 ,,knutsford1 ,january #aj1 #ahif4 ,,dear ,,sir1--,in answer to yours of ,january #i1 ,i beg to say that there are two places called ,stretton in the ,county of ,salop2 one1 now known as ,church ,stretton1 having become a small town1 was formerly in the possession of my family through the marriage of ,john de ,leighton1 my lineal ancestor1 with the daughter and heiress of ,william ,cambray of ,stretton in the fourteenth century1 whose arms we still quarter 7see ,herald's ,visitation for ,shropshire74 ,this no longer belongs to me1 having been mortgaged and sold by ,sir ,thomas ,leighton1 ,kt4 ,banneret1 temp4 ,hen4 ,,viii4 ,but there is another ,stretton in the parish of ,alderbury with ,cardeston which does still belong to me1 and has always belonged to the family from time immemorial4 ,i have been in communication with ,sir ,frederic ,leighton on the subject1 and it is my wish that he should adopt the supplemental title of ,stretton4 ,according to a pedigree made out by a ,shropshire antiquarian some thirty years ago1 ,sir ,frederic's branch descends from the younger son of the ,john de ,leighton who married the ,cambray heiress1 and who was admitted burgess of ,shrewsbury in #adfe4 ,therefore ,i am of opinion that it is a very proper supplemental title for ,sir ,frederic to assume4--,i remain1 yours1 c41 ,,baldwyn ,,leighton4 ,to ,sir ,,albert ,,woods1 ,garter4 ,in #ahfb1 ,leighton writes to his mother3-- ,you must know that ,i received some time back a letter from the ,rev4 ,wm4 ,leighton 7address1 ,luciefelde1 ,shrewsbury7 asking me very politely to give him whatever information ,i could about our family1 as he was making a pedigree of the ,leighton family1 and was anxious to find out something about a branch that had settled and been lost sight of in ,london4 ,i answered that ,i regretted ,i could give him no definite information on the subject1 beyond our belief that we were of a younger branch of the ,shropshire ,leightons1 whose arms and crest we bore1 that ,i knew personally nothing of my family further back than my grandfather1 telling him who and what he was4 ,i ended by referring him to ,papa1 to whom ,i immediately wrote1 telling him the nature of ,mr4 ,leighton's request1 and begging him to write to him at once in case he could give him any clue that might facilitate his researches4 ,i then received a second1 and very interesting1 letter from ,mr4 ,l4 telling me that he had found in ,yorkshire some ,leightons 7,i forget the ,christian names1 but not ,robert7 who claimed to descend from the ,shropshire stock1 and whose crest differed from the ,leighton crest exactly as ours does1 i4e4 in the forward expansion of the right wing of the ,wyvern2 a peculiarity1 by the by1 which did not appear to be of weight with him4 ,there was more in this letter which ,i don't clearly remember1 but nothing establishing our claim2 this letter ,i immediately forwarded to you1 and since then both myself and ,mr4 ,leighton have been waiting to hear from ,papa4 ,the conclusion arrived at from these inquiries was--that1 three or four hundred years ago1 the descendants of ,john de ,leighton and the ,cambray heiress migrated from ,shropshire to ,yorkshire1 and that ,leighton's grandfather1 ,sir ,james ,leighton1 court physician to the ,emperor ,nicholas of ,russia1 was a descendant of this branch4 ,dr4 ,leighton1 the artist's father1 married the daughter of ,george ,augustus ,nash of ,edmonton4 ,he and his wife1 early in their married life1 went to ,st4 ,petersburg1 and it was supposed that he would probably succeed his father as court physician to the ,czar1 who favoured ,sir ,james ,leighton with his intimacy2 but the climate of ,st4 ,petersburg not suiting ,mrs4 ,leighton's health1 they remained there but a few years4 ,it was at ,st4 ,petersburg that the two eldest children were born1 ,fanny1 who died young1 and ,alexandra1 the god-child of the ,empress ,alexandra1 who became ,mrs4 ,sutherland ,orr4 ,from ,st4 ,petersburg1 the family moved to ,scarborough1 and it was at ,scarborough1 on ,december #c1 #ahcj1 that the most famous member of the ,leighton family was born4 ,the question as to which was the actual house in which the event took place was satisfactorily settled at the time when ,leighton was raised to the peerage1 in letters which appeared in the press1--one containing the testimony of ,mrs4 ,anne ,thorley1 who was in ,dr4 ,leighton's service for three years with the family at ,scarborough1 and for two years after they moved to ,london4 ,she affirms that ,leighton was born in the house in ,brunswick ,terrace1 now numbered #ac1 but which at that time consisted only of three houses4 ,mrs4 ,thorley adds1 ,fred's mother was a splendid lady--such a good one with her children1 and most affectionate4 ,a second son named ,james1 who died in his infancy1 was also born at ,scarborough1 and five years after the birth of ,leighton his younger sister ,augusta1 now ,mrs4 ,matthews1 was born in ,london4 ,illustration3 ,lord ,leighton when a ,boy ,from a ,portrait by ,himself ,by permission of ,mr4 ,h4,s4 ,mendelssohn ,illustration3 ,lord ,leighton's younger ,sister when a ,child ,from a ,drawing by ,lord ,leighton ,by permission of ,mr4 ,h4,s4 ,mendelssohn ,dr4 ,leighton had every prospect of excelling among those most distinguished in his profession4 ,deafness1 however1 by which he was unfortunately attacked about that time1 made it impossible for him to practise any longer as a physician4 ,deprived of his active work1 he turned his attention to more abstract lines of study1 and to philosophy4 ,in #ahdj1 ,mrs4 ,leighton1 after a severe illness1 required a drier climate than that of ,england1 and the family travelled on the ,continent1 visiting ,germany1 ,switzerland1 and ,italy4 ,family annals record the delight with which ,leighton1 the boy of ten1 enjoyed the beauty of nature in ,switzerland1 the flowers and everything he saw in the land of mountains4 ,when he reached ,rome1 the buildings1 the fountains1 the ruins1 the models awaiting hire on the ,piazza di ,spagna1 fascinated him1 and he filled many sketch-books with records of all the picturesque scenes that struck him as so new and wonderful4 ,from earliest days1 drawing was ,leighton's greatest amusement1 and he had it always in his own mind that he would be an artist and nothing else4 ,when in ,rome1 he was allowed to study drawing under ,signor ,meli1 but his father insisted on other lessons being carried on with regularity and industry4 ,we hear of his elder sister and ,leighton learning ,latin together from a young priest4 ,dr4 ,leighton had a commanding intelligence1 and made his will felt4 ,as with many fond fathers who centre their chief interest on an only son1 and foster thoughts of a notable future for him1 ,dr4 ,leighton seems to have felt that the greater his interest and affection1 the greater must be the exercise of strict discipline over his boy4 ,leighton received1 to say the least1 a stern upbringing from his father1 mitigated1 however1 by the greatest tenderness from his mother4 ,the boy's will respecting his future career proved sufficient for the occasion1 and he had reason to be thankful that the general knowledge1 which ,dr4 ,leighton insisted on his acquiring1 was instilled at so early an age4 ,from the time he was ten years old he was made to study the classics1 and at twelve he spoke ,french and ,italian as fluently as ,english4 ,dr4 ,leighton had himself taught the boy anatomy1 ever cherishing the hope that he would1 when he came to years of discretion1 renounce the idea of being an artist1 and follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather by becoming a doctor4 ,in either case a knowledge of anatomy was thought necessary1 and1 in after years1 ,leighton declared he knew much more anatomy when he was fourteen than he did when he was ,president of the ,royal ,academy4 ,i owe1 he said1 my knowledge to my father4 ,he would teach me the names of the bones and the muscles4 ,he would show them to me in action and in repose2 then ,i would have to draw them from memory2 until my memory drawing was perfect1 he would not let it pass4 ,the family returned to ,england for the summer of #ahda1 spending it at the paternal grandfather's country house at ,greenford2 and during the following winter ,leighton studied at the ,university ,college ,school in ,london4 ,mrs4 ,leighton's health again declined in ,england1 and the family migrated to ,germany1 the country chosen by ,dr4 ,leighton as that in which the education of the children could be best carried forward4 ,leighton studied under tutors at ,berlin1 it being only in his spare moments that he found time to sketch1 or to visit the galleries4 ,then followed a move to ,frankfort1 and thence to ,florence4 ,there he was allowed to enter the studio of ,bezzuoli and ,servolini1 celebrated artists in ,florence1 but of whose real greatness ,leighton1 even at that early age1 entertained his doubts4 ,it was in ,florence that the father's will had finally to submit to the son's passion for his vocation4 ,dr4 ,leighton was too wise to allow prejudice to affect his serious actions4 ,he could no longer blind himself to the fact1 that this desire to be an artist was a vital matter with his son4 ,he felt it would be wrong to try and override the boy's desires without seeking the opinion of an expert on art matters as to whether there was any probability of ,leighton excelling4 ,he therefore took him and his drawings to ,hiram ,powers1 the sculptor1 for the verdict to be given4 ,the well-known conversation took place after ,powers had examined the work4 ,shall ,i make him a painter8 asked ,dr4 ,leighton4 ,sir1 you cannot help yourself2 nature has made him one already1 answered the sculptor4 ,what can he hope for1 if ,i let him prepare for this career8 ,let him aim at the highest1 answered ,powers2 he will be certain to get there4 ,leighton had won3 he had now to prove good his cause4 ,even though theoretically his father had given in1 he yet hoped that1 as years went on1 a change in his boy's views might come about2 but he was allowed to work at the ,accademia delle belle ,arti1 under ,bezzuoli and ,servolini1 and besides continuing his study of anatomy with his father1 ,leighton attended classes in the hospital under ,zanetti4 ,of this time in ,florence1 one of his life-long friends1 ,professor ,costa1 writes3 ,i knew1 both from himself and from his fellow-students1 that at the age of fourteen ,leighton studied at the ,academy of ,florence under ,bezzuoli and ,servolini1 who at this time 7#ahdb7 had a great reputation4 ,they were celebrated ,florentines1 excellent good men1 but they could give but little light to this star1 which was to become one of the first magnitude4 ,leighton1 from his innate kindness1 loved and esteemed his old masters much1 though not agreeing in the judgment of his fellow-students that they should be considered on the same level as the ancient ,florentines4 ',and who have you1' said ,leighton one day to a certain ,bettino 7who is still living71 'who resembles your ancient masters8' ,and ,bettino answered1 ',we have still to-day our great ,michael ,angelos1 and ,raffaels1 in ,bezzuoli1 in ,servolini1 in ,ciseri4' ,but this boy of twelve years old could not believe this1 and one fine day got into the diligence1 and left the ,academy of ,florence to return to ,england4 ,although the diligence went at a great pace1 his fellow-students followed it on foot1 running behind it1 crying1 ',come back1 ,inglesino6 come back1 ,inglesino6 come back1' so much was he loved and respected4 ,he did come back1 in fact1 many times to ,italy1 which he considered as his second fatherland4 ,it was1 however1 at ,frankfort1 where the family settled in #ahdc1 that ,leighton fell under the real1 living art influence of his life1 in the person of ,steinle4 ,leighton described this artist later as an intensely fervent ,catholic1 a man of most striking personality1 and of most courtly manners4 ,in the temperament of this religious ,catholic was united a fervour of feeling with a pure severity in the style of his art which belonged to the school of the ,nazarenes1 of which ,steinle was a follower1 ,overbeck and ,pfuehler having led the way4 ,a spiritual ardour and spontaneity placed ,steinle on a higher level as an artist than that on which the rest of the brotherhood stood4 ,leighton1 boy as he was1 at once realised in his master the existence of that sincerity of emotion1--to use his own words when preaching1 nearly forty years later1 to the ,royal ,academy students2 a quality ever considered by him as an essential attribute of the true artist-nature--of that inner vision of the religious poet1 of that finer fibre of temperament which endowed art in ,leighton's eyes with higher qualities than science or philosophy alone could ever include4 ,steinle viewed art with the reverence and nobility of feeling which accorded with those aspirations that had been hinted to the boy's nature in his best moments1 but which had had no sufficiently clear1 decisive outline to inspire hitherto his actual performances4 ,in ,steinle's work he found the positive expression of those aspirations2 there1 in such art1 was an absolute confutation of the creed that art was but a pleasant recreation1 having no backbone in it to influence the serious work of the world2 the creed which meant that1 if taken up as a profession1 it led but to the making of money by amusing the aesthetic sense of the public in a superficial manner4 ,the view taken by the magnates--the ,barbarians of the time--was1 that unless a painter were a ,raphael1 a ,titian1 or a ,reynolds1 his position was little removed from that of the second-rate actor or the dancer4 ,it was not the profession1 but the individual prominence in it which alone saved the situation4 ,in ,steinle1 ,leighton found an exponent of art1 who reverenced the vocation of art itself as one which should be sanctified by the purest aims and the highest aspirations4 ,in the nature of one who exercises a strong influence over another is often found the real clue to the nature influenced4 ,circumstances had led ,leighton to be reserved with regard to his deepest feelings respecting art1 but with ,steinle that reserve vanished4 ,under the influence of this master he realised an adequate cause for this deep-rooted1 peremptory passion4 ,steinle's nature explains that of his pupil2 for ,leighton was1 in an intimate sense1 introduced to a full knowledge of his own self by ,steinle4 ,this influence1 to use his own words1 written more than thirty years later1 was the indelible seal1 because it made ,leighton one with himself4 ,the impress was given which steadied the whole nature4 ,there was no vagueness of aim1 no swaying to and fro1 after he had once made ,steinle his master4 ,the religious nature also of the ,german artist had thrown a certain spell over him4 ,leighton possessed ever the most beautiful of all qualities--the power of feeling enthusiasm1 of loving unselfishly1 and generously adoring what he admired most4 ,fortunate1 it may possibly have been1 that his father's strict training developed his splendid intellectual powers at an early age2 fortunate it certainly was1 that1 when emancipated from other trammels1 he entered the service of art under an influence so pure1 so vital in spiritual passion as was that of ,steinle4 ,however1 it was not till ,leighton reached the age of seventeen that he was allowed to give his time uninterruptedly to the study of art4 ,at that age he had acquired sufficient knowledge of the classics and of the general lines of knowledge even to satisfy his father4 ,he had also completely mastered the ,german1 ,french1 and ,italian languages4 ,the vitality of his brain was almost abnormal1 otherwise his constitution was not strong4 ,constantly such phrases as ,i am not ill1 but ,i am never well occur in his letters1 and he suffered from weakness and heat1 also from blots in his eyes1 perhaps the result of scarlet fever1 which he had as a child4 ,his school days seem to have had their mauvais moments4 ,when he was fifteen1 his parents and elder sister went to ,england1 leaving him and his little sister at school during their holidays4 ,the love for his mother1 and his longing to be with her1 is told in the following pathetic appeal3-- ,,frankfort ,a_/,m41 ,friday1 ,june #bf1 #ahde4 ,,dear ,,mamma1--,your letter1 which ,i have just received1 caused me the greatest pleasure1 for ,i have been anxiously expecting it for three long days4 ,i am very pleased to hear that ,lina is getting stronger1 though slowly1 and hope that ,hampstead will agree with her and you better than ,london4 ,i am very sorry to hear that you are not very well4 ,i hope that the country will refresh ,papa after all his fatigues4 ,i need not tell you that ,i was very unhappy when ,i heard what you said about my going to ,england2 ever since ,i have been here1 from the time ,i wake to the time ,i go to bed1 ,i think of ,london2 the other night1 indeed1 ,i went in my dream to see the new ,british ,museum4 ,however1 if there is nothing to be done4444 ,from ,hampstead you can see ,london1 and there is the dear old common where ,i and the ,coodes used to play1 and the pretty little lake where ,i went to slide1 and it's such a pleasant walk to ,london and the galleries1 and 444 is there no little hole left for poor ,punch8#ac ,on the #afth ,july all the schoolboys go on a three weeks' journey1 whose wing but yours can take care of me for so long a time8 ,i will ask for money to buy a clothes-brush1 ,i have none2 #b fl4 ,i spent on water-colours for the painting lesson1 #e fl4 a splendid book1 ',percy's ,relics of ,old ,english ,poetry1' #a fl4 sundries1 my last florin ,i lent to ,bob1 but he was fetched away in a hurry before his money was given to him1 however he said he would send it me from ,mayence1 but ,i have not seen it since4 ,it is a great bore to have no money2 that #a fl4 would have lasted the second month very well as ,i only want it for sundries4 ,i have dismissed ,mottes1 my new boots have already been resoled1 and he made me wait three weeks for a pair of boots1 which of course ,i did not take4 ,i wish ,i had had turning clothes1 my jacket is very shabby1 and ,i cannot afford to put on my best whilst it goes to the tailor2 my black trowsers are ruined1 but ,i must wear them whilst my blue ones go to be lengthened4 ,little ,gussy looks very well1 she is very well1 and has sundry 'zufrieden's' and 'tres content's4' ,on the advice of ,pappe1 the master of mathematics and nat4 phil41 ,i have got a ',meierhirsch's ,algebraische ,aufgaben4' ,i want a ,euclid1 mine is in ,england1 how shall ,i get at it8 ,i am quite well1 but long to see you all1 and to have some wing2 pray write very soon4 ,give my best love to ,papa and ,lina1 and believe me1 dear ,mamma1 your affectionate and speckfle son1 ,f4 ,,leighton4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,comic ,,drawing1 ,about #ahej ,by permission of ,mr4 ,hanson ,walker ,history does not record whether the little hole for poor ,punch had been found or not4 ,together with other studies1 ,leighton was allowed to attend the model class at the famous ,staedelsches ,institut1 and1 in #ahdh1 when the family went to ,brussels1 he painted his first picture1 ,othello and ,desdemona1 his elder sister sitting as model for the ,desdemona1 and also a portrait of himself4 ,from ,brussels he went to ,paris1 studying in an atelier in the ,rue ,richer1 among a set of ,bohemian students1 and then to ,frankfort1 to work seriously under his beloved master ,steinle4 ,the following letter to his father shows how unsatisfactory he considers his studies had been in both ,brussels and ,paris1 and that now1 as he expressed it1 he is girding his loins for a new race4 ,,cronberg1 ,friday evening4 ,,dear ,,papa1--,as ,i have reason to believe that you are not indifferent to the fate of the studies which met with ,dielmann's censure1 and at the same time opened my eyes to the fact that ,i have not yet 7to use a ,german phrase7 'die ,natur mit dem ,loeffel gefressen1'#ad ,i now write to tell you that ,i have retouched better parts of them1 and that to ,burger's satisfaction as well as to mine4 ,of course some are better than others4 ,independently of the intense irritation which bad sitting 7as well you know7 occasions to my nerves1 they give me great trouble1 and ,i take it2 but this can hardly astonish me1 when ,i consider that1 in point of fact1 during the whole time that has elapsed between my leaving the model class in the ,staedelsches ,institut up to my return to ,frankfurt1 ,i have never studied from nature2 that ,i did not in ,brussels1 ,i need not remind you1 and you must also remember that everything ,i painted in ,paris1 in the way of portraits1 was done before nature1 ,i grant1 but with a certain ideal colour or tone1 the consistency of which might be illustrated by putting ,rubens1 ,reynolds1 ,titian1 ,tom ,lawrence1 ,vandyke1 ,velasquez1 ,correggio1 ,carracci1 ,rembrandt1 and ,rafael into a kaleidoscope1 and setting them in a rotatory motion1 in a word-- ,when taken ,well shaken4 7,what's his name--,hem67 ,i am therefore girding my loins for a new race1 far from discouraged1 but rather with the persuasion that one with my innate love for colouring1 and1 ,i think ,i may add1 sharp perception of the merits and demerits of the colouring of others1 has a fair chance of success2 nor am ,i dissatisfied with my beginning4 ,in the year #ahdi1 he went to ,london to paint the portrait of his great-uncle1 ,mr4 ,i',anson1 ,lady ,leighton's brother1 and wrote to his father and mother the following3-- ,fleeced at ,malines--very fine passage--slept well1 why the deuce had not ,i a carpet bag8 horrid inconvenience6 my chest of drawers twenty feet below the surface of the deck1 obliged to get on friendly terms with a sailor to borrow a comb 7which had got blue with usage7--lovely brown tints about my shirt1 cuffs more picturesque than tidy2 two hours stifling in that confounded hole of a waiting-room in the custom house2 arrive at last at ,mr4 ,i',anson's at about three o'clock2 as he was not at home ,i dressed and ran half round ,london before dinner2 crossed ,kensington ,gardens1 saw the outside of the ,exhibition1 went down ,hyde ,park1 along ,green ,park1 stared at ,buckingham ,palace1 rushed down ,st4 ,james' ,park1 flew up ,waterloo ,place1 made a dive at ,trafalgar ,square1 and a lunge at ,pall ,mall1 gasped all along ,regent ,street1 turned up ,oxford ,street1 bent round to the ,edgware ,road1 and from there the whole length of ,oxford ,terrace1 ,i brought home a very fine appetite6 ,,my ,,dearest ,,mother1--,i have resumed my ,uncle's likeness1 and as far as it goes 7the head is done7 very successfully4 ,will you tell ,papa from me that it is more 'aufgefasst' 7as ,i expected7 than 'durchgefuehrt1' but that ,i have seized the twinkle of his mouth to a ,t4 ,mr4 ,i',anson treats me with the utmost kindness1 it is of course superfluous to tell you that ,i enjoy myself beyond measure4 ,i am a very slow writer--,i am without readiness either of thought or speech owing to the picturesque confusion which possesses my brain1 and not1 ,god knows1 from a phlegmatic habit of mind4 ,letter to his mother from ,norfolk ,terrace1 ,hyde ,park3-- ,,dearest ,,mother1--,i have received your kind letter1 and conclude from your silence on that point that ,lina is now getting on well4 ,in order to avoid losing time on fluency of style1 ,i shall follow1 strictly as ,i find them1 the heads of your epistle1 and answer them in the same succession4 ,first1 ,i hasten to thank you and ,papa for your kind permission to prolong my stay1 a permission which ,i value the more that ,i know that ,papa was desirous ,i should return as soon as possible4 ,you tell me1 dear ,mamma1 that ,i am not to lose time in seeing the lions of ,london1 and ,papa1 in his displeasure at my having done so little as yet towards the real object of my visit1 seems to imply an idea that ,i have been so doing2 ,i regret very much that you should entertain that notion1 and assure you that ,i have neither hitherto dreamt1 nor have ultimate intention1 of seeing that long list of wonders1 the ,colosseum1 the polytechnic1 the cosmorama1 the diorama1 the panorama1 the polyorama1 the overland mail1 ,catlin's exhibition1 the ,chinese exhibition1 nor even ,wild's great globe1 for that1 ,i am told1 costs five shillings2 this is a decided case of ',frappe1 mais ecoute4' ,and if ,papa did not think that ,i had so wasted my time1 is it not very certain that1 if ,i had not thought it a matter of duty1 ,i would not have tired myself making what ,i most hate1 calls1 instead of seeing works of art8 ,lady ,leighton looked in some respects worse1 and in some much better1 than ,i expected2 ,i was surprised to see her walk with her back bent1 and leaning on a stick2 but ,i was more surprised still to see a face so free1 comparatively1 from wrinkles1 and bearing such evident traces of former beauty4 ,her reception was of the warmest2 in her anxiety lest ,i should be lonely and uncomfortable in an inn1 she insisted on my sleeping in her house4 ,she talked much1 long1 and well1 though slowly and in a suppressed tone2 she dwelt tenderly on ,papa's name1 and advocated warmly our return to ,england4 ,i saw two letters which she wrote to her brother1 my uncle1 and which were both most elegantly written2 both contained a paragraph in allusion to me2 in the first1 written before my visit 7in answer to one in which my uncle had prepared her for seeing me71 she expresses herself most eager to receive and to love the grandson1 of whom all speak so highly2 in the second1 written after my return to ,london1 she says that her dear and fascinating grandson amply realises all her expectations1 and that seeing him has increased that pain which she feels at being separated from us all4 ,now1 ,i will give you a catalogue raisonne of whom ,i have seen3 ,cowpers1 this you know2 ,smyths1 ditto2 ,laings1 very kind1 though ,mr4 ,laing1 like the ,cowpers1 did not know me till ,i mentioned my name2 ,wests1 exceedingly kind1 invitation to dinner2 ,richardsons1 motherly reception1 party1 given for me2 ,moffatt1 very prevenant1 asked me twice to dinner1 both of which invitations ,i was unfortunately obliged to refuse1 but wrote a very civil note1 and went next morning in person to apologise2 ,hall1 dreadfully busy1 but gave me cards to ,maclise1 ,goodall1 ,frith1 ,ward1 ,frost2 ,maclise was not at home1 but ,i found ,goodall1 ,ward1 and ,frith1 and was pleased with my visits4 ,there is a new school in ,england1 and a very promising one2 correctly drawn historical genre seems to me the best definition of it4 ,they tell me there is a fine opening for an historical painter of merit1 and that talent never fails to succeed in ,london4 ,goodall1 a young man about thirty1 who painted ',the ,village ,festival1' in the ,vernon ,gallery1 and of which you have an engraving in one of your ,art ,journal numbers1 sells his pictures direct from the easel2 and he does not stand alone4 ,sir ,ch4 ,eastlake received me very politely1 but looks a great invalid2 ,lance1 very jolly1 and ,fripp1 ditto4 ,bovills and ,e4 ,i',ansons1 very kind1 invitations1 of course2 ,mackens1 you know2 ,i have found no time to call on ,dr4 ,holland1 ,mr4 ,shedden1 or ,tusons4 ,having told you whom1 ,i will now tell you rapidly what1 ,i have seen3 ,vernon ,gallery1 very much gratified2 ,dulwich ,gallery1 very much disappointed2 ,british ,institution1 ditto2 ,national ,gallery1 pictures magnificent1 locality disgraceful1 ,i must make another visit there2 ,royal ,academy1 on the whole1 satisfactory2 ,british ,museum1 very fine2 ,mogford's ,collection1 very indifferent2 ,marquis of ,westminster 7,mr4 ,laing71 very fine indeed2 private collection 7through interest of ,mr4 ,moffatt71 delightful2 ,windsor1 ,vandyke1 superb2 ,lawrence1 a wretched quack4 ,time presses--la suite au prochain numero4 ,illustration3 ,,mr4 ,i',,anson1 ,,lord ,,leighton',s ,,great-,,uncle4 #ahej ,by permission of ,mr4 ,e4 ,i',anson ,the portrait of his great-uncle1 ,mr4 ,i',anson1 here reproduced1 proves that the visit to ,london effected the desired result4 ,on his return to ,frankfort he painted the portraits of ,lady ,cowley and her three children4 ,lady ,cowley writes3 ,i am delighted with the pictures of my dear little girls1 and again return you my most sincere thanks for having painted them4 ,and in another letter3 ,i should have called on ,mrs4 ,leighton all these days1 had ,i not been very unwell with the grippe1 as ,i wished to express to her1 as well as to yourself1 how very grateful ,i am for the beautiful portrait you have made of my little ,frederick4 ,i am quite delighted with it1 as well as every one else who has seen it4 ,besides being extremely like1 it is such a good painting that it must always be appreciated4 ,ever yours sincerely1 ,olive ,cecilia ,cowley4 ,in the spring of #aheb1 ,leighton1 being then twenty-one1 went to ,bergheim1 to paint the portraits of ,count ,bentinck's family4 ,he writes from there3-- ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,having naturally a reflecting turn of mind1 ,i am struck with the truth of the following aphorism3 ',it's all very well to say ,i'll be blowed1 but where's the wind8' ,circumstances induce me to deliver a sentiment of a parallel tendency2 it's all very well to say 'mind you write'2 but where's the post8 ,a deficiency in that latter commodity is a leading feature in the economy of the principality of ,waldeck2 so much so1 that any individual residing in ,bergheim1 and desiring to carry on a correspondence 'ins ,ausland1' is obliged to take advantage of the privilege freely granted him by the liberal constitution of the country of carrying his own letters to the first frontier town of the next state1 and having posted them1 waiting for an answer4 ,i1 however1 knowing my privileges1 and not being desirous of availing myself of them in that line1 humbly and modestly send these lines by my hostess's flunkey1 who is going to ,fritzlar to-morrow on an errand of a similar description4 ,n4,b4--,if you want a person to receive an epistle within a fortnight 7that is allowing you to be a neighbour71 you must chalk up per express on the back of it1 in consideration of which he or she will receive it through the medium of a hot messenger1 much1 and naturally1 fatigued and excited by a journey performed at the rate of half a mile an hour1 not including the pauses in which the inner man is refreshed and invigorated by a cordial gulp of 'branny un worrer4' ,fancy a man getting to a place1 by appointment1 expecting a carriage and trimmings to take him to a lovely retirement in the country1 and finding--devil a bit of it6 ,well that's precisely what did not happen to me when ,i got to ,waldeck1 because although the carriage was not there1 there was a letter to say it could not come4 ,the road to ,bergheim1 which crosses a river of no mean pretensions without the assistance of a bridge 7other advantageous peculiarity of the state of ,waldeck71 was1 it appeared1 rendered impracticable by an inundation of the torrent alluded to2 it was therefore proposed to me 7without an option7 to perform the journey on the top of an oss provided for the purpose and accompanied by a groom mounted on another2 ,i willingly accept an offer so much to my taste1 and for the first time after a lapse of nearly three years put a leg on each side of a steed4 ,the first part of the road was executed at a round trot on a very nice level chaussee1 but ,i cannot say that ,i felt altogether at home on my saddle4 ,an eye to effect is nevertheless kept open1 which is manifested by my catching up two drowsy1 drawling1 jingling 'po shays' and sweeping past them with supreme contempt1 but at a great expense of my lumbar muscles4 ,presently1 however1 my continuation-clad members began to thaw a little1 and to adapt themselves to the saddle1 which also lost some of its rigid severity2 ,i began to feel very comfortable1 and1 by ,jove6 it was a good job ,i did1 for on getting out of ,fritzlar1 we left the high road 7for reasons above given7 and plunged into a rugged1 donkey-shay sort of by-path in which the ruts were without exaggeration a foot deep4 ,nothing daunted1 however1 ,i make light of this 'terrain legerement accidente1' cross stream and ride along tattered banks with the nonchalance of the ,chinese ,mandarin in the ,exhibition of '#ea2 in fact1 such is my confidence in myself1 that ,i at last begin to feel above my stirrups1 ,i scorn them1 fling them over my saddle1 and perform without their assistance the rest of the journey to within half a mile of ,bergheim1 and that on a road the profile of which was about this3 7,here was drawn a line representing a hill-side almost perpendicular47 ,on my arrival ,i am of course kindly received by the ,countess 7her husband is still at ,oldenburg71 got my tea1 and go to bed rather stiff after an equestrian performance of about two hours and a half4 ,the house is large and rambling1 fifteen windows in a row1 and yet ,i cannot get a satisfactory light1 the only available north room looking on a lane1 the white-washed houses of which reflect disagreeably on the picture1 whenever the sun shines4 ,however ,i must make up my mind to it and do my best2 ,i am at present painting the ,countess4 ,,bergheim1 ,sunday4 ,,dear ,,mamma1--,in the midst of my anxious expectations of a letter from you1 it suddenly occurred to me that ,i had forgotten to give you my direction2 in the full confidence that late is far preferable to never1 ,i now hasten to make up for my omission-- ,mons4 ,f4 ,leighton bei ,ihrer ,erlauchten der ,graefin von ,waldeck und ,pyrmont zu ,bergheim bei ,fritzlar ,fuerstenthum ,waldeck4 ,n4,b4--,you will not forget to write per express on the top of the envelope2 for reasons1 see my letter of last ,sunday4 ,being sorely pressed for time1 ,i now huddle on to the rest of the paper a few loose remarks1 for the incoherency of which ,i crave your indulgence4 ,the aspect of affairs is much changed since my last epistle2 then1 ,i was looking forward with anxious though sanguine expectation to the labour before me2 now1 ,i look back on one portrait 7that of the ,countess71 achieved to the great satisfaction of those for whom it is intended1 and contemplate with satisfaction the progress which the other is making in the same direction4 ,i must1 however1 add that1 owing to the necessary absence of the ,countess for two days next week1 my return home will be delayed in proportion1 as ,i have a few more touches to give to the portrait of my eldest patient1 whose husband is desirous of taking it over to ,england with him4 7,i shall probably be with you ,saturday afternoon--at all events ,i shall let you know beforehand47 ,what ,i said a few lines back will have suggested to you what ,i am now going to add2 ,colonel ,b4 is now returned from ,oldenburg1 and will probably be in ,london in the early part or middle of ,june2 he is much pleased with the pictures1 and in his kindness has promised me an introduction to his brother in town1 and also to another relation1 whose name ,i have forgotten2 the result of which is to be3 access to the collections of ,lord ,ellesmere1 ,duke of ,sutherland1 and ,sir ,robert ,peel4 ,i told ,colonel ,b4 that if on his road to or from ,toeplitz in the autumn he should pass through ,frankfurt1 ,i should be very glad if he could bring the pictures with him1 as they would both want a varnish1 and the children probably a few glazes and touches2 he said that he would make a point of so doing1 that indeed after all the trouble and pains ,i had taken for him1 it was the least he could do2 for these and other reasons 7not unimportant7 which ,i shall communicate when ,i see you1 you need not regret my having made two journeys to paint his wife and children4 ,that ,i spend one of the days of the ,countess' absence in seeing ,wilhelmshoehe1 a sight reputed unique of its kind1 will1 ,i hope1 not seem unreasonable4 ,i have noted down1 as they occurred to me1 during the last few days one or two little arrangements1 relative to my approaching journey1 which ,i would ask you to make during my absence1 trusting at the same time that if in the meanwhile anything else should occur to your provident mind1 and be transmitted to your many-knotted pocket-handkerchief1 you will kindly carry it into execution1 in order to avoid delay when ,i return from the country1 as my time will be almost entirely taken up by ,lady ,p4's ,pollington's sitting and the business calls ,i have to make4 ,will ,papa kindly order a tin case for my compositions2 it should be a plain cylinder1 about an inch and a half in diameter1 with a lid at one end2 let its length be that of my ',four ,seasons4' ,to my amazement ,i have just received a letter from you1 dear ,mamma--did ,i give you my direction8 ,you forgot the per express on the back of the letter4 ,pray write soon4 ,much love and many kisses to all4--,your dutiful and affectionate son1 ,f4 ,,leighton4 ,soon after ,leighton's return to ,frankfort ,lord ,cowley was appointed ,british ,ambassador in ,paris1 and writes the following letters4 ,the invitation he gives to ,leighton to make his home at the ,embassy while pursuing his studies was not accepted1 ,steinle's teaching being only given up later for the charms of ,italy4 ,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,leighton1--,i am more obliged than ,i can say by the kindness you have shown in painting portraits of my children4 ,i never saw anything so like1 or in general so pleasing1 as the portrait of ,frederic1 and ,i only regret that it is not in ,england to be seen and appreciated4 ,once more accept my thanks1 and believe me to be very truly yours1 ,,cowley4 ,sunday ,afternoon4 ,,my ,,dear ,,mr4 ,,leighton1--,it has been quite out of my power to get to your house1 as ,i had intended1 to take leave of you1 and to thank you again for the valuable reminiscence which through your talent and kindness ,i carry away with me4 ,it will give ,lady ,cowley and myself great pleasure if you will visit us at ,paris4 ,you cannot find a better school of study than the ,louvre1 and we shall be most happy to lodge and take care of you4 ,pray present my best compliments to the members of your family4 ,i regret very much not being able to do it in person4--,very faithfully1 ,,cowley4 ,on his return from ,waldeck1 ,leighton painted the portrait of ,lady ,pollington1 one of his ,frankfort acquaintances4 ,during these years1 when ,leighton studied under ,steinle1 his family lived also at ,frankfort1 and therefore few other letters written at that time exist4 ,there was a journey to ,holland1 made during the early summer of #aheb1 from ,england1 where he and his family had returned for a visit4 ,the journey back to ,frankfort1 via ,holland1 is the subject of a long letter to his mother4 ,there ,i am at the ,hague4 ,pretty place1 the ,hague1 clean1 quaint1 cheerful1 and ain't the ,dutch just fond of smoking out of long clay pipes6 ,and the pictures1 ,oh the pictures1 ,ah the pictures6 ,that magnificent ,rembrandt6 glowing1 flooded with light1 clear as amber1 and do you twig the grey canvas8 ,what ,vandykes6 what dignity1 calm1 gently breathing1 and a searching thoughtfulness in the gaze1 amounting almost to fascination2 and only look at that ,velasquez1 sparkling1 clear1 dashing2 ,paul ,potter1 too1 only twenty-two years old when he painted that bull1 and just look at it2 ,jan ,steen1 ,terburg1 ,teniers1 ,giov4 ,bellini 7splendid71 c4 c4 ,there ,i catch myself bearing something in mind3 ',and yet1 after all' 7with an argumentative hitch of the cravat71 'all that those fellows had in advance of us was a palette and brushes1 and that we've got too6' ,i walk down to ,scheveningen1 and sentimentalise on the seashore2 ,i find the briny deep in a very good humour1 and offer you mental congratulations4 ,about the ,rembrandt at ,amsterdam1 ,i say nothing1 for it is a picture not to be described4 ,i can only say that1 in it1 the great master surpasses himself2 with the exception1 however1 of this and the ,vanderhelst opposite to it1 which is full of spirit and individuality1 the ,ryko ,museum is tolerably flat4 ,after a dull afternoon1 ,i hurry off to ,arnheim1 and to ,mayence1 and to ,frankfurt1 where ,i arrive on ,wednesday evening4 ,from ,cologne to ,frankfurt1 ,janauschek#ae was on the same conveyance as myself2 ,i made her acquaintance1 which was a great blessing to me on that tedious1 cockney-hackneyed journey4 ,she is lady-like1 interesting1 amiable1 and severely proper1 almost cold2 she observed the strictest incognito4 ,towards evening1 however1 when she had ascertained that ,i was a resident at ,frankfurt1 and therefore probably knew her perfectly well1 and that ,i was an artist1 which excited her sympathy1 and that my name was ,leighton1 a name with which she was acquainted 7through ,schroedter and others7 as that of one of the most talented young artists of ,frankfurt 7hem671 she relaxed considerably4 ,she has a melancholy and most interesting look1 and talks very despondently of the state of dramatic art nowadays4 ,i made myself useful to her at the station1 and she was warmly grateful4 ,about my picture#af 7which ,i have entrusted to ,steinle's care7 ,i have nothing to communicate1 except that ,i am confirmed in thinking that it has been universally well received2 even ,becker seems to like it in many respects--of course you know that the leading fault is that it was painted under his rival2 ,oppenheim said 7when ,i talked of it as a daub7 that he wished he could daub so1 and that he promised me a great future2 ,prince ,gortschakoff 7who1 by the by1 preferred the portraits1 and judges with all the aplomb of a ,count ,briez7 introduced himself to me in the gallery1 and told me in the course of conversation that he regretted very much having no work of mine1 adding that he only bought masters of the first order2 that was a compliment1 at all events2 ,dr4 ,schlemmer has been very kind to me1 and has given me a letter for ,venice2 ,i dined with him on ,sunday1 and made the acquaintance of ,felix ,mendelssohn's widow1 a charming woman4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,death ,,of ,,brunelleschi4 #ahea ,by permission of ,dr4 ,von ,steinle ,illustration3 ,,the ,,plague ,,in ,,florence4 #ahea ,between the years #ahdi and #aheb ,leighton painted1 besides the portraits mentioned1 three finished pictures1 ,cimabue finding ,giotto in the ,fields of ,florence1 ,the ,duel between ,romeo and ,tybalt1 and ,the ,death of ,brunelleschi2 and also made the notable drawing1 now in the ,victoria and ,albert ,museum1 of a scene during the plague in ,florence4 ,his master1 ,steinle1 easily discerned that ,leighton was truly enamoured of ,italy2 the subjects he chose were ,italian1 and his memory was full of the charm and fascination of the country which he ever referred to1 to the end of his life1 as his second home4 ,it was decided that he should go to ,rome1 his father having determined to leave ,frankfort and to reside at ,bath1 where his mother1 ,lady ,leighton1 was then living4 ,steinle gave ,leighton an introduction to his friend and fellow ,nazarene1 ,cornelius1 and on the eve of his departure his mother wrote a farewell letter of injunctions1 flavoured happily by hints of humour4 ,there is something very quaint to those who knew ,leighton after he was thirty in the admonitions with regard to manners and politeness1 which occur in several of his mother's letters4 ,,my ,,dearest ,,child1--,as we are about to part1 you may perhaps think you will be rid of my lectures1 but no1 ,i leave you some injunctions in writing1 so that you will not be able to urge the plea of forgetfulness if you continue your negligent habits1 though you certainly may forget to read what ,i write--but ,i trust to your love and respect for me1 though the latter needs cultivation nearly as much as habits of refinement in you4 ,i have no new advice to give you1 ,i can but repeat what ,i have urged on you many times from your childhood upwards2 ,i do implore you1 let your conscience be your guide amidst all temptations1 they will be such as they have never yet been to you1 as you will henceforward have no other restraint on your actions than what is self-imposed4 ,i beseech you1 do not suffer your disbelief in the dogmas of the ,protestant ,church to weaken the belief ,i hope you entertain of the existence of a ,supreme ,being4 ,strive to obey the law ,he has implanted in us1 which approves good and condemns evil1 though the struggle for the mastery between these principles is sometimes fearful1 as every one knows1 especially in youth4 ,my precious child1 if one sinful mortal's prayer for another could avail1 how carefully would you be preserved from moral evil 7the greatest of all evil72 but ,i need not tell you there is no royal road to ,heaven any more than to excellence in inferior objects1 every advantage must be obtained by energy and perseverance4 ,may ,god help you to keep free of the greatest of all miseries1 an upbraiding conscience2 for though this can be deadened for a time in the hurry of life while youth lasts1 there comes an hour when life loses its attractions1 and then issues the troubled consequence of merry deeds4 ,i am aware you have heard all this a hundred times1 and better expressed1 but it will bear repetition2 and now that it is your mother who is counselling you1 you will not1 ,i trust1 turn a deaf ear4 ,i can but repeat what ,i have continually told you--to refine your feelings you must neither utter nor encourage a coarse thought4 ,it would be an inexpressible pleasure to me to leave you confirmed in good habits2 but wishes are idle4 ,i trust to your desire to improve in all ways and to please me4 ,the next sheet ,i wrote some time ago1 intending to rewrite it1 but the trouble is too great for my shaking hands1 and ,i add what ,i have written to-day on separate pieces of paper4 ,i have written enough2 ,i have only now to add an entreaty that you will not throw these admonitions away1 but sometimes read them1 remembering they come warm from your mother's heart4 ,my child1 your manners are very faulty1 and ,i am consequently much disappointed4 ,you take so much after me1 and my nearest relations had such refined manners1 that ,i made sure you must resemble my father and brothers4 ,there is1 however1 nothing on earth to prevent your becoming the gentleman ,i wish to see you1 and remember to write ineffaceably on the tablets of your memory1 ',too much familiarity breeds contempt4' ,you remember how seriously young ----'s forwardness has been commented on4 ,well1 it is true1 you have never1 as far as ,i know1 spoken as he has done2 but as ,i have seldom seen you in company1 nor your father either1 without observing some want of politeness1 is it not probable that other people have their eyes open also8 ,these admonitions received1 ,leighton started on his journey to ,rome4 ,at ,innsbruck1 on ,august #ah1 #aheb1 he began to write a ,diary1 in order that his mother should hear the details of his travels1 and to serve as a clue by which he might one day recall the impressions and emotions of the years of his artistic noviciate4 ,leighton's utterances on paper in these early days display the same intense exuberance of vitality which1 during the whole of his notable career1 served to spur on his mental and emotional powers to perform with great completeness all the various kinds of work which he undertook2 a vitality which conquered triumphantly the effects of indifferent health and troubled eyesight4 ,in the diaries and letters is also to be traced the existence of that ,greek-like combination of qualities so characteristic of ,leighton--namely1 explicit precision in his thought and expression1 and a subtle power of analysis1 united with great emotional sensitiveness and enthusiastic warmth of temperament4 ,his feeling for beauty was an intoxicating joy to him4 ,heartfelt and genuine joy engendered by beauty in nature and art is not a very common feeling among the moderns1 though so much fuss is made by many in our day in their endeavours to become artistic2 but1 as a ruling guide1 beauty has gone out of fashion4 ,the accounts that ,leighton gives of his ecstasies in the presence of beautiful scenes1 enforce the belief entertained by those who knew him best1 that it was the power which beauty exercised over him that developed his exceptional strength in all artistic directions4 ,what force in the over-riding of difficulties does not passion give to the lover6 ,no less a force was engendered in ,leighton by the inspiration of the beauty of nature4 ,in the letter to his mother1 which accompanies the ,diary1 referring to the joy he has been experiencing1 ,leighton adds3 ,i feel almost a kind of shame that so much should have been poured down on me4 ,i will put my talent to usury1 and be no slothful steward of what has been entrusted to me4 ,every man who has received a gift ought to feel and act as if he was a field in which a seed was planted1 that others might gather the harvest4 ,the purity of purpose which guided ,leighton's life to the end1 generated first by the precepts of his mother in the fertile soil of his own beautiful nature1 subsequently developed by the teaching of the high-minded ,steinle1 and finally established later by other elevating influences1 chastened the emotional side of ,leighton's passion for beauty1 and disentangled it even in the earliest days from lower and purely sensuous contamination4 ,the puritanical attitude of mind towards beauty appeared to ,leighton absolutely impure and desecrating1 in that it associated influences and feelings which are of the lowest with the appreciation of ,god's most beautiful creations1 and some of man's highest aspirations with sensations entirely degraded and unworthy4 ,fun and humour abound in the family letters1 and in the ,diary4 ,leighton was never guilty of being sentimental1 and when referring to the word ideal in one of his letters1 he writes he hates such stuff4 ,after he died1 it was written of him3 ,he was no idealist2 needless to say1 he was no materialist1 no one less so2 nor does the term realist seem to recall his nature4 ,he was--if such a word can be used--an actualist1 the actual was to him of primary importance4 ,but the actual meant a great deal more to ,leighton than it does to most of us4 ,life and its vivid interests was spread over a much wider area2 so many more of its various ingredients were such very actual entities to him4#ag ,and when ,leighton started1 at the age of twenty-one1 to begin his independent life1 we feel that it is with the actual that he grappled--the actual in his sensations1 his feelings1 his impressions1 his conditions4 ,an unmistakable note of reality rings through his description of all these4 ,he has no tendency1 even unconsciously1 when under the glamour of the most entrancing impressions1 to colour the picture other than he actually saw it4 ,in the strength of his own real nature he goes forth on the journey of life4 ,,diary ,,innsbruck1 ,august #ah1 #aheb4 ,sidenote3 ,i contemplate the life and adventures of ,mr4 ,thumb4 ,when ,hop o' my ,thumb1 a nursery hero of ,european note1 first sallied out into the world with an eye to making a fortune1 his first step was 7justly foreseeing what the world would expect of the hero of a future romance7 to lose himself in a large and horrid forest1 in which it was pitch dark all day long1 and nothing was heard but 444 c4 c4 7,here see biog4 of ,h4,o',m4 ,thumb1 ,esq41 vol4 i47 ,now1 in those days mile-posts were not yet come in1 and maps were excessively expensive2 how1 then1 was ,h4,o',m4,t41 after he should have realised a large independence1 to find his way back through this intricate waste8 ,here admire the man of parts and sagacity6 ',he determined1' says the historian1 'to drop pebbles in a row all along the path'6 ,sidenote3 and adopt one of his measures1 ,admirable ,thumb6 ,i1 too1 purpose1 as ,i stroll along1 to drop every now and then mental pebbles1 which shall serve as a connecting link between the past and the future1 and as a clue by which ,i may one day recall the emotions and impressions of the years of my artistic noviciate4 ,be with me1 oh ,thumb6 ,sidenote3 but make a reservation4 ,n4,b4--,quality of pebbles not warranted4 ,,pebbles ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,i4 ,kind1 affectionate1 earnest ,steinle6 ,sidenote3 ,a tribute of affection and respect for my dear ,steinle4 ,in a record of whatever concerns me as an artist1 his name should be at the beginning1 in the middle1 and at the end4 ,now1 at the beginning1 for our parting is still painfully present to my mind2 our parting1 and the last few days we spent together3 the sad face and moistened eye with which he watched the diligence in which ,i rolled off from ,bregenz2 his fitful way1 when we travelled together--one moment jovial and facetious1 another laying his hand affectionately on my shoulder and remaining silent2 his saying to me before ,i started1 ',i shall be all alone to-morrow1 here1 and yet ,i shall be with you all the day4'444 ,in the middle1 all through1 and to the end--because if ever1 hereafter1 my works wear the mark of a pure taste1 if ever ,i succeed in raising some portion of the public to the level of high art1 rather than obsequiously acquiesce in the judgments of the tasteless and the ignorant1 and if ,i keep alive1 to the end1 the active conviction that an artist1 who deserves the name1 never ceases to learn1 the key of such success will be in one name3 ,steinle2 in having constantly borne in mind his precept1 and his example4 ,sidenote3 ,i find on reflection that though ,i started a week ago1 ,i am only just gone6 ,sidenote3 ,i look forward1 ,although a week has already elapsed since ,i left ,frankfurt1 so long my home1 it is only now that ,i have parted from ,steinle that ,i really feel that ,i have taken the great step1 that ,i have opened the introductory chapter of the second volume of my life1 a volume on the title-page of which is written ,artist4 ,it seems to me that my wanderings began at ,bregenz1 and that in retracing1 as ,i presently shall1 my route until ,i got there1 ,i am tearing open again leaves that were closed--to remain so4 ,i seize the opportunity offered by this first day of repose to take breath1 and1 as ,i stand within the threshold1 to look before me and reconnoitre4 ,italy rises before my mind4 ,sunny ,italy6 the land that ,i have so long yearned after with ardent longing1 and that has dwelt in my memory since last ,i saw it as a never-fading1 gentle-beckoning image of loveliness2 ,i am about again to tread the soil of that beloved country1 the day-dream of long years is to become a reality4 ,i am enraptured6 ,sidenote3 but don't feel quite it4 ,and yet--how is it that my pleasure is not unalloyed8 that ,i involuntarily shrink from grasping the height of my wishes8 ,it is because ,i feel a kind of sacred awe at breaking through the charm that has been so long gathering around the image that ,i have carried in my inward heart1 as one who loves1 at touching with cold reality that which has so long been the far removed object of dreamy1 sweetly melancholy longings6 ,i cannot help thinking that an imaginative man must feel something similar when on the point of changing courtship for marriage4 ,sidenote3 ,get better4 ,other thoughts1 too1 assail me1 and sometimes make me uneasy4 ',do ,i fully feel4444' ,no1 ',shall ,i continue fully to feel the immense importance to me of the three or four years now before me8 feel that they will be the corner-stone of my career1 for good or for evil8 ,shall ,i have the energy to carry out all my resolutions8 ,shall ,i fulfil what ,i have promised8'444 ,then ,i think of ,steinle1 and ,i feel reassured4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,,ii4 ,let me come to the point1 to the description of my journey2 but before ,i begin1 let me remember that1 whilst of all my friends and companions only three were present at my departure1--one of them was there in order to give me a commission1 and another to acknowledge a service1--old ,general ,bentinck did not think it too great an exertion to see off1 at eight in the morning1 one1 three times younger than himself4 ,sidenote3 ,middelburgh1 ,august #aa4 ,my first day's journey took me to ,middelburgh1 along the ,bergstrasse1 which we all know1 and of which ,i therefore say nothing1 and yet ,i enjoyed it more than ,i ever had done before2 it was one of those cool1 clear1 opalescent mornings1 in which all nature looks as if it was teeming with health and freshness2 there was something exhilarating1 too1 in the atmosphere1 which very much increased my enjoyment2 ,i looked upon familiar scenes1 but ,i saw them in a new light2 it seemed to me as if ,i was reading nature in a new book4 ,sidenote3 ,stift ,neuburg4 ,on arriving at ,heidelberg1 ,i hurried at once1 by appointment with ,steinle1 to a place in the neighbourhood called ',stift ,neuburg1' the property and residence of ,frau ,rath ,schlosser1 the widow of his old and intimate friend1 ,rath ,schlosser4 ,sidenote3 ,i enjoy myself4 ,sidenote3 ,heilbronn1 ,august #ab4 ,picture to yourself1 just where the ,neckar makes a graceful curve1 about a mile above ,heidelberg1 half-way up a rich and sunny slope1 chequered with clustering vineyards and luxuriant meadows1 an old1 picturesque convent1 with its adjoining chapel and appurtenant dairies and farmhouses1 the whole group raised up on a lofty1 timeworn1 weather-beaten terrace--and you will form some idea of the ,stift4 ,there ,i spent the afternoon in the most charming possible manner1 whether in wandering with ,steinle along the solitary1 shady walks of the convent garden1 or in snuffing about in the vaulted1 mildew old library 7which1 by the by1 contains six or seven thousand valuable and curious books71 or the silent chapel1 with its stained-glass windows1 or in looking through ,frau ,rath's magnificent collection of drawings by ,german artists1 or1 finally1 in enjoying the conversation of the ,frau ,rath herself1 who is a most clever and amiable old lady4 ,the next morning 7for ,i spent the night there7 after all breakfasting together1 we went down by a postern gate to the river-side1 and awaited the arrival of the ,heilbronn steamer2 general leave-taking1 shaking of hands1 gratitude and thanks on the one side1 on the other reiterated invitations for the future1 which ,i sincerely hope ,i may one day be able to meet4 ,the valley of the ,neckar as far as ,heilbronn1 where we arrived on the evening of the same day1 is dull enough in all conscience2 indeed1 had it not been for the company and always interesting conversation of ,steinle1 ,i really do not know what ,i should have done with myself2 such a contrast with the preceding day6 ,between ,heilbronn and the ,lake of ,constance1 however1 a new scene opens out2 ,i see ,germany under a totally new aspect1 ,i understand at last what ,german poets mean when they rave about the lovely ',schwabenland' and call it the ',perle deutscher ,gauen'2 ,i can now imagine the existence of landed patriotism 7if ,i may be allowed the expression7 among the ,germans coming from that part of the country4 ,it is1 indeed1 an enchanting panorama2 a never-ceasing variety of rich1 profusely fertile valleys1 studded with cheerful1 bright-looking1 home-inviting villages1 and enclosed by chains of gently undulating hills4 ,the corn was ripe1 and waved in golden stripes across the variegated plains2 the peasants1 a picturesque1 good-humoured set1 were scattered over the fields1 some mowing down the heavy laden wheat1 others binding it into graceful sheaves2 in one respect the scene reminded me of my own dear country3 it looked as if a blessing were on it4 ,sidenote3 ,ulm3 its cathedral ,on our road we passed through ,ulm1#ah and visited the cathedral1 some parts of which 7especially the portico7 are very beautiful and elegant2 the interior contains a magnificent and highly elaborate tabernacle1 and some wood-carving by ,syrlin of exquisite workmanship2 the whole1 however1 left a melancholy impression on both of us1 especially on ,steinle1 who is an ardent ,catholic4 ,it stands neglected and half-finished1 in the midst of a miserable1 rambling town-village1 a thing of olden times1 for whose presence one can hardly account4 ,it was built1 or rather1 begun1 as a monument of ,catholicism2 the country round it has become ,protestant2 itself has been protestantized2 it has been disfigured by an incongruous heap of business-like pews2 it is no longer accessible at every hour of the day1 from ,sunday to ,sunday its walls re-echo no sound but the occasional tread of the pew-opener1 as he dusts the seats of those who pay him for it2 the soul has left the grey old pile2 it is a stately corpse4 ,what artist1 however uncatholic in his belief1 can contemplate those old ,gothic churches1 with their glorious tabernacles and other ornaments equally beautiful and equally disused1 without painfully feeling what an almost deadly blow the ,reformation was to ,high ,art1 what a powerful incentive it removed1 irrecoverably8 ,who1 in his heart of hearts1 can but dwell with melancholy regret on the times when art was coupled with belief1 and so many divine works were virtually expressions of faith8 ,what a purifying and ennobling influence was thus exercised over the taste of the artist6 an influence which nothing can replace4 ,this influence was incalculably great2 no dwelling was so humble but it owned a crucifix2 no artist so poor in capacity but endeavoured to produce something not unworthy of his subject2 the general tone of taste thus produced reacted on everything2 witness the most insignificant doorlatch or ornament that remains to us from the ,middle ,ages4 ,is it not remarkable that the first artists of the modern day1 in the higher walk of art1 ,i mean1 are ,catholics8 ,cornelius and ,steinle were born in the ,church of ,rome2 ,veit and ,overbeck went over to it2 ,pugin1 too1 our great architect1 was converted by his art to the ,catholic faith4 ,sidenote3 ,august #ae1 ,sunday4 ,from ,friedrichshafen a delightful sail took us across the emerald coloured ,lake of ,constance to ,bregenz1 where ,i parted from ,steinle4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,,iii4 ,sidenote3 ,august #ba1 ,saturday4 ,sidenote3 ,i make a reflection1 ,sidenote3 and feel grateful4 ,i am sitting at my window in the inn 7hotel1 ,i'll trouble you67 at ,meran4 ,for the first time since ,i left ,innsbruck ,i have leisure again to take up my pen4 ,as ,i look back on my journey through the ,tyrol1 so far as it goes1 ,i am forcibly struck with the reflection that my enjoyment of it has been much keener this time than ever it was before2 this increased enjoyment has not1 ,i feel1 arisen from any external or adventitious circumstances2 last time that ,i was in this lovely country1 ,i contemplated it with ease and comfort from the rumble of our own carriage2 this time ,i have jolted through it under all the disadvantages attendant on an ,eilwagen and indifferent weather2 it has arisen in the greater development of my artistic sensibilities1 in my sharpened perception of the charms of nature1 which discloses to me now a thousand beauties that found no echo in me when ,i saw them last4 ,i congratulate myself on this reflection4 ,if any man should be constantly penetrated with gratitude for a gift bestowed on him1 it is the artist who has realised as his share a genuine love for nature2 for his enjoyment1 if he puts his gift to usury1 increases with the days of his life4 ,sidenote3 ,i get drunk with the anticipation of ,italy1 ,sidenote3 and spout a parable4 ,another circumstance1 which has greatly augmented my relish of the ,tyrol1 is that1 at every step1 it assumes more and more the character of my darling ,italy2 ,i have watched with fond anxiety every little token that whispered of the south2 the gently purpling tints that steal gradually over the distant hills1 as one advances towards the land of the amaranthine ,apennines1 the slow but steadily progressive change of vegetation1 the gaunt and ragged fir giving way by degrees to the encroachment of a richer and more gently rustling shade1 the anxiously watched gradations1 the climax at last2 the walnut1 first1 'few and far between1' but warmly welcome1 with its clustering leaves of juicy green2 the chestnut1 with its long1 graceful1 dark-hued foliage2 the vine1 again1 no longer1 as in the north1 tied stiffly to a row of sticks 7like a regiment of gooseberry bushes71 but luxurious1 wildly spreading1 gracefully trained along rows of outward-slanting1 basket-like trellis-work1 and wreathed here and there by a pious hand up a roadside image of the ,crucifixion in illustration of the words of ,christ3 ',i am the true vine4' ,now1 too1 the dark striped1 portly pumpkins1 with their gorgeous flame-like flowers1 begin to appear1 sometimes drowsily lolling under the tremulous shade of the mantling vines1 sometimes basking with half-closed eyes down the sunscorched lizard-haunted walls1 sometimes trained across from house to house1 hanging like ,chinese lamps over the heads of the passers by4 ,presently1 a fig-tree--two--three--more--plenty6 ,a cypress--and1 by ,jove6 look at that terrace of stately1 heavy-laden citron and orange trees6 ,nothing is wanting now but the olive4 ,how could ,i pass by such dear old friends without loitering a little among them8 ,a faithful lover1 ,i return1 after six years of longing absence1 to the home of her of my inward heart2 ,i hurry along1 ,i have already crossed the garden gate4 ,i breathe the air she breathes1 ,i see from afar the bower where she dwells2 but as ,i hasten along the well-known path1 a thousand reminiscences of her arise from every object around me1 and cling to me1 and throw a gentle net across my faltering step1 and whisper softly to my dream-wrapt brain--,i am spellbound--,i linger1 even in my impatience4 ,i must not forget the excessively picturesque appearance of all the towns and villages south of ,innsbruck2 long1 narrow1 tortuous streets1 lined on each side with never-ceasing vistas of arcades1 and enclosed by houses of most fancifully artistic irregularity2 as one passes along the vaulted galleries the eye is constantly caught by some picturesque object2 either the peasants1 as they stroll along in their divers costumes1 or the many-coloured1 richly piled fruit stalls that every now and then fill the arches1 or1 through an open door1 the endless depth of vaulted passages and fantastic staircases and irregular inward courts and yards1 offering to the artist's eye a play of lights and shades and mysterious1 dreamy half-tints that might shame even a ,rembrandt or an ,ostade4 ,as the exterior of all the houses is 7with the exception1 of course1 of the ornaments7 scrupulously white1 the streets1 narrow as they are1 reflecting1 by the luminous nature of their local tint1 the light of day into the remotest corner1 have a most cheerful aspect4 ,of the ,tyrolese themselves1 three qualities seem to me to characterise them1 qualities which go well hand in hand with1 and1 ,i think it is not fanciful to say1 are in great measure a key to1 their well-known frankness and open-hearted honesty4 ,i mean ,piety1 which shines out amongst them in many little things1 a love for the art1 which with them is1 in fact1 an outward manifestation of piety1 and which is sufficiently displayed by the numberless scriptural subjects1 painted or in relief1 which adorn the cottages of the poorest peasants1 and1 last not least1 a love for flowers 7in other words1 for nature71 which is written in the lovely clusters of flowers which stand in many-hued array on the window-sills of every dwelling4 ,the works of all the really great artists display that love for flowers4 ,raphael did not consider it 'niggling1' as some of our broad-handling moderns would call it1 to group humble daisies round the feet of his divine representation of the ,mother of ,christ4 ,i notice that two plants1 especially1 produce a beautiful effect1 both of form and colour1 against the cool grey walls3 the spreading1 dropping1 graceful carnation1 with its bluish leaves and crimson flowers1 and the slender1 anthered1 thousand-blossomed oleander4 ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,a ,,branch ,,of ,,fig ,,tree1 #ahef ,leighton ,house ,collection ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,bramble1 #ahef ,leighton ,house ,collection 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,,iv4 ,sidenote3 ,statues in ,innsbruck4 ,sidenote3 ,i take on1 ,sidenote3 and lay on1 ,sidenote3 but bottle it up again4 ,one of the sights in ,innsbruck has left on me a deep and1 ,i hope1 a lasting impression3 the bronze statues in the ,franciscan church2 they are the finest specimens of ,german mediaeval sculpture that ,i ever saw1 and grew on me as ,i gazed at them in a manner which ,i hardly ever felt before2 their great merit consists in combining in the most astounding manner the most consummate knowledge of the art with all the simplicity of nature and the most striking individuality 7that first of artistic qualities71 and exhibiting at the same time the most elaborate finish in the details1 with greatest possible breadth and grandeur of general masses2 this quality is particularly conspicuous amongst the women1 three1 especially1 standing side by side1 show1 by three perfect examples1 the whole secret of ornamental economy2 the one1 whose dress is ornamented with all the richness of which a luxurious imagination and an unparalleled power of execution were capable1 recovers its simplicity of outline and mass by having a tightly fitting body and sleeve and a skirt of moderate amplitude2 the second1 whose ornaments1 though richly1 are more broadly disposed1 retains its balance by a slightly increased amplitude of drapery2 while the third1 whose dress is altogether without embroidery1 acquires a corresponding effect by large1 loose sleeves and richly folded skirt1 and two large plaits hanging down her back4 ,what an opportunity this would be1 backed by these giants of breathing bronze1 to make an indignant descent on some paltry and muddle-headed moderns1 who don't know how to discriminate between that kind of finish which proceeds from the love of a smooth surface1 and makes the artist equally careful of his pumps and of his pictures1 and that other kind of minuteness which is the beautiful fruit of a refined love for nature1 and proceeds from a feeling of piety towards the mother of art1 and who complacently call 'niggling1' a quality above the appreciation of their breadth-mad brains2 who1 in their art-made-easy system of 'idealising' 7forsooth71 look for artistic 'beauty' in a facial angle of so and so much4 ,what with the ,greeks was an abstract of ,,man1 and very appropriately applicable in the cases of demi-gods 7that the ancients could1 and did1 'en tems et lieu1' individualise1 may be sufficiently seen in their admirable portraits71 becomes with them an absurdly misapplied average of mankind1 not a man1 or men4 ,the leading feature in ,nature is a ,,manifold ,,individuality1 ,,an ,,endless ,,variety2 she is like a diamond1 that glances with a thousand hues4 ',indeed6' ,i hear them contemptuously sneering1 'you don't seem to be aware1 sir1 that ideal beauty is the great centre of all these extreme varieties1 and the only thing worthy of a great artist's attention4' ',well1 gentlemen1' say ,i1 'without inconsistency1 you can't get out of the way of the following mouthful3 there are 7perhaps you will allow7 three elementary colours1 which in different combinations produce every variety of hue2 but1 the great centre of these three extremely various colours is grey1 non-colour 444 the ideal of a bit of colouring1 the only thing worthy of the attention of a great colourist is a picture with no colour in it at all4' ,however1 ,messrs4 the ,generalisists and ,apollinisists 'have every reason to congratulate themselves on the extensive circulation of their views1 for their ideal' is visible in every haircutter's window4 ,never mind1 ,i must contain myself--but the rod is in pickle6 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,v4 ,sidenote3 ,meran4 ,a glorious amphitheatre of lofty mountains6 ,on one side rugged1 sternly rising1 crenelated1 grey1 snow-strewn2 on the other1 dreamy1 far outspreading1 gently vanishing1 southward luring1 softly glowing1 wrapt in tints of loveliest azure1 gradually blending with the silver-fretted sky4 ,a spreading1 fertile gushing valley4 ,down the sunny1 swelling slopes1 across the embosomed plain1 an endless1 curling1 wreathing flood of gold-green vines1 foaming and eddying with purple grapes4 ,through the verdant waves1 like rushes in a stream1 the ,indian corn raises its slender form and feathered head in long array4 ,beneath1 outstretched at ease1 the pumpkin winks and yawns4 ,at the foot of a steep-fronted1 purpling rock1 skirting the glowing vineyards1 a foaming mountain stream1 emerald and silver4 ,along the heights1 nestling in verdure1 rise thickly scattered1 castellated villas1 looking1 with their bright1 white walls1 like smiles on the face of the earth4 ,an epitome of what is rich and joyous and unfettered in landscape4 ,the ,alpha and ,omega of all that is charming in the ,tyrol4 ,,meran6 ,i can say no more for it4 ,to my mind1 it is inferior to ,italy only in one respect3 it is wanting in that glowing1 strongly marked individuality1 that earnest beauty1 that 'charm that is in melancholy1' which fascinates so powerfully in the land of wine and oil4 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,,vi4 ,sidenote3 ,italy6 ,sidenote3 ,i realise1 as the ,americans say1 ,sidenote3 and find reason to think that ,i am a queer party4 ,to be able to say that1 on returning after long years to a country whose image memory has1 during the whole of that time1 fondled with all the partiality of ardent attachment1 one has found one's best expectations realised1 is1 in this world of disappointments and frustrated expectations1 indeed a rare thing2 but to find imagination surpassed by reality is rarer still2 yet it is my case now that ,i once more breathe the air and tread the soil of ,italy4 ,for this1 ,i feel more grateful than ,i can say2 for to have been disappointed in these hopes would have been to me the greatest of miseries2 as it is1 my enjoyment is a double one3 that which is occasioned by the positive1 intrinsic beauty of what ,i see1 and that1 not less great1 of recalling at the same time a happy1 long-dwelt-on past4 ,this ,i have more particularly experienced since my arrival in ,verona2 and here a queer feature in my queer idiosyncrasy obtrudes itself to notice1 i4e4 the extraordinary dominion exercised over me by the senses of smell and hearing6 ,that ,i do labour under these peculiarities ,i always knew1 but to what a ludicrous extent1 ,i did not find out till1 on arriving here 7,verona71 ,i was suddenly seized by a gust of a thousand smells and a din of a thousand sounds1 some always remembered1 others long-forgotten1 suddenly rising up again to my memory4 ,i was spellbound1 the veil of the past was torn up1 ,i was fairly carried back against the stream of time4 ,ridiculous as it may sound1 my enjoyment of ,italy1 independently1 of course1 of the art 7which is an extraordinary tissue of reality and illusion71 would be very imperfect without this combination of trifles4 ,one thing1 ,i think1 must affect every one agreeably2 ,i mean the exquisitely humorous cries of the vendors in the thoroughfares and market-places2 who could hear and not remember the loud1 expostulatory shriek with which the one dwells on the excellencies of his handkerchiefs1 the argumentative and facetious tone in which another infers that comfort is not possible without a supply of his matches1 that urgent wail with which a third deplores that man should have so little appreciation of his baked apples1 the muddy1 half-suffocated tenor with which a fourth proclaims his water-melons1 or the rabid1 piercing soprano which seems to warn the public that 'if those violets are not bought pretty quick1 there will soon be none to buy'8 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,,vii4 ,sidenote3 ,verona4 ,i do not think there exists anywhere a more powerfully and fantastically individual town than ,verona2 it is to ,italy what ,nuremburg is to ,germany2 but it is a transfiguration of ,nuremburg2 in point of wildly picturesque variety it defies description and surpasses expectation2 it is saturated with art2 wherever one turns1 the eye is struck by some beautiful remnant of the taste--that was2 of that glowing1 sterling feeling for art1 which spread itself over everything1 and ennobled whatever it touched4 ,hardly a house that cannot boast of a sculptured archway1 or some such token of ancient splendour2 not a church1 even the most insignificant1 but is crowded with old paintings in oil and fresco1 few of which are bad1 some very good1 a few excellent1 but all in a far higher tone of feeling than nine-tenths of the shallow1 papery daubs with which the nineteenth century covers its carcase of steam engines4 ,no wonder--they are all scriptural or apocryphal subjects1 and were all painted with an ardent belief in the faith to which they all owe their existence2 from thence arose1 amongst other excellencies1 a certain naif1 ingenuously childlike treatment of the miraculous1 which1 combined with the manly dignity of consummate art1 gives them an indescribable charm1 which nothing can replace4 ,now--with us1 at least1 of the cold belief--men throw really eminent talents--to the dogs4 ,but1 for us ,protestant artists1 things are made much worse than they in any way need be1 by the total rejection of pictures and statuary in our churches4 ,now1 three centuries back1 in the first ebullition of reformatory fanaticism1 such a practice was not only comprehensible1 but even a natural and necessary consequence and token of their total disavowal of everything approaching to the ,romish form of worship2 but its continuance at present amongst us is1 not only contrary to the spirit of the ,anglican ,church1 which after all1 when compared to ,lutheranism and ,calvinism1 is a conservative one1 but is founded on arguments altogether untenable with any degree of consistency2 for if1 as we are told1 pictures and statues distract the attention and produce a worldly frame of mind1 if it be true indeed that works of high art 7for1 of course1 no others are here taken into consideration71 than which surely nothing is more calculated to raise the tone of the mind and prepare it for the reception of elevated impressions1 have indeed so pernicious an effect1 then1 it is evident1 by the same argument1 the beauties of architecture1 the eldest of the sister arts1 must be equally rejected2 at the sight of a ,gothic church1 that offspring of ,christianity1 we must shrug our shoulders and say with pious aversion3 ',vanitas vanitatum6' ,but the ,church of ,england has not gone as far as that2 indeed1 great attention is paid to our ,church's architecture2 is there no inconsistency here8 ,or does the ,church1 terrified by the example of ,romish image-worship1 fear a similar evil amongst us1 whose belief is so infinitely more circumscribed than that of ,rome8 ,or is she so tender of admitting symbols into her bosom1 she1 whose corner-stone is a symbol3 the ,last ,supper8 ,to return to ,verona4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,,viii4 ,sidenote3 ,the ,veronese love flowers1 ,sidenote3 and have good legs4 ,as ,gamba1 owing to the time which my letter took in reaching him1 was not able to meet me at the time appointed1 ,i remained two days at ,verona1 days to which ,i shall always look back with unmixed pleasure4 ,i indulged1 this time 7the more that ,i knew the town already71 in the luxury of not 'sight-seeing1' but strolled about the whole town in every direction1 dropping into churches1 staring at tombs and palaces and piazzas and pictures1 just as if rolled past me in the ever-varying panorama4 ,i was struck1 in the ,tyrol1 with the profusion of flowers everywhere displayed2 but here ,i see far more1 and those1 too1 more artistically distributed2 they rise in double and treble tiers on1 in1 and about the gracefully curved balconies1 and assert their sway wherever human ingenuity makes it possible to place a flower-pot1 and in a great many other places besides2 creepers wreathe from window to window1 and vines actually springing from holes in the walls1 with no visible root or origin at all1 spread their graceful mantle over the walls of crumbling palaces4 ,of the ,veronese themselves1 ,i cannot say that they are a handsome race2 the women especially1 though they have a great deal of character in their features1 are generally far from good-looking4 ,amongst the peasants ,i saw some very fine men2 they have1 some of them1 very good legs1 slender and well shaped as a ,donatello or a ,ghiberti4 ,sidenote3 ,thursday1 ,august #bf4 ,sidenote3 ,gamba4 ,on ,thursday ,gamba came1 just as ,i was giving him up in a high state of despair and mystification4 ,we hurried at once by ,padua to ,venice1 where ,i found your letter4 ,sidenote3 ,i look back and feel ashamed1 ,sidenote3 and make a clumsy excuse4 ,as ,i look through what ,i have written1 before sending it off to you1 ,i feel1 painfully1 that my style is clumsy1 stuttering1 incoherent2 that ,i am wordy1 without saying enough2 that ,i am overfree in my use of fanciful epithets1 without giving an adequate idea of the suggestive beauty of what ,i see2 that ,i am sometimes almost mawkish1 without saying half ,i feel2 that ,i am incorrigibly slovenly and forgetful2 that ,i can't write1 that ,i can't spell4 ,in answer to all this1 ,i can only answer by referring to a little premonitory observation at the foot of my first page1 i4e4 ,quality of ,pebbles not warranted4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,batch ,no4 #b4 7,this blank represents three weeks47 ,sidenote3 ,sept4 #af4 ,september #af4--,many happy returns of the day1 dear ,gussy6 ,the other day ,i took a pair of scales1 and put into the one vessel the price you would have to pay for the postage of a congratulatory letter to be received by you on your birthday1 and into the other a pleasure which a surprise might afford you2 the postage outweighed its rival2 so ,i wrote no letter4 ,if my directions have been attended to1 you will1 no doubt1 have received a far more satisfactory outward and visible sign of my good wishes4 ,sidenote3 ,sept4 #ah4 ,september #ah4--,the same to you1 ,papa6444 ,can the river offer its fountain a drink8 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,i4 ,sidenote3 ,sept4 #ai4 ,sidenote3 ,i lucubrate1 ,sidenote3 when ,i consider1 c4 c41 ,sidenote3 whereas1 c4 c41 ,sidenote3 and even then1 c4 c41 ,three weeks 7apparently months7 have elapsed since ,i last soared on the descriptive pinion2 now1 and only now1 on the eve of my departure from ,venice1 ,i find time and leisure again to pour on the past a libation of pen and ink4 ,i resume the quill with a feeling of disheartenment4 ,with what intentions did ,i begin to write this 7journal78 ,had ,i not hoped to note down1 at once and in all their freshness1 my emotions and impressions just as ,i should receive them8 and to speak also sometimes of the thousand little incidents that fall in one's path1 and which form the arabesque round the chapter of life8 ,and how are my hopes fulfilled8 ,behold me1 on the morning of the last day1 the day of parting1 packing1 paying1 and passports1 forced to throw in a hurried and disconnected heap a few general remarks concerning what ,i have seen and heard and felt and found1 and not found1 during my stay in the home of ,titian4 ,and even that1 how difficult6 ,for in this short stay1 sight has succeeded sight1 emotion has followed emotion1 in one continued merry-go-round2 ,i have been alternately grave and gay1 melancholy and jocose1 dejected and enraptured2 add to this that in my mind1 as in the dissolving views1 one picture always effaces its predecessor1 and you will at once perceive that ,i am in the position of a man trying to see the pebbles at the bottom of a muddy brook1 or his natural face in a basin of gruel4 ,sidenote3 but you know1 c4 ,now1 ,i again repeat what ,i made a preliminary condition3 that ,i send you the pebbles1 loose and disjointed1 and that ,i don't undertake to make a necklace of them4 ',but whose fault is all this8' 7,i hear you ask74 ,sidenote3 besides1 it's not my fault ,during my stay here 7,i continue1 without attending to your question7 ,i have been up nearly every day before the sun 7about five o'clock71 and after working and tearing about the town all day1 towards evening ,i was not sorry to4444 ,do you guess how it was ,i wrote so little8 ,sidenote3 ,a little digression ,here a little observation obtrudes itself to my notice4 ,man 7for there is nothing like throwing your own frailties on mankind in general7 is born with an irresistible tendency to talk at something or somebody2 eighteen pages back ,i was talking to nobody2 or1 if ,i did address anything1 it was that very vague personage1 the future2 now ,i find myself getting more and more personal2 you's1 ,i expect1 will soon get up to fifty per cent4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,,ii4 ,sidenote3 ,a picture4 ,sidenote3 7,parenthetic ,pebble about ,gondolas47 ,venice6 ,mighty word1 city of endless associations1 image that fills the mind6 ,what impressions has it left on me8 ,i shrink from answering a question so difficult to answer fairly1 and from dissecting a point of such intricate anatomy4 ,whilst ,i think it over1 ,i will give you a picture or two to look at2 you shall have a peep out of the window where ,i sit writing4 ,it is early morning1 everything is cool and calm1 in silent1 almost breathless expectation of the not yet risen sun4 ,before your eyes rises one of the most splendid views in ,europe1 that of the ,grand ,canal from the steps of the ,academy2 the stately1 dark green street of waters reflects on its wide-spreading mirror the grey and crumbling palaces1 and the lovely form of ,sta4 ,maria della ,salute1 with her domes of dazzling white4 ,not a ripple mars its glossy surface1 except where1 at rare intervals1 some silent gondola glides swiftly along1 scattering the sparkling drops from its graceful oar1 or where1 here and there1 the playful 'aura mattutina' has left too rough a kiss upon its slumbering cheek4 ,no sound is heard1 but the distant1 even1 measured chimes1 that seem to be rocking on the silence of the morning4 ,along its marge1 singly1 or clustering in close array beneath roofs of vine-covered trellis1 lie the far-famed1 ebon-coloured1 swiftly gliding gondolas of ,venice4 ',gondolas6' ,whilst the sun is rising1 let me say a word or two on gondolas4 ,it has always excited my great surprise that these barks1 which are graceful almost beyond imagination1 are1 in point of fact1 in their present shape the offspring of a period1 next to our own1 the most execrable in point of taste which the world has produced4 ,i mean the end of the seventeenth1 or rather the beginning of the eighteenth century4 ,yet1 so it is4 ,in the time of ,carpaccio and the ,bellinis they were queer1 tolerably uncouth contrivances1 about two-thirds of their present length1 pointed and equally curved at both ends1 so as to resemble as nearly as possible a slice of melon1 dead of the cholera4 ,in ,titian's day the shape began to taper out a little1 and the iron points or knobs1 at both ends1 rose to a greater height1 and were enriched with a serrated ornament2 but they did not assume their present slender proportions and graceful ornament1 at the prow only1 till the eighteenth century2 as also the mysterious and exquisitely comfortable little cabins or coffins1 which now surmount them1 and which formerly were open behind and before1 forcing the passenger to sit upright6 ,they contained then the rudiment of an idea of grace1 which took its natural growth and development in spite of man4 ,meanwhile1 for ,i have been watching him1 the sun has appeared above the horizon2 not that ,i see his own1 real1 glorious face1 for he is hidden behind an ancient palace1 but ,i see his reflection glowing in the eye of nature4 ,first a gentle1 tremulous1 golden light began to steal along the dappled morning sky1 warning all the little1 distant1 fleecy clouds to shake their plumes1 for that it was going to begin2 then1 of course1 the water took up the tune2 and then 7it was fit the biggest building should set the example7 the ',salute' assumed a saffron hue1 and gradually one by one all the palaces on one side of the ,canal1 right up to our windows1 and1 did not you notice8 your own face took quite a shine4 ,for a while you yourself and everything round you seems wrapped in a trance2 presently you begin to write4 ,how is this8 ,the whole picture begins to dance and quiver4 ,our ,lady della ,salute glows with a deeper blush1 and trembles4 ,then1 suddenly1 her redness vanishes1 her glorious countenance sparkles1 and she raises her stately form in a garment of burnished silver2 the gondolas that nestle round her feet1 and hem in the whole length of the ,canal1 seem like a fillet of sparkling gems around a web of emerald and gold2 the sky is a sea of light2 the sun is in the wide heavens--it's time for breakfast4 ,waiter1 coffee and rolls6 ,sidenote3 ,i am reminded1 ',do you mean1' ,i hear you urge1 'to come to the point1 and tell us how you like ,venice8' ,sidenote3 but take no notice4 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,,iv4 ,another picture6 7pretending not to hear74 ,the same scene1 but under a different aspect4 ,how different6 ,just now it was a scene of dawning life1 a burst of gladness--now it is a mild1 a gentle dream1 an ,italian moonlight night1 a ,venetian moonlight night--calm1 clear1 soft1 fancy stirring4 ,you lean idly out of the window2 there are two of you1 or ought to be1 but you don't say anything to one another2 you are rocked in silence2 you feel the sweet1 warm breath of night pass over your cheek2 you think of ,shakespeare's exquisite verses on what he never saw but with the eye of his boundless fancy2 you are sitting with ,jessica and ,lorenzo 7that is his name1 ,i think7 on a bank of violets2 you are anxiously waiting for ,portia and her company2 your ear is attentive to every sound2 presently a sweet1 half-heard strain1 like a distant echo1 dawns on your ear2 then it is lost again2 again it swells1 and seems to glide gently along the shadowy waters towards you1 nearer1 still nearer4 ,you see a track of gleaming light along the water1 and at intervals a shower of tiny stars2 it's no illusion2 they glide along towards you1 the voices that rose from the distant waters2 they are almost beneath your window4 ,quick1 quick1 a gondola2 a dozen or more musicians1 with every kind of instrument1 sit together in a bark1 and alternately play and sing lovely melodies by the musicians of ,italy4 ,as long as the strain lasts the oar is suspended1 and the floating orchestra drifts slowly along with the slowly ebbing tide2 round it1 a cluster of gondolas1 full of breathless listeners whose very soul seems to melt with the delicious sounds1 and combine with them--at least1 you can answer for yourself1 for you are one of them4 ,those are moments which you1 ,i am sure1 will never forget4 ,sidenote3 ,you interrupt me1 but ,i take no notice4 ',you are beating about the bush1 we want an ans4444' ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,v4 ,another picture6 7taking no notice of you7--a bit of ,giorgione1 coloured by ,veronese4 ,you are in an atelier2 pictures and sketches in different stages of advancement lie about the tables and cover the easels2 at one end of the room you see a large cupboard2 its open doors betray within layers of rich old silks and damasks1 some made up1 some in pieces1 as they were found at the antiquary's2 further1 an old mandoline1 that perhaps could tell of the days of ,titian4 ,through the large1 gaping window you look upon a group of the most picturesque ,venetian houses1 with their fanciful basket-shaped chimneys and irregular windows and thousand-fold tints2 the foreground is gracefully supplied by a screen of slender1 net-like trees1 amongst which heavy-laden vines wreathe in fanciful festoons4 ,but where is ,werner8 the amiable inmate of this charming snuggery2 where his pupils8 ,ah1 ,i hear them6 ,hark6 in the garden1 a merry laugh1 a clattering of cups1 a sound of several voices1 a suggestion of enjoyment2 you rush to the scene of action2 on your road you nearly break your neck over a table covered with the remains of a hearty dinner4 ,a few yards further1 you see half-a-dozen young men 7of course artists7 stretched1 in every variety of ingeniously comfortable attitude1 on a temporary floor of ,turkey carpets1 in a cool1 clear1 shady spot beneath arches of roof-weaving vines2 in the middle1 at comfortable arm's length1 coffee1 and heaps of purple grapes1 whilst the intervals of conversation are filled by affectionate and earnest appeals to long ,turkish pipes4 ,you approach2 you are recognised2 seized by the hand1 thrown down on the carpet2 and presently you perceive that an entire afternoon is gone by6 ,but that afternoon becomes a landmark to you4 ,may not such reminiscences well endear a place to one's memory8 ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,byzantine ,,well ,,head4 ,venice1 #aheb ,by permission of ,mr4 ,s4 ,pepys ,cockerell ',well1 then1 ,i suppose4444' 7say you74 ,never mind1 let me continue4 ,sidenote3 ,more where the rest came from4 ,another impression4 ,you are sitting1 early in the morning1 in a spacious1 picturesque court2 you have got your sketch-book1 and you are busily poring over a drawing of a beautiful old ,saracenic well2 you are intent on doing it well1 on cutting out that friend you have got with you4 ,presently you are seized with a peculiar sensation2 you have heard1 all of a sudden1 the voice of an old1 old friend1 who speaks to you of things you don't see round you2 a veil falls from your eyes2 you feel that you have missed something for some time past2 a vision rises before your eyes--a sweet vision of wooded hills and grassy fields1 teeming with a thousand wild flowers and sending forth a sweet smell1 and of flowing streams1 of fresh waters1 of birds singing merrily as they fly from tree to tree1 and swing on the slender branches2 and then you remember that you dwell in a mysterious city1 closed in by the salty sea4 ,who was the friend that called up these lively images in your mind8 ,it was a poor1 solitary1 wandering ,bee4 ,but he suggested something else to you1 the roaming honey-gatherer--he reminded you of freedom2 reminded you that ,freedom had no home there2 and he made you feel how much you had felt it1 how much you had been unconsciously haunted by the breath of oppression that hovers over poor1 browbeaten ,venice1 and whose pestilence clings to its rocky shore1 as the rankling seaweed to the skirts of its palaces4 ,poor ,venice6 once resounding with joyous voices1 now its walls seem1 as you pass them1 to mutter mournfully of arrests1 condemnations1 executions6 ,its narrow streets re-echo with the heavy tread of exulting soldiers1 with the watchword of a foreign tongue4 ,palaces and convents are become barracks and infirmaries1 and ,slavonian troopers loll and spit where the proudest lords and loveliest ladies of ,venice used to assemble to the banquet or the ball4 ,but ,i turn away from such sad reflections1 lest they may seem to outweigh all the delight that ,i have spoken of before4 ,sidenote3 ,pebble ,,vi4 ,sidenote3 ,what ,i think about it4 ,i have rehearsed to you a few of my impressions for good and for evil1 and ,i think that was the only way of answering your 7imaginary7 questions4 ,i need make no apologies for not describing ,venice to you1 as you have all seen it1 and it is a place the image of which does not easily fade4 ,i might say a word or two about the ,venetians4 ,whatever some people may say 7and1 if ,i am not mistaken1 ,byron amongst them71 the female ,venetian type1 such as it is transmitted to us by ,titian1 ,giorgione1 ,pordenone1 c4 7i4e4 stout1 tall1 round-faced1 small-mouthed1 ,roxolane-nosed7 has either totally disappeared1 or only manifests itself to a chosen few2 one feature only ,i recognise1 and that is a profusion of fine hair1 which they plait in the most elaborate manner4 ,a thing that rather puzzles those who go to ,venice with the idea of seeing ,titians and ,veroneses at the windows and in the streets1 is that the women have altogether left off dyeing their hair auburn as they used in former times4 ,to show you that vanity made the fair sex go through the greatest personal discomfort as far back as the sixteenth century1 ,i will tell you what the process of dyeing was4 ,on the top of nearly every house in ,venice is a kind of terrace-like scaffold1 or scaffold-like terrace 7'you pays your money and takes your choice'71 which has the noble vocation of drying linen2 in former days1 however1 they were built for a different purpose4 ,in the middle of the day1 during the greatest heat of the sun1 the party anxious to impart to her hair a tint between sugar-candy and radishes repaired to these lofty spots1 and there regularly bleached her hair in the following manner3 she put on her head the brim of a large straw hat1 so that the top of the head was exposed to all the power of the sun1 whilst the face and neck were kept in the shade4 ,through the hole thus left in the middle of this extraordinary headgear the whole of the hair was drawn1 and spread out as much as possible2 which done1 different kinds of waters1 made for the express purpose1 were passed over it by means of a little sponge fastened to the top of a reed4 ,history does not give the exact number of coups-de-soleil caught in this manner2 a few1 ,i should imagine4 ,however1 ,i can warrant the accuracy of my statement1 which is borrowed from a contemporary author of the highest standing4 ,the men of ,venice are neither handsome in the face nor well made in the body4 ,the ,venetian dialect is amusing2 in the mouth of a woman1 if well spoken1 it is pretty1 musical1 childlike1 lisping2 but in the mouth of a man1 for the most part1 muddy1 stammering1 unintelligible4 99 99 99 99 99 ,there1 much as still remains to say1 and willingly as ,i dwell on its memory1 ,i must discard ,venice1 and turn to your kind letter1 for it is now1 ,i am afraid1 more than a month since ,i last wrote4 ,this delay has1 however1 been unavoidable1 for when one is travelling1 or staying a short time in a place1 one is always hurried and flurried in the day-time1 and in the evening tired or excited--or both4 ,next time you hear from me 7which will be when ,i reach ,rome7 my communication will openly take the shape that this has imperceptibly been attaining1 that of a letter2 when ,i am once settled for the winter ,i shall1 ,i hope1 be better able to write au jour le jour4 ,before entering into your letter1 which will be a longish job1 ,i must acknowledge the receipt of one from ,papa1 containing part of my remittance2 it was written in most kind terms 7,i tell you this because you can't have seen it1 since he wrote in ,london71 and was1 ,i think1 the longest ,i ever got from him1 at all events it was the first in which he said anything beyond what was necessary to business4 ,it gave me sincere pleasure4 ,i was touched1 it seemed to me that distance had brought me nearer to him2 pray thank him both for that and for the consideration with which he has provided for an emergency which will in fact arise--that of my not reaching ,rome in ,october2 ,i do not expect to get there until the first week in ,november4 ,of one thing ,i must remind ,papa2 he talks of sending to ,rome the remaining eighty pounds of my second quarter2 he has1 ,i am afraid1 forgotten that he gave me sixty for my first2 my remittance this time is only forty pounds1 he therefore has only twenty to send to ,rome4 ,i now turn to your letter1 dear ,mamma2 ,i lay it by my side1 and as ,i read it slowly through1 answer it systematically1 head for head1 for in my present hurry ,i have indeed no time to pick and choose1 or to arrange my topics according to their importance and interest1 or even to consult as much as ,i wish the little amusement that my letters give you4 ,however1 ,i console myself a little with the reflection that it certainly is not the composition of my letters which gratifies you much1 for ,i am painfully aware that my ideas are brought to paper with about as much order as the footprints of a cock-sparrow show on a gravel-walk4 ,you say1 dear ,mamma1 that you have a fear of not telling me all that ,i wish to hear2 and there1 indeed1 you are right1 for if you were to tell me all that ,i wish to know about your doings1 you might write for a week2 but you are equally right in supposing that whatever you write concerning yourself 7and selves7 is full of interest to your distant ,punch4 ,about my health8 ,well1 ,i plead guilty1 steaks do still continue to be to me physical consciences2 this admonitory part they took more especially at ,venice1 where the climate1 ,i must confess1 did not agree with me particularly well4 ,this is perhaps attributable to the water1 which was particularly bad there1 for my diet was of the simplest description4 ,judge for yourself3 in the morning early1 coffee and dry bread 7,i have discarded butter to keep company with ,gamba1 who is not in the habit of eating any72 at eleven or so1 fruit and bread2 at four or five1 a simple dinner2 and in the evening1 an ice or a cup of coffee4 ,here ,i live much in the same way4 ,i am truly delighted to hear that you are accommodating yourself a little to an ,english climate2 if you once get over that one great obstacle1 nothing else need prevent your establishing yourself in the country which1 after all1 is still the dearest to you2 with the prospect of pleasant and desirable society for yourself and the girls1 and of other resources for ,papa1 there is every reason to hope that you will find in ,bath what you have so long wished for1 a home in ,england4 ,speaking of his elder sister's suffering1 he continues3-- ,i feel1 almost1 a kind of shame that so much should have been poured down on me1 who have deserved it less4 ,to become deserving of it1 must be my great1 never-wavering endeavour2 ,i will put my talent to usury1 and be no slothful steward of what has been entrusted to me4 ,every man who has received a gift1 ought to feel and act as if he was a field in which a seed was planted that others might gather the harvest4 ,i am delighted to hear that ,lady ,leighton is getting on well1 and as much gratified at having made on her a favourable impression2 pray tell her that her presence and conversation inspired me with a desire to please her1 and that her affectionate reception has still a lively hold on my memory4 ,you tell me that you were touched at ,steinle's kindness to me1 and indeed it was such as might well touch any one2 this time you will be touched at his affliction1 poor man1 he has just had a heavy misfortune--the most affectionate of fathers has lost another child1 the second1 in a year and a half2 ,i heard this from ,andre1 who has just arrived from ,frankfurt1 and who called on the unfortunate man before he started and found him much dejected4 ,he said in his melancholy but calm tone of voice3 ',ich habe eine ,tochter begraben4' ,you think it improbable that ,i shall find a second ,steinle2 ,i delight in the belief that there is none4 ,i am not surprised at your finding it impossible to imagine an artist without a genuine love for nature4 ,in any but an age of perverted taste such a thing could not exist2 but it is only too true that that most essential of qualities has become obsolete1 and is hardly to be found at all4 ,artists now are full of breadth and depth2 and1 between us and the doorpost1 flatness4 ,on this subject ,i mean to tell you more in my next letter1 when ,i speak more particularly of my artistic impressions and opinions1 which ,i have not yet done4 ,i am glad to hear what you tell me about the comfort you enjoy in ,bath1 from the superior cleanliness and decency of behaviour of ,english servants over foreign ones2 it is a thing to which ,i am particularly alive1 and which struck me very much last time ,i was in ,england2 ,gussy too1 ,i am sure1 appreciated it very much4 ,i am sorry that ,i cannot participate in your enthusiasm about the beauties of ,bath 7barring1 of course1 the situation1 which is charming71 but ,i will say nothing against it1 as ,i am only too glad that you should be pleased with it4 ,i quite follow you in your admiration of the edifices in ,westminster2 ,i think that1 taking them altogether1 they form one of the finest groups of architecture that ,i ever saw2 but what particularly pleases me in the ,houses of ,parliament is the example they set of building in that style of architecture which is our own1 the growth1 as it were1 of our soil1 and which therefore best befits our country4 ,such feelings1 ,i have reason to believe1 are becoming prevalent in ,england1 and they may have great results2 but ,i reserve all this for another letter4 ,i am glad to hear of the institution you tell me of for the cultivation of good principles2 ,i believe that the greatness of ,england will not be as ephemeral as that of the other nations that have had the lead in succession1 because so much is done to consolidate and increase in strength the basis on which it stands1 and which is the best prop to the enduring prosperity of a nation1 uprightness and morality4 ,i have now followed and answered your letter1 from beginning to end1 from point to point1 it is time ,i should close2 next time ,i write1 ,i shall be in ,rome1 settled for the winter4--,believe me1 dear ,mamma1 with very best love to all1 your most affectionate and dutiful son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,translation4 ,,venice1 #cast ,august4 ,,honoured ,,and ,,very ,,dear ,,herr ,,steinle1--,if ,i did not1 according to our agreement1 write to you directly ,rico#ai arrived1 it was because ,i could not make up my mind to put you off with two words1 whereas ,i had neither time nor leisure to write you anything detailed4 ,now1 however1 arrived and established in ,venice1 ,i take up my pen to repair the neglect4 ,it is a lovely1 cool1 clear summer morning2 ,i sit at my window on the ,grand ,canal1 and before my eyes rises in glorious beauty the incomparable outline of ,sta4 ,maria della ,salute with the adjoining ,dogano4 ,the newly risen sun 7it is five o'clock in the morning7 throws a golden1 enchanted light along one side of the ,canal2 the gondolas and barges1 which nestle in a numerous array at the steps of the ,salute1 glitter in the dusky distance like gleaming jewels on the borders of the silver mirror of the water1 whose clear bosom is gently ruffled by the soft breath of dawn4 ,all is still1 except the distant church bells4 ,what words can give an idea of such a sight8 ,i gaze about me in a day-dream and think of you1 the dear friend1 the honoured master2 all that ,i owe you for heartfelt sympathy and wise guidance1 and cannot pay1 rises before my grateful soul1 and reminds me that ,i have lost one whom ,i shall miss many a time4 ,i hope with all my heart that your stay in the mountains of ,appenzell will have given you fresh strength1 and that in all respects you are re-established and invigorated according to your expectations4 ,now1 however1 as ,i am to speak of myself1 and to give some account of my impressions on my journey1 ,i note that for me the potent picture of ,italy1 of ,venice1 has pushed all that went before into the background1 almost blotted it out1 so that now it floats before me like a dim remembrance2 but with two exceptions3 two pictures have impressed themselves deeply on my memory1 and will certainly not be easily erased--,i mean the ,franciscan church at ,innsbruck and lovely ,meran4 ,you were indeed right when you said that the cast giants in that church are the grandest achievement of ,german sculpture2 they are colossal1 a truly imposing spectacle1 brilliant monuments of an age of noble taste4 ,what eternal truth6 ,what an amazing impress of individuality6 ,of marvellous execution that never borders on the little1 full of breadth and strength1 and yet nobly slender1 they are the most perfect example of economy of detail2 what a sharp contrast to the superficial stone-hammering 7,i might say7 of to-day2 what an everlasting shaming to the nineteenth century6 ,i could name many sculptors who could not look at these things without profit4 ,meran6 ,what an indelible1 fascinating picture floats before one's eyes at the name2 this ,alpha and ,omega of all that is lovely in ,tyrol2 this lovely amphitheatre of mountains1 rugged on one side1 and steep and covered with snow on the other1 glowing in the purple gleam of the south--widely extended1 melting away1 alluring2 this fertile plain2 this gold-green flood of climbing vines1 hanging down like waterfalls from the espaliers on the mountain slopes1 with the purple foam of the vines2 these thousand pleasure-houses and castles2 the picturesque costume6 ,but why so many words8 ,you have seen this beauty yourself1 and have no doubt a clearer picture of it than ,i can paint for you4 ,in ,botzen1 to my very great regret1 ,i was unable to see ,herr von ,hempel1 since he was staying1 not in his town house1 but in a castle at a distance of two hours2 but ,i visited ,becker's brother4 ,he received me in a most friendly manner1 asked much after his brother1 of whom he had heard nothing for more than a year1 and told me that his mother1 who had recently visited him in ,feldkirch1 had wept bitterly about it4 ,i must also inform you that he has recently taken unto himself a wife--a fact of which our good ,jacob 7that is his name1 is it not87 also knew nothing4 ,i could still1 dear ,herr ,steinle1 write much to you about ,tyrol and ,italy 7especially about ,verona71 for ,i know no one with whom ,i so gladly share my artistic sensations as with you1 but lack of time obliges me to close quickly for the present2 ,i will only add that after ,i had been two days in ,verona the worthy ,rico arrived1 and we are now having a feast of art in ,venice together4 ,should you be still at the ,stift when you receive these lines1 ,i beg you to kiss the ,frau ,rath's hand for me1 and to tell her that ,i remember vividly the day ,i spent in her house4 ,remember me most kindly to your wife--,i congratulate her upon her deliverance from the ,cronberg martyrdom2 kiss the little children for me1 and remember me to the elder ones2 remember me also to ,frau ,schoeff ,co4 and to all my other good friends2 this is perhaps rather a large request1 but whom could ,i omit8 ,i rely upon your kindness4 ,i close with a plea for forbearance towards my incorrigible writing and my lame1 headlong style4--,heartfelt greetings from your devoted and grateful pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,p4,s4--,should you have anything to say to me1 or any commission to give me1 the address1 ,poste ,restante1 ,florence1 will find me till the end of ,september4 ,gamba wishes to be cordially remembered to you1 and promises himself to be under your wing again in eighteen months4 ,in my next letter ,i will tell you about ,italy4 ,,footnotes3 #ac ,in the winter of #ahde ,leighton went to a children's costume ball in ,florence as ,punch1 and for some time after the name clung to him in his family4 #ad ,literally1 devoured nature with a spoon4 #ae ,a distinguished actress4 #af ,probably ,the ,death of ,brunelleschi4 #ag ,see ,appendix1 ,in ,memoriam4 #ah ,see sketch1 ,a ,monk ,dividing ,enemies1 ,leighton ,house ,collection1 ,ulm1 #aheb4 #ai ,count ,gamba4 ,,chapter ,,ii ,,rome #aheb-ahee ,the first group of letters from ,leighton to his family from ,rome tells of his instalment1 his projects1 his disappointments1 his indifferent health1 and his eye-troubles4 ,but more important are the views he expresses on his artistic impressions1 and the ideas which force themselves on his mind1 resulting from these impressions2 the increased anxiety with which he regards the task he has set before him2 the paralysing diffidence which he feels with regard to composing4 ,in the letter he wrote on ,january #e1 #ahec1 he enters more intimately into his own feelings in addressing his father than in any previous letter ,i have seen4 ,this letter is in answer to one from his father1 which ,leighton describes in writing to his mother#bj as the longest ,i ever got from him1 at all events it was the first in which he said anything beyond what was necessary to business2 it gave me sincere pleasure4 ,i was touched2 it seemed to me that distance had brought me nearer to him4 ,leighton was evidently eager to respond to any advance from his father towards possible intimacy on the ground of his art-interests4 ,in ,pebbles he writes that he opens the introductory chapter of the second volume of his life1 a volume on the title-page of which is written 'artist'2 in these first letters from ,rome he begins the second volume itself4 ,the letter to his younger sister1 on her coming out1 contains at its close memorable advice on the subject of the development of her musical taste4#ba ,you must descend into yourself1 and draw at the fountain of your own natural taste1 but mind you go very deep1 that you may really get at your genuine1 natural taste1 and ,i think you won't go far wrong4 ,he who knows how to hear the voice of nature has found the safest guide1 and he only is a good master who opens the mind of his pupil to that voice4 ,at the age of twenty-one1 ,leighton had realised1 and was himself pursuing1 the only right course in studying any art4 ,by invariably drawing deeply from the fountain in his own nature1 he ever remained true and sincere as an artist4 ,it is evident that1 if there is no fountain to draw from in a nature1 any study of art becomes useless1 and ,leighton1 when consulted in later years1 never encouraged false hopes in those who possessed no natural endowments4 ,when he wrote1#bb being very receptive and prone to admire1 ,i have learnt1 and still do1 from innumerable artists1 big and small2 ,steinle's is1 however1 the indelible seal1 he referred to the fact that in ,steinle he had fortunately found the master who opened his mind to the voice of his own nature4 ,leighton felt a great necessity to sift the various influences which played upon his receptive nature1 on account of his ready sympathy with all that was admirable4 ,he had constantly to seek for that inner light1 that genuine1 natural taste1 which his revered master had led him to search for and find1 and to act from the dictates of that light1 and from no other4 ,the commencement of the first letter from ,rome to his mother is missing2 the date of the post-mark is ,november #be1 #aheb1 ,rome4 444unnoticed1 and which now requires to be woven in with the rest4 ,i mean1 of course1 my more directly and practically artistic impressions1 and their results4 ,i take them up 'ab ovo4' ,to an artist an occasional change of scene is of the greatest advantage1 if not importance2 for1 generally speaking1 when he has stayed long in one place1 surrounded day after day by the same objects1 his eye becomes1 by the deadening effect of constant habit1 indifferent to what he sees around him1 and often even inaccessible to the impressions which a newcomer might receive from the same natural beauties2 most things that please the eye or the imagination1 do so 7in my case1 at least7 by some peculiar association2 indeed ,i should imagine it must be so with all things1 for even when one cannot 7as one often can7 define precisely the association which creates the echo within of the impressions received1 it seems to me that one is instinctively aware of a kind of indefinable innate relationship to the beauties manifested in nature1 to which1 by-the-bye1 ,i think1 all other associations might ultimately be traced through different degrees of consanguinity4 ,it is in being unexpectedly reminded 7however indirectly or unwittingly7 of this affinity1 that lies all the pleasure that we experience by the means of sight2 indeed1 it strikes me1 although ,i am too ignorant to explain why1 that the 'feu sacre' of the artist is a kind of inward1 spontaneous1 ever active1 instinctive impulse1 blind and involuntary1 to manifest and put forth this his pedigree--as it were a yearning of son to father1 an attraction of a part to the whole1 which is1 as it were1 the living motive and condition of his existence1 and which sometimes infuses in his works 'un non so che' that is felt by others1 but for which he would be at a loss to account1 and of which he is perhaps barely aware2 it is a manifestation of a truth which is felt to be fit1 and called beautiful4 ,these reflections1 which have often involuntarily forced themselves on me1 suddenly remind me of an expression ,i once heard ,papa quote from some ,german philosopher1 ,i think ,hegel3 ',der ,mensch ist das ,werkzeug der ,natur4' ,good gracious1 where am ,i running to8 and how far out of my depth6 and yet one feels the want to empty one's head a little now and then2 latterly1 especially1 these ideas have been stirred up in me by the perusal of fragments on the theory1 philosophy1 of ,art1 c41 by ,eastlake1 which gave rise in me to some painful feelings4 ,at the first onset ,i was amazed and bewildered at the quantity and great versatility of ,eastlake's acquirements1 a man who has yet found time to cultivate his art with success4 ,i was filled with regret and mortification when ,i looked at myself and considered how little ,i know1 and how little1 comparatively1 my health and eyes will allow me to add to my meagre store4 ,as ,i got further into the subject1 my feelings altered2 it seemed to me to grow more and more vast and comprehensive1 but not more intricate1 for it appeared by degrees to embrace and involve in itself 7and be involved in7 all human knowledge1 so that ,i felt that there must be only one key to all mystery1 the non-possession of which key is the characteristic1 the condition des ,menschseins4 ,then it struck me as utterly absurd for anybody to pretend to know anything about anything2 but it also struck me that it is not given to man to be a neutral spectator1 that he must advance or recede2 and that beautiful saying of ,lessing's1 which ,papa read to us1 occurred to my mind3 ',wenn der ,allmaechtige' 7,i quote from memory1 and therefore probably not quite correctly7 'vor mich hin traete in der ,rechten die vollkommene ,erkenntnis1 in der ,linken ein ewiges ,streben nach ,wahrheit1 ich wuerfe mich flehend in seine ,linke und sagte3 ,vater1 gieb6 die reine ,wahrheit ist doch nur ,dir allein6'#bc ,i hardly meant to say all this1 especially as it must seem horridly weak to a philosopher of ,papa's calibre1 but ,i really could not help it2 ,i wish such thoughts would never come into my head1 for ,i am painfully aware that ,i have not the grasp of mind to investigate any abstract subject deeply1 and ,i wish that ,i had a mind1 simple and unconscious1 even as a child4 ,i hurry back to the point with my tail between my legs2 ,i was saying1 was not ,i8 that habit deadens us 7read me7 to the suggestive qualities of nature1 and that change of scene is sometimes required to make us again aware of nature2 after such change she speaks a more eloquent language than ever2 ,i have heard her voice1 ever since ,i left ,frankfurt1 ring more powerfully than ever before1 and it has been the key to all that ,i have done1 and to all that ,i have omitted4 ,but there are some cases in which this numbing effect of habit has more lasting1 almost irrevocable consequences2 when one has been for a long space of time utterly familiarised with an object 7a work of art in particular7 of which one did not1 when the acquaintance or liaison was contracted1 appreciate all the beauties1 though in process of time the understanding may become fully aware of these qualities1 the heart of the mind--if ,i may use such an expression--can never feel that ingenuous fulness of admiration which would penetrate a sensitive and cultivated spectator on seeing it for the first time4 ,this ,i have felt more particularly in the case of the ',transfiguration' here in the ,vatican2 ,i am so utterly familiar with it from a child1 when ,i could in no way understand it1 that ,i find it impossible to judge of it objectively2 ,i see colossal merit in it1 and yet1 when ,i have looked at it for a few minutes1 ,i turn away and walk on2 ,i am deadened to it4 ,thank ,god1 it is not so with his 7,raphael's7 divine frescoes1 which are so maimed and profaned in the engravings that the originals were new to me4 ,but ,i am at the end of my paper1 and as you do not wish me to cross1 ,i must this time close by just telling you what my disappointments have been1 that you may not form a false idea of them4 ,first1 ,i expected to find an atmosphere of high art1 and every possible 'guenstige ,anregung' for its cultivation2 in this ,i have been completely disappointed2 of the numberless artists here1 scarcely any can call themselves historical painters1 and ,gamba and ,i1 who hoped for emulation1 are thrown completely on ourselves2 ,overbeck is the only remains of that much to be regretted period when he and ,cornelius and ,veit and ,steinle and others were labouring together in friendly strife2 he will1 however1 never be to us what ,steinle was4 ,the next greatest sore point was the difficulty of getting a studio4 ,when we arrived in ,rome the first thing we heard was that all the ateliers were taken2 and it was only after some days despondent search that ,i got a little bit of one most skimpingly furnished1 that ,i should have sneered at when ,i first arrived4 ,i have no secretaire2 ,i am obliged to lock up my papers with my shirts2 ,i have been obliged to buy a lamp1 for the one they gave me tried my eyes2 and if ,i want any article of furniture ,i must buy it1 because ,i understand that at the end of the year hiring costs as much here as buying4 ,my atelier for next winter ,i shall take in the spring1 as a good many become vacant at that time4 ,rome is twice1 nearly three times1 dearer than ,florence in some respects2 ,i am in despair2 ,gamba1 who has just half what ,i have1 absolutely starves himself in his food1 and can hardly keep himself cleanly dressed2 yet he has fewer expenses than ,i1 who have calls to make now and then1 and must dress accordingly4 ,oakes1 too1 who had sent me a charming letter to ,florence1 saying that he delighted in the idea of coming to spend the winter with me in ,rome1 was suddenly prevented2 this was a bitter disappointment2 ,i had expected a great deal of improvement from his conversation4 ,i am in the bleak position of one who stands in immediate contact with no cultivated and superior mind4 ,the ,laings have not come yet2 ,i hope to goodness they won't disappoint me also4--,i remain1 dearest ,mamma1 your dutiful and affectionate son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 7,la suite a un prochain numero47 #aheb4 ,,dearest ,,gussy1--,as a gallant brother1 ,i can't well do less than answer separately your postscript to ,mamma's letter4 ,i shall make a point1 if ,i meet with it1 of reading ,andersen's ',dichterleben'2 your recommendation is sufficient to predispose me favourably4 ,i perfectly understand what you say about ,st4 ,paul's1 and quite agree with you on that subject4 ,what suits a salmon-coloured ribbon8 ,by ,george1 that's a weighty question1 and requires mature reflection2 it would look best on a white dress with blue flowers or spots2 a sea-green would not look bad1 and on black silk it would be distingue2 a bluish violet would not be bad either4 ,i am sincerely sorry that ,i am not able to 'assister' at your triumphal entry into your eighteenth year2 ,i am afraid the spell is beginning to fall by degrees from the greatest of days4 ,if my directions have been attended to1 ,i was present by proxy on the memorable occasion4 ,do you fully appreciate the immense importance of the epoch8 ,do you sufficiently feel that you are on the brink of being ,,out8 ,you are very much mistaken in supposing that ,i hear much good music here2 there is little or none to hear2 the theatres1 at least1 are all bad4 ,i sincerely hope that you cultivate assiduously the talent with which you are blessed2 especially the vocal part ,i am very anxious about2 of course you will take lessons in ,bath4 ,i sympathise very much with you on the want of ,rosenhain's guiding influence2 ,i fully appreciate your difficulty2 you must descend into yourself1 and draw at the fountain of your own natural taste1 but mind you go very deep1 that you may really get at your genuine1 natural taste1 and ,i think you won't go far wrong4 ,he who knows how to hear the voice of nature has found the safest guide1 and he only is a good master who opens the mind of his pupil to that voice4--,believe me1 with many kisses1 your very affectionate brother1 ,,fred4 ,if ,gussy did want to be a charitable ,christian1 she would copy in her pretty handwriting five lines a day of my horrid scrawl1 for ,i am ashamed that my ,pebbles should remain in such a state4 ,,bath1 ,sunday1 ,november #bi1 #aheb4 ,,my ,,beloved ,,child1--,i need not tell you how close an account ,i keep of the day of the month1 nor how my heart beats as the foreign post hour approaches1 because you know how tenderly ,i love you1 and what it cost me to part from you1 and consequently how anxiously ,i look for the consolation for your absence which your letters afford me1 and ,i had hoped you would supply this balm liberally4 ,of course while you were actually travelling ,i made every allowance for weariness1 c4 c41 but if you have carried out your intentions1 you must have been in ,rome quite ten days1 and though ,i said in my last ,i hoped for the future you would leave only three weeks between each of your letters home1 it is now more than a calendar month since ,i had last the great happiness of seeing your handwriting4 ,i would not1 my love1 be unreasonable1 but you must remember that1 in addition to the natural desire to hear how you manage for yourself1 my maternal anxieties have been awakened by the indisposition you spoke of as not serious1 it is true1 but which has started up before me1 explaining your delay in writing1 and which1 in spite of reason's suggestion that a slight illness would not hinder your work1 whilst ,gamba would prevent the addition of suspense to the trouble a serious attack would cause us1 has brought the evil of separation very bitterly before me4 ,the goodness of your heart1 my child1 will teach you how you can soften this to me2 it is one of the few occasions remaining to you to exercise self-denial1 as you live alone and have no one to please but yourself4 ,i now and then wonder a little anxiously whether you ever think of my exhortations1 so much have ,i wished that you should be in the retirement of your house as gentlemanly as you are in company4 ,but then ,i recollect sentences in your letter1 proving such right views in important matters1 such a clear understanding of your responsibilities1 that ,i resolve to believe that you will strive to do right in small matters as well as in great ones2 indeed1 my child1 ,i have remarked with deep satisfaction your appreciation of the blessings that are allotted to you1 and indeed you do right to enjoy them with all humility1 for ,i cannot flatter you in opposition to the dictates of my conscience that you are so well deserving of happiness as your poor sister4 ,she is deserving of the highest respect of all1 bearing all her trials with admirable patience4 ,the persevering rain1 which has caused a great deal of illness in ,bath1 has had a very bad effect on her1 throwing her back just as she was beginning to mend1 so that she has a great deal of rough ground to go over again4 ,we revel in literary abundance1 even ,german and ,french books are in the circulating libraries1 and ,i often wish the days longer to read and to work4 ,gussy says she hopes you will not think her ill-natured if she declines copying your letters1 for1 indeed1 were she willing to undertake this difficult task1 ,i should forbid it1 as her eyes1 always delicate1 are unusually weak2 whether this comes from too long confinement to the house1 or from crying1 ,i cannot say2 the latter is produced by ,heimweh6 what do you think of this for an ,english girl8 ,thank ,god1 she employs the best remedy against regretful feelings1 as she is occupied from morning till night4 ,are you equally industrious8 ,i read the other day the following assertion by ,southey1 which ,i copy for you1 in case you should still have the habit1 so common amongst young people1 of wasting during the day occasional quarter-hours or ten minutes1 because1 they ask1 only such a few minutes1 how often have ,i heard that excuse4 ,this is the portion3 ',ten minutes' daily study1 for seven years1 will give the student sufficient knowledge of seven languages to read them with ease1 and even to travel without an interpreter in the respective countries4' ,is not this an encouragement to industry8 ,we imagine you by this time settled in your lodging and beginning to feel at home4 ,god grant that you may have your health there and meet with kind friends2 we are curious to know what your letters will do for you4 ,in the meantime you will1 ,i doubt not1 have met some old acquaintances--the ,henry ,walpoles1 the ,laings1 ,mr4 ,petre1 the ,isembourgs1 and ,princess ,hohenlohe2 to what amount the latter will condescend1 ,i know not1 but remember1 ,i entreat you1 my advice4 ,the two former families you will most likely have first met at church2 let me hope at least that you will not abandon the habit2 it may at last bring a blessing upon you4 ,the intentions of your ,frankfurt acquaintances we learnt in a letter from ,mme4 ,beving2 she had heard from ,m4 ,fenzi that he had given you a general invitation to his villa1 and that you had dined with him1 or been asked to do so2 ,i do not know whether he made any comment on you4 ,did your organ of veneration do its duty8 ,forgive my hints1 dear son2 all your good qualities are pictured in lively colours before my eye1 but ,i do not even try to forget your faults1 lest ,i should neglect my duty to you2 with the best resolutions we all occasionally require a fillip to our conscience4 ,next ,friday is your birthday4 ,it will be the first on which you have not received your parents' blessing in person4 ,we shall not forget you1 my darling4 ,god bless you1 my own dear ,freddy2 in this prayer your father joins most fervently2 think often of the advice and love of your devoted mother1 ,a4 ,,leighton4 ,illustration3 ,,costumi ,,di ,,procida4 ,rome1 #ahec #a ,,brock ,,street1 ,,bath1 ,december #ac1 #aheb4 ,,dear ,,frederic1--,i need not say that we had all of us great pleasure in receiving your letter from ,rome1 though not before your dear mother had suffered great anxiety from the delay--the greater1 because your former letter did not give a very encouraging account of your health4 ,it gave us also great pain to hear of the vexatious disappointments which have attended your first entrance into the ,eternal ,city1 but this was1 perhaps1 to be expected1 as the sanguine expectations of youth are seldom realised1 and we may hope that by this time you will have found in other advantages and opportunities for improvement a sufficient compensation for the loss of those you had expected4 ,what you say about the weakness of your eyesight is far more serious1 and1 indeed1 would have occasioned us alarm if we did not hope and believe that you meant no more than we already knew at ,frankfort1 that your eyes were weak1 and not that they had continued to grow weaker4 ,but when ,i consider that your only means of acquiring an honourable independence and gratifying your laudable ambition depends upon your eyesight1 ,i surely need no arguments to urge you in the strongest manner to use all those precautions for its preservation which your own good sense must suggest--to throw aside your brush or pencil the first moment that your eyes begin to smart or water1 not to draw on white paper or by candlelight 7or lamp or any artificial light71 nor read except large print1 nor small print even by daylight1 except for a few minutes occasionally in a book of reference1 and to acquire as much knowledge as you can1 independently of books1 by conversation with well-informed men1 if you are so fortunate as to meet with them2 when you cannot paint1 talk1 or observe1 exercise your memory1 it will store and cultivate your mind more and try your eyes less than reading1 which in your case cannot be systematically pursued4 ,you may perhaps meet some well-informed young men amongst the ,german artists4 ,above all1 draw your compositions as large as possible 7or rather as necessary for your eyes7 and not such as your architectural drawings1 ,four ,seasons1 c41 which contain so many objects minutely drawn4 ,i suppose1 likewise1 that chalk and charcoal must be better than pencil1 and the paint-brush better than either4 ,you have no reason to complain either of want of ideas or of power of expressing them 7at all events with your pen71 however deficient you may think yourself in a command of language for conversation2 but the fact is that1 considering the distance that separates us1 it is of much more importance to us to know how you are1 what you do1 and what you observe1 than what you think4 ,your letters remind me of my friend1 ,dr4 ,simpson of ,york1 who1 when we sat down for dinner1 would enter into some abstract discussion1 say1 of the nature and varieties of fish1 or1 a propos of the aitch-bone1 on the homologies of the skeleton1 while in the meantime fish and beef were growing cold and my appetite impatiently vivacious2 so in your letters1 while we are burning with impatience to know how you are1 what progress you are making1 or at all events what are your opportunities of progress in the art1 you indulge us with abstract reflections on the theory of art in general4 ,your last letter1 it is true1 begins and ends with interesting matter1 but with an interpolation of some three pages of disquisition on the nature of genius in art1 c41 c41 which1 however well thought or expressed1 would be more in place in an essay than in your letter to us who are so much more interested in what immediately concerns yourself4 ,the consequence is that1 although with a praiseworthy wish to please us you have tried your eyes with a long letter1 you have omitted much we were anxious to know--whether1 for instance1 you were conscious of having made any progress1 or derived any advantage from the many pictures both in art and nature you have had so many opportunities of seeing2 whether you had been making many1 and what sketches or copies1 for we are quite convinced that you have not been losing your time2 whether you have been comparing what you can do with what other artists of about your age and standing in ,italy can do1 and whether the result is satisfactory2 whether there are any among them from whom you can take any useful hints2 whether ,overbeck or any other competent artist is willing to assist you2 whether1 above all1 you saw ,power at ,florence1 and what he thought of your compositions2 whether you find in ,rome the material advantages you expected in the way of models1 c41 and whether you will think it advisable to draw from the antique--the ,apollo1 ,torso1 c42 in short1 ,i cannot too strongly impress upon you that one fact is of more value to us than a volume of reflections4 ,of course1 ,i would not have you infer that the progress of your mind1 your thoughts and feelings1 are by any means a matter of indifference to us1 but after all they can be only imperfectly shown in occasional letters1 and must necessarily exclude information of a more positive and1 for the present1 of a more important nature4 ,let me caution you1 too1 against reading any of the modern ,german works on aesthetics2 they can be only imperfectly understood without a knowledge of the philosophies1 of which they form a part1 and any advantage you may derive from them will not be at all commensurate to the time and trouble1 especially for you who have so much positive knowledge to acquire4 ,if1 however1 any of your ,german friends can convey to you in conversation any clear ideas on the subject 7and if they have them themselves there is no reason why they should not71 well and good1 but do not let them impose upon you1 as they so often do upon themselves1 with words either without any well-defined meaning1 or one different from1 or even the direct contrary1 of the usual one4 ,according to ,hegel1 for instance1 'das ,schoene1 ist das scheinen' 7,schoene from scheinen7 'der ,idee durch ein sinnliches ,medium4' ,now every artist knows without ,hegel that his idea1 or1 if he prefers to think so1 nature's idea within and through him1 appears or manifests itself in the sensuous material1 in colours if he be a painter1 or stone if he be a sculptor1 but this would be worse than trite1 it would be intelligible to a plain understanding4 ,idee has a far deeper meaning4 ,if you hear a ,german flourishing away with the magic word1 ask him what he means4 ,he will tell you1 perhaps1 that it is das ,absolute or der objective ,geist as distinguished from the ,begriff or subjectiver ,geist1 or rather the indifference of both1 and that is neither one nor t'other1 but potentially either1 or the an sich1 or an und fuer sich1 or rather the an1 fuer1 ueber sich2 at last after much hin und herreiten you get some faint glimmering of what is meant2 perhaps what some people call the soul in nature1 or in still plainer ,english1 nature1 or the unknown cause of all we see1 not an abstraction but a real entity1 impersonal1 however1 and therefore not a god1 acting according to certain laws1 unconsciously in external nature 7in ihrem ,anders'sein7 coming to itself--acting consciously in man1 but more reflectively in science1 more instructively in art4 ,well1 you have caught the ,idee at last 7perhaps67 through its many ,proteus-like changes and recognise an old friend after all--scratch your head1 and ask whether you are any wiser than before4 ',das scheinen der ,idee durch ein sinnliches ,material'--in the ,madonna of ,raphael1 for instance--'ist das ,schoene4' ,why then1 says ,punch1 not equally so in the pork-pie and the mustard-pot1 since the ,idee manifests itself equally in both4 ,the ,german solves the difficulty by ,sie sind ein practischer ,englaender1 und haben keinen speculativen ,geist4 ,in the meantime1 let us hope that nature will use you as her tool to carry out in colours and canvas some of her beautiful ideas1 and leave it to the ,german to find out how the practical ,englishman who has not read ,hegel's ,a,esthetics has set about it4 ,that you may accomplish this to the utmost extent of your wishes is the sincere wish of1 dear ,fred1 your affectionate father1 ,,fredc4 ,,leighton4 ,p4,s4--,werkzeug der ,natur is an idea by no means peculiar to ,hegel4 ,your birthday-- ,dearest ,mamma1 may it be a right happy one--one that may serve1 and be used1 as a pattern to cut out others on4 ,judging by your accounts1 there is one among you who will contribute mirth to your enjoyment--one who takes as many shapes as ,proteus1 and is always the most welcome of guests2 his name is ,bettering4 ,in this world confident expectation is a greater blessing1 almost1 than fruition4 ,i too1 if my directions have been followed 7as ,i confidingly hope71 shall have appeared to you on the great day as good as gold4 ,how grieved ,i was1 dearest ,mother1 to hear that ,i had given so much pain to the kindest of hearts6 ,my excuse1 such as it was1 you got in my last letter1 which reached probably the day after you posted your epistle to me2 ,i was sincerely sorry2 ,i had not1 ,i must confess1 any idea of anxious suspense on your part1 as you were not in expectation of any particular news2 ,i shall in future try to be more deserving of your solicitude2 this time1 you see1 ,i am punctual4 ,health ,report4 ,taking all in all1 tol4 sat41 owing1 no doubt1 to the unusually magnificent weather which we have had since ,i arrived here2 rheumatism1 average2 colds1 not more than usual2 eyes8444 hum 444 might be better2 ,i suppose macaroni 'al burro' are not unwholesome--,i and ,gamba and several others eat it nearly every day4 ,i now turn to your letter4 ,little ,gussy an authoress6 dear child1 it gives one unfeigned pleasure to hear of her successful debut4 ,i have myself had no opportunity of judging of her talent for writing1 but feel convinced that with her warm heart1 impressionable soul1 sterling understanding1 and quick powers of observation1 whatever she writes will please a healthy taste4 ,she has my very best wishes4 ,and yet1 what slight cloud was that1 ,i felt pass over my pleasure1 casting 7,i could not help it7 an undefined shadow on my heart8 ,did not ,i feel startled at being so palpably reminded that the child ,gussy no longer exists8 ,did ,i not seem to feel1 disagreeably1 that the bridge was cut down behind us1 that the last tie was broken that1 in ,gussy's person1 still linked us to childhood1 the buoyantly confiding age1 the irresponsible age8 ,did not ,i become1 through her1 painfully aware that when ,i took leave of you1 you all sealed with your kiss the first volume of my life1 that ,i am indeed launched into the second1 that the rehearsal is indeed over and the curtain drawn up8 ,and do ,i not feel1 even now1 a hypocrite1 to know my path1 and yet so often to deviate from it8 ,write often1 dear ,mother6 ,the hint you gave me about husbanding my time1 ,i shall take to heart2 it is a thing of which ,i myself full well feel the necessity and know the unfailing benefit2 but ,i confess that when ,i read your quotation from ',bob1' ,i felt irresistibly reminded of the question once put to sage and wise courtiers by the facetious monarch 'who never said a foolish thing1 and never did a wise one1' viz4 ,why is a tub of water with a goose in it lighter than one without8 ',god help thee1 ,southey1 and thy readers too6' 7,byron74 ,your next question is3 ,am ,i comfortably settled in ,rome8 ,well1 ,i am happy to say that since the first week or fortnight my prospects have been slowly but steadily brightening1 one cloud after another has passed away1 and though ,i do not expect to see the bright sky of fulfilled expectations quite unveiled1 yet ,i look forward to the enjoyment sooner or later of contentment4 ,i wrote my last letter in a tone of considerable disheartenment1 which ,i was indeed labouring under2 perhaps it was the triumph of a selfish feeling that made me communicate my woes to you when it was not in your power to mend them2 but yet it is such a relief to feel that there are those who are not indifferent to our grievances1 who rejoice when we rejoice1 and weep when we weep2 and then1 too1 it seemed to me that perhaps a word from you might throw a new light on my position and give me new reason to be comforted4 ,meanwhile1 altered circumstances have reassured me on some points1 and my own reason has pacified me on others which ,i saw to be irremediable2 the prospect of emulation of a peculiar kind1 such as ,i found in ,steinle1 and generally speaking in the ,german school 7,i do not mean the emulation of industry which ,i find amply in ,gamba1 or in the science of the art which ,i have lately discovered amongst certain young ,frenchmen1 but that which affects the animating spirit of the art1 the spiritual taste1 the tendency of one's thoughts71 ,i have entirely renounced2 the visions that ,i had 7,god knows why1 for ,i don't think ,i ever expected to grasp them7 of a time like that of ,steinle's sojourn in ,rome1 when so many master-minds were united together in friendly strife1 all inspired by the same spirit1 all going hand in hand--have all faded away1 and only linger in my mind as a sweet regretted image1 like the gentle glow of twilight in the western sky when the cold moon is already in the heavens4 ,but ,i have1 on the other hand1 seen reason to believe that this will turn out for my good2 that it is proper that ,i should1 once for all1 and in all things1 accustom myself to the idea that ,i am1 or should be1 a self-dependent and self-actuated being1 accountable to myself for good and for evil2 that ,i must therefore learn to build and rely on my own resources1 and remember the most important of truths1 that if the growth of my art is to be healthy1 lasting1 fruit-bearing1 it must1 though fostered from without1 be rooted deeply in1 and receive its vital sap from the soil of my own mind4 ,still1 ,i have thought it good to hang up in my studio a work of ,cornelius and one or two of ,steinle1 to animate myself by dwelling constantly on an idea of excellence 7not ideal1 ,i hate such stuff7 irrespective of the specific mode in which it is manifested2 and in this ,i think ,i have chosen the juste milieu--so far my reason4 ,yet ,i do not deny that ,i every now and then feel longings and regrets that make me feel the truth of those lovely words-- ',we look before and after1 ,and pine for what is not2 ,our sincerest laughter ,with some pain is fraught4' ,among the irremediable disappointments on which ,i have to put the best face1 is that of not seeing ,oakes here this winter4 ,from a man of warm feelings1 of tastes congenial to my own1 of a cultivated and liberal mind1 ,i had hoped to derive much pleasure and especially advantage1 and thus to have supplied in some measure the void which must arise 7and1 alas6 remain7 in my brain from want of time1 want of robuster health1 want of eyes4 ,a friendship1 too1 of mutual seeking is so agreeable a thing4 ,matters stand so3 when ,i was in ,florence ,i received from him a letter full of a kind and friendly spirit1 in which he seized with eagerness at the idea of spending a winter with me in ,rome2 he was already in ,paris1 where he was in treaty with a travelling servant in order to continue his journey2 he had written to you 7did you get the letter87 to know where he was most likely to catch me up2 he was anticipating the enjoyment we should find together in ,venice1 or in ,florence1 or wherever we should meet2 this letter has been waiting for me a month at the post4 ,i arrive in ,rome1 and look anxiously about for ,oakes1 who1 ,i suppose1 must already have arrived2 no ,oakes--no news--suspense--despair2 at last a letter3 he has been recalled from ,paris2 he is obliged1 willy nilly1 to stand for his borough 7,conservative1 ,ministerial72 he is an ,m4,p4 ,another disappointment1 hitherto1 is the non-arrival of the ,laings2 ,i had promised myself great enjoyment in ,isabel's society2 the footing on which we stand is such an agreeable one3 enough familiarity 7for old friendship's sake7 to make our intercourse easy--a relaxation2 enough restraint to refine it and make it improving2 she plays1 too4 ,music6 ,how ,i yearn for music1 which ,i never hear in the land best adapted to foster it2 music1 that humanises the soul1 that calls forth all that is refined and elevated and glowing and impassioned in one's breast1 and without which the very lake of one's heart 7'il lago del cuore1' ,dante7 stagnates and is congealed4 ,i express myself extravagantly1 but my words flow from my heart4 ,again1 the studio1 which ,i at last found1 though snug and cheerful1 very 7let's give the devil his due71 is1 in its professional capacity1 bad beyond description2 the light is execrable2 ,i could not dream of painting a picture in it 7thank ,god1 ,i have only taken it till spring71 scarcely even a portrait1 'which is absurd1' ,euclid1 hem4 ,what a list of lucubrations6 for goodness' sake1 let me look at the gay side of the picture4 ,it has been a great comfort to me all through that all the artists resident here1 whom ,i have spoken to on the subject1 felt on first arriving the same kind of disappointment that ,i did1 and that all by degrees have acquired the conviction that1 after all1 it's the best place in the world for study4 ,i have myself begun to feel what an incalculable advantage it is always to have models at your disposition whenever1 and however1 you want them2 ,i look forward1 too1 with the greatest delight to the studies that ,i shall make this summer in the exquisitely beautiful spots to which the artists always take refuge from the heat and malaria of ,rome4 ,i long to find myself again face to face with ,nature1 to follow it1 to watch it1 and to copy it1 closely1 faithfully1 ingenuously--as ,ruskin suggests1 'choosing nothing1 and rejecting nothing4' ,i have come to the conviction that the best way for an historical painter to bring himself home to ,nature1 in his own branch of the art1 is strenuously to study landscape1 in which he has not had the opportunity1 as in his own walk1 of being crammed with prejudices1 conventional1 flat--academical4 ,but ,i am getting to the end of my paper1 and ,i have as yet said but little to the point2 ,i have not yet answered ,papa's question about my sketching1 and therefore that ,i may not seem to be shirking the point1 ,i shall just tell you that amongst the sketches that ,i have made 7mostly architectural7 are some by far the best ,i ever did4#bd ,i have also to justify ,marryat about not writing2 ,i got his letters the other day with a kind note to say that he had been ill2 that to the ,princess ,doria has availed me nothing1 as she is in mourning for her father1 ,lord ,shrewsbury2 that to the ,prince ,massimo has opened to me at once two of the first and most exclusive houses in ,rome1 those of his two sisters1 the ,princess ,lancelotti and the ,duchess del ,drago4 ,enough for to-day4 ,good-bye1 dearest ,mother4 ,very best love to all4 ,think often of your dutiful and affectionate son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,i am ashamed to think of the time ,i have taken writing this letter2 not from want of ideas1 not from any great difficulty in expressing them1 but from the great difficulty ,i have in getting at them1 controlling them1 holding them fast4 ',a saucepan without a handle4 ,soup without a spoon4' ,,via ,,di ,,porta ,,pinciana1 ,n4 #h4 ,,roma1 ,,via ,,di ,,porta ,,pinciana1 ,n4,v4 7,postmark1 ,jan4 #e1 #ahec47 ,,dear ,,papa1--,when ,i received1 the other day1 your kind and most interesting letter1 and felt the appropriateness of your admonitions--felt1 too1 how foolish it is for me1 who am ignorance personified 7in certain matters1 at least7 to waste my time in speculations on subjects beyond my grasp1 and to exhaust your patience by twaddling them out to you1 whilst your own penetrating and comprehensive mind takes1 in preference1 a practical view of the subject--a question suddenly presented itself to me3 ,bless my soul6 what will he say to the epistle ,i have just sent off8 ,for1 as you1 by this time1 know yourself1 it is1 though perhaps less groggy than the last1 still insufficient in point of practical purport2 a messed-up dish1 not a joint4 ,i hasten1 if possible1 to make 'amende honorable' by communicating to you in language as concise as possible whatever information you either express or hint a desire to have4 ,one word only1 a farewell one1 on the subject of my ci-devant digressions2 no1 three words2 ,i must say in my own justification4 #ast4 ,that when ,i sat down to write1 it was always with an idea of telling all 7or nearly71 and all in detail1 too1 from which ,i was prevented by invariably getting to the end of my paper1 my time1 and my eyes 7as it would try them to cross7 before ,i had accomplished my object2 #bnd4 ,that ,i have been discursive with an idea of entertaining for a time the suffering members of the family2 #crd4 ,that all my abstract drawl1 though it in some cases abutted in tenets that ,i had at different times heard you let fall1 was altogether my own2 indeed it was1 perhaps1 the consciousness of the instinctive self-suggestedness of such thoughts that made me turn round on myself and take an objective view of ditto4 ,a philosopher is very like a dog trying to catch his own tail4 ,now to business4 ,you speak of my eyes2 ,i cannot conceal from you that they are worse than they were at ,frankfurt1 but ,i do not know whether ,i can say that they are getting gradually worse2 everybody takes some time in getting acclimatise to ,rome2 my sufferings may perhaps be ascribed to that4 ,i intend for some months to give up the nude in the evening4 ,your advice about gathering information from the conversation of men of cultivated mind ,i would most gladly follow1 but1 alas1 ,i only know two really well-informed people here1 and one is an old man ,i hardly ever see4 ,there is no fear of my drawing my compositions too small1 for 7,i shall tell you why presently7 ,i am drawing none at all1 and probably shall draw none for a considerable time2 but close and minute study of ,nature in its details is1 as ,i now see more plainly than ever1 of paramount importance4 ,i come to another point which it is difficult to touch with conciseness3 have ,i made any progress8 ,perhaps ,i am not entitled to answer positively in the affirmative till ,i shall have painted some portrait or picture better than anything ,i have yet produced2 this ,i have not yet had an opportunity of doing2 but if1 from superlative confidence1 having fallen to a more beseeming diffidence1 if having improved and chastened my taste1 if having become more anxiously aware of the extent of my task and more deeply humbled by those who have fulfilled it1 may be called progress1 then ,i can answer3 ,yes1 ,i have made a step4 ,i was deeply impressed with the glorious works of art ,i saw in ,venice and ,florence1 and was particularly struck with the exquisitely elaborate finish of most of the leading works by whatever master2 the highest possible finish combined with the greatest possible breadth and grandeur of disposition in the principal masses2 art with the old masters was full of love1 refined1 utterly sterling4 ,i had got during my journey through the ,tyrol into a frame of mind that rendered me particularly accessible to such impressions2 ,i had been dwelling with unwearied admiration on the exquisite grace and beauty of the details1 as it were1 of ,nature2 every little flower of the field had become to me a new source of delight2 the very blades of grass appeared to me in a new light4 ,you will easily understand that1 under the influence of such feelings1 ,i felt the greatest possible reluctance to sketch in the hasty manner in which one does when travelling2 ,i shunned the idea of approaching ,nature in a manner which seemed to me disrespectful1 and the consequence was that until ,i got to ,verona ,i did not touch a pencil4 ,in ,venice and ,florence1 however1 ,i made several drawings1 some of which are most highly finished1 and afforded me1 whilst ,i was occupied on them1 that most desirable kind of contentment1 the consciousness of endeavour4 ,of course ,i was obliged to conquer to a certain extent my aversion to anything but finished works1 and accordingly ,i made a considerable number of sketches 'proprement dits4' ,with regard to composing1 however1 ,i still feel the same paralysing diffidence1 ,i cannot make up my mind to draw compositions like those ,i have hitherto produced1 but1 at the same time1 ,i feel that ,i am as yet incapable of drawing any in the manner ,i should wish1 and as ,i see no prospect of such a desirable state of things till ,i have spent a summer in the mountains and drawn landscape1 men and animals for several months1 it is very unlikely that ,i shall put my hand to anything original till next winter2 then ,i shall pour myself out with a vengeance4 ,when ,i left ,frankfurt ,i asked ,steinle whether ,i should compose the first winter2 he answered3 ',oh1 wenn ,sie moegen4' ,he foresaw how it would be4 ,it gives me great comfort to feel that ,i am quietly settled to study for some years in one place1 and that ,i am able to make plans for the future without having to reckon on removals and changes4 ,meanwhile1 this winter ,i take models1 ,i have been studying the anatomy of the horse1 ,i shall draw at the ,vatican from ,raphael and ,michael ,angelo 7perhaps1 too1 from the antique71 c4 c4 ,a digression1 whilst ,i think of it3 ,i think that the pains in my eyes are in some measure nervous1 for mentioning them invariably brings them on1 in broad daylight4 ,about the little emulation ,i find here ,i have spoken in my last letter4 ,the general tone here 7of course with some exceptions7 is one of public toadying mediocrity4 ,there is here one young ,frenchman1 remarkable for correctness but coldly scientific 7only in his art71 without that warmth and spontaneity which give such a peculiar charm to works of genius4 ,overbeck was endlessly courteous and praised me very highly1 talked of the artists in ,rome acquiring in us 'einen aechten ,zuwachs' 7'a real addition'71 but the half century between our respective ages and his pietistical manner make me sure that we shall derive but little advantage from him2 ,i neither expected nor wished to find a second ,steinle4 ,as for ,powers1 though he was very polite to me in his own sort of way1 ,i am pretty certain that he had entirely forgotten1 nor did he ask me to show him anything4 ,you may console yourself on that score--a sculptor1 especially one who can do little but busts 7however pre-eminently good they may be1 and his are71 can very seldom judge well of pictures4 ,gibson1 the great sculptor1 whom ,i know very well1 and who shows me great kindness by-the-bye1 has about as little judgment in painting as a man well can4 ,that ,i do find models here1 and many other material advantages1 ,i told you in the letter that you lately received4 ,i have now1 dear ,papa1 answered all your questions2 it only remains for me to thank you for your poignant and admirably practical remarks on the ,german philosophers--remarks1 ,i assure you1 which have quite answered their purpose2 both they and the kind wishes you have expressed concerning my future advancement shall not have been thrown away on your grateful and affectionate son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,head ,,for ,,cimabue',s ,,madonna4 #ahec ,erroneously supposed to be the ,portrait of ,lord ,leighton ,leighton ,house ,collection 7,postmark1 ,jan4 #e1 '#ec47 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,to your appendix an appendix4 ,paper and time force me to laconism4 ,my personal discomforts1 for which you show such kind sympathy1 are1 ,i am happy to say1 now only very slight2 the only thing ,i suffer annoyance from is my stove1 which makes my head ache2 with regard1 however1 to beating a retreat1 ,i must candidly tell you that ,i see my only chance of coming to anything is studying here steadily for some three years2 the more so that it is by all accounts only at the end of the first year that one feels all the advantages which ,rome affords4 ,my plans seem to be these3 this winter1 studies2 next summer1 ditto1 in the mountains1 or wherever it is coolest2 next winter1 pictures1 portraits1 compositions2 summer after1 ,paris1 see the large ,veronese 7which was invisible the last time ,i was there72 from ,paris to ,bath to see all you darlings again1 spend two or three weeks in ,england studying its character under the ciceroneship of ,oakes1 that thorough ,briton1 and collecting materials for some large 7in meaning if not in size7 picture to be painted in ,rome during the third winter1 and to be my firstling in an ,english exhibition2 ,i feel that one day my painting will have a strongly national bias4 ,that autumn ,i should probably return to ,rome via ,spain to see the ,murillos1 c4 ,when you next write to ,lady ,pollington1 pray remember me very kindly to her2 her merry face and facetious ways are still before me4 ,lord ,walpole1 whom you mention as coming to ,rome1 and whom ,i shall know if he does1 is indeed1 ,i believe1 a very agreeable and clever man4 ,the ,henry ,walpoles have been very civil to me2 ,mrs4 ,walpole told me that if ,i wrote to you ,i was to give her best--,i think she said1 love--for that you were a great favourite of hers4 ,here ,i must absolutely close1 though ,i have plenty more to say4 ,my very best thanks to ,papa and you all for the kind presents1 but ,i don't see why you won't allow me the pleasure of giving you anything4 ,as ,i have written this letter immediately after the other1 ,i cannot promise to write again soon4 ,to yourselves1 very best love from your dutiful and affect4 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,the following letters from ,steinle are evidently the first ,leighton received in ,rome from his master4 ,no comment on them is necessary4 ,every line is evidence of the affectionate quality and beauty of the nature that so permanently influenced ,leighton's for good4 ,translation4 ,,frankfurt ,,am ,,main1 ,january #f1 #ahec4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,although ,i do not know your address1 and am uncertain whether this will reach you1 yet ,i can no longer withstand the urging of my heart2 ,i only know that you and ,gamba are in ,rome1 that you have visited ,overbeck1 as he himself has written me2 assuming1 however1 that you also visit the ,cafe ,greco1 ,i will risk that address4 ,your spirited lines from ,venice reached me safely1 and ,i can truly say that since then my thoughts and my good wishes for you and for ,gamba have daily accompanied you4 ,a report which has been circulated here1 that you1 ,gamba1 and ,andre had been attacked by robbers1 made me anxious for a time1 and ,i expected from day to day that you would yourself write me something about this adventure--in vain4 ,overbeck writes me now that it would give him particular satisfaction to be able to help or serve you in any way during your stay in ,rome1 and cordially wishes that you and ,gamba would give him the opportunity to do so1 but unfortunately he knew nothing else about you to tell me4 ,what ,schaeffer writes me is also so extremely scanty1 that for all that concerns you and ,rico ,i am thrown back on my own thoughts and suppositions4 ,that you are both absent from me is unfortunately a painful truth2 as to whether the ideal life which from old and dear habit ,i still live with you1 be also true1 the future1 ,i hope1 may show4 ,i have an idea that you1 dear friend1 and perhaps also your faithful comrade1 already suffer from the artistic fever of ,rome1 which every one feels in the first year4 ,it is that glorious old ,rome1 with her wealth1 and the multitude of her impressions1 which works so powerfully upon the receptive mind1 that it can retain nothing in contradiction1 and cannot escape her influence2 this period is one of discomfort1 because we feel ourselves oppressed2 but though it is of the greatest value1 and no doubt bears rich fruit1 the work of artists of to-day is neither in a position to offer you anything important1 nor to deceive you in sight of the old masters2 if the multitude of impressions is first gradually assimilated1 if everything is assigned its place1 if we take a wide survey1 and can stride forward freely in pursuit of the goal set before us1 then only does that wonderful spirit which hovers over ,rome rise up in us strong and inspiring1 and then we are able to recognise what we have actually won in the fight with discomfort4 ,thus1 and in similar circumstances1 ,i fancy that my dear friends are in the same case as the bees1 which swarm1 and toil with all the load they collect1 but cannot make honey by perpetual sucking4 ,that is inconvenient and oppressive1 but ah6 when this time is past1 what wealth will they unfold1 with what comfort will they look upon the well-filled satchel1 how quickly they will recognise that such wealth pays interest for the whole life6 ,but if it is otherwise1 dear friend1 then laugh at the all-wise ,steinle1 and resolve finally to free him from such delusions1 and to set the matter before his eyes as it really is1 and be you assured of one thing1 that he always wishes that everything may be good and prosperous for you1 that all that you are longing to attain you may attain1 and that ,almighty ,god may guard you and ,rico from all ill6 ,you can have had no idea with what feelings your friend would read your vigorous1 spirited lines from ,venice4 ,i received them1 on my return1 from ,gamba1 a very dear lad1 and could not help being sorry that you1 who have become so dear to me1 should know absolutely nothing of what distressed your friend4 ,we are men2 hear1 then1 the news4 ,returning from ,switzerland1 ,i heard of the illness of my daughter ,anna1 in ,metz1 and ,i and my wife hurried to her1 and spent six sorrowful days by the death-bed of my little sixteen-year-old daughter4 ,after the funeral1 ,i came back here1 and finished ',the ,raising of ,jairus' ,daughter4' ,the real pleasure of my art ,i felt shrink from me day by day in ,metz2 and now all my pleasure depends upon the beloved art1 for happiness is more and more confined within the four walls of my atelier4 ,do not read any complaint in this2 ,i have learnt much sadness1 but have also found rich cause to thank ,god from my heart4 ,what manner of children should we be1 if we would not kiss the rod when we are chastised8 ,and now1 dear friend1 with all my heart a greeting to ,rome1 and to all who remember me kindly4 ,all friends here send greetings to you and ,gamba1 including ,casella il ,professore2 ,senator ,nay is in ,rome4 ,i hope with all my heart that you have good news of your dear ones1 and remain1 always and altogether yours1 ,,steinle4 ,illustration3 ,,view ,,of ,,subiaco1 ,,near ,,rome4 #ahec ,leighton ,house ,collection ,translation4 ,,most ,,esteemed ,,herr ,,steinle1--,when you receive these lines ,i shall have already been long in the lovely land wherein ,i lack nothing but your presence2 ,i beg you to accept from me the accompanying translation of the first volume of the works of the ,father of ,english ,poetry as a little remembrance2 whether it is a good rendering of the great master ,i cannot judge1 as at the moment of writing it has not arrived2 but one thing ,i can answer for3 it is the only volume of the only translation of ,chaucer into the ,german language in existence2 ,i only regret that there is also no ,italian version2 may it serve you as a souvenir of your devoted and grateful pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,,frankfurt ,a_/,m4 ,translation4 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,della ,,purificazione ,no4 #aa1 ,january #aa4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,at last ,i am able to write you a few words1 and 7although very late7 to send you my very best good wishes and congratulations for the ,new ,year4 ,i am sure that you will be kind enough to forgive my long silence1 and will believe me when ,i tell you that ,i absolutely could not help it4 ,i hope with all my heart that in the meantime you have been well and strong1 and that your beautiful works have progressed in accordance with your wishes4 ,how has the experiment with the new ground turned out8 ,have you already started on the other cartoon8 ,i1 for my part1 have experienced the fact that to make plans and to carry them out are two different things2 for nothing has come of the pictures which ,i set myself to paint4 ,i have already told you in ,frankfurt1 dear ,master1 how painfully my deficiency pressed upon me1 and how clearly ,i felt that my works lacked a highly genuine finish in the form1 an intimate knowledge of nature2 this consciousness had so increased when ,i arrived in ,rome that without more ado ,i determined to employ myself during the whole winter exclusively upon school tasks1 and by all means to endeavour to rid my artistic capacity a little of this defect2 so now ,i continually paint study heads1 which ,i try to finish as much as possible1 and in which ,i especially have good modelling in view2 that ,i have achieved this1 unfortunately ,i cannot yet assert1 but ,i derive great enjoyment from the attempt1 and hope that my efforts will not remain unrewarded2 ,i shall then next year1 if ,i come to the painting of pictures again1 go to work with greater knowledge and clearness1 and shall be able1 ,i hope1 to clothe my ideas more suitably4 ,i have nothing further to report of myself4 ,i hope1 my dear ,friend1 to receive a few lines from you1 telling me what you are doing1 for you know well how deeply interested ,i am4 ,will you be so kind as to tell ,mr4 ,welsch that my trouble to find the ,palazzo ,scheiderff was in vain1 and ,i have also unluckily not seen his brother8 ,if ,i pass through ,florence again in spring1 ,i will try my luck once more4 ,and now1 adieu1 dear ,master4 ,kindest remembrances to your wife and children1 and to you the warmest greeting1 from your grateful pupil1 ,,leighton4 ,translation4 ,,frankfurt ,,am ,,main1 ,march #bd1 #ahec4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,my desire for news of you and ,gamba was certainly great1 but ,i possessed my soul in patience1 for ,i was convinced that it would come at last2 you and ,rico have given me so many proofs of your love and friendship1 that ,i was able to face with perfect calm and confidence all the numerous and impatient questions for news of you which came to me4 ,now1 however1 ,i see by your welcome lines1 to my inward regret1 that some restrained anxiety about you is justified1 and while on one hand ,i greatly regret the weakness of your eyes and in a manner suffer with you1 yet ,i have also my consoling argument that the ,roman climate1 at a better time of year1 will certainly be good for your ailment1 and that my ,leighton can rise up again1 that he will not lose courage4 ,but whatever joy ,i had when you and your noble friends bore such splendid witness of one another1 ,i cannot express myself as very easily satisfied2 that you1 in your efforts1 would stand alone in ,rome1 ,i knew well1 ,i am sure you are cut out for it1 and it appears to me1 even1 as if every good heart that rises to a happy independence nowadays1 must feel his loneliness1 ,i might even say1 that it must in order to give skill and power of conviction4 ,the better you get to know ,rome1 the more you will learn to love her1 and much will be freely given1 when once the year of struggle is past1 that could never be seized by force4 ,how much ,i have rejoiced over all that you write of your and ,rico's studies1 how ,i should like to see them6 ,cling now to nature1 you are quite right1 you will not lose the art of composition1 for it is not a thing that can be acquired3 it is a gift1 and one that you and ,rico possess4 ,now1 indeed1 it always seems to me1 when ,i consider the highest aims of art1 and indeed the greatest capacities of man1 that there should be a certain equalisation of the various powers1 and it strikes me as indispensable1 if we are not to become one-sided1 that we should by such equalisation balance these various powers so as to achieve a complete harmony4 ,thus1 however great a delicacy goose-liver may be1 it always indicates a diseased goose1 the monstrous enlargement of an organ1 c42 ,i do not say this by way of blame1 and am thinking perhaps too much only of my own feeble powers1 but merely as a little warning that it may be well to keep in view4 ,do not think that it is the ,professor asserting himself1 ,i say this only as a matter of experience and because you and ,rico lie very close to my heart1 and are associated with my own feeling of the sacredness of art4 ,i have1 however1 no anxiety2 you have good and noble natures1 and will not lose the tracks of truth4 ,spare and save your eyes1 ,i hope that you will soon be quite free from this ill1 and then--forward6 ,what you write me of the friends is certainly quite correct1 and ,i myself thought no otherwise2 ,overbeck is the purest and noblest man that ,i have ever met2 moreover a genius--therefore ,i rejoice that you and ,rico know him2 he speaks with feeling and judgment of his art4 ,excuse1 dear ,leighton1 my forgetfulness2 ,i have not thought of the dear and lovely present which with your note surprised me so pleasantly on my return--,i mean the powerful and rich ,chaucer2 ,i find the prologue splendid1 rather knotty1 but the ,germans of that time are still knottier4 ,i thank you heartily4 ,of myself1 ,i can inform you1 that ,i daily rejoice more over the grey canvas2 ,i have worked two months on my picture of the ',whitsun-sermon1' and now in three weeks have painted half the picture1 and am1 even though somewhat exhausted1 not altogether discontented with the result4 ,this picture1 which grows daily more like a fresco1 is getting on fast1 but much still remains to be done1 and ,i have the progress of the whole picture in hand4 ,of the friends here1 ,i can tell you that all speak of you and ,gamba with love and sympathy1 and that you are kindly remembered by all4 ,thank ,rico cordially for his welcome note2 if you and ,rico always call me 'master1' a title which abashes me1 we shall be friends1 and ,i hope that as ,i grow old in years1 at least ,i shall remain young in art4 ,tell ,rico that ,i had a visit from his grandmother1 who loves him dearly2 with a few lines he would give her extreme pleasure4 ,now1 adio1 dear friend2 equip yourself with patience and courage1 and keep sad thoughts far from you4 ,greet all friends from me most heartily1 also ,i have to send to you and ,gamba warmest greetings from all here1 including my wife1 ,frau ,ruth ,schlosser1 and ,casella4 ,let me hear sometimes how you get on4 ,always and altogether yours1 ,,edw4 ,,steinle4 7,postmark1 ,march #bh1 #ahec4 ,received ,april #f47 7,on cover--,mrs4 ,leighton1 #a ,brock ,street1 ,bath1 ,england47 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,de ,,porta ,,pinciana #h4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,if ,i did not1 as was naturally my first impulse1 answer your letter directly ,i received it1 it was because ,isabel's#be portrait has of late taken up all the time1 or rather eyes1 that ,i can dispose of2 this being1 however1 a drying day1 ,i seize the opportunity of making up for lost time4 ,as ,i have mentioned the portrait1 ,i may as well say en passant that ,i expect it to be a very successful likeness1 and as decent a painting as a thing done in so desultory a manner can be expected to be2 ,gamba admires it very much1 and intends to copy some parts4 ,i was much touched at the affectionate sympathy you show for me in my visitation1 and am as glad for you as for myself to say that there is a decided improvement in the state of my eyes1 so that1 although they are by no means well1 it would hardly be worth while to go to a doctor for a written account of my symptoms2 the more so as ,dr4 ,small1 who is a man very well thought of1 thinks it all depends on the weather1 and will go away when fine weather sets in1 which ,god give6 ,add to this that several people of my acquaintance1 i4e4 ,mrs4 ,sartoris and ,mrs4 ,walpole1 who never had anything the matter with their eyes1 find them affected now4 ,about two months ago ,i went to consult ,dr4 ,small1 or rather1 on calling on him one day he had me up professionally1 for ,i felt a delicacy about going myself1 as he had told me that he would be very happy to be of service to me without any remuneration4 ,finding that ,dr4 ,small's prescription had done me no perceptible good1 ,i determined at last to go to a homoeopathic physician1 of whom ,i heard great things4 ,he was originally the apothecary of ,hahneman 7do ,i spell the name rightly87 the father of ,homoeopathy4 ,under his hands ,i certainly improved rapidly2 but it so happened that1 just as ,i went to him1 the rains1 which had lasted without interruption for six weeks1 ceased1 and we had some days of glorious weather--now1 who cured me1 ,jove or the apothecary8 ,the weather is now as bad again as ever2 but though less well1 ,i have not relapsed with it4 ,most days ,i can paint three or four hours 7,i don't think ,i could draw71 and the other evening ,i even read half an hour with a lamp without feeling pain2 what a pass things have come to that that should be a boast6 ,i confess that the little ,i do1 ,i do without energy or great enjoyment4 ,i have not yet given my eyes the fair trial of complete rest which1 when the ,laings go1 ,i shall be able1 through your kind promise of a piano and singing lessons1 to do for a fortnight or three weeks4 ,my sincere thanks to ,papa for his kindness and liberality4 ,i shall begin immediately after the holy week1 for until the forestieri1 of which there are a fabulous number1 have gone to their respective summer quarters1 neither piano nor masters are in any way come-at-able4 ,having now spoken of my health1 ,i return to your letter1 for ,i find that the only way of writing at all to the point1 is to answer sentence for sentence the questions and remarks you ask and make1 and in the same order4 ,i indeed count myself fortunate in having the acquaintance of ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,sartoris2 it is a source of the greatest enjoyment to me2 they show me the most marked kindness1 which ,i value all the more because it is for my own sake1 and not for that of a dinners-demanding letter of introduction4 ,i am never there less than three times a week1 and often more2 ,i have dined with them en famille four times1 and it is only seven weeks since ,i made their acquaintance4 ,although ,i have a good many friends here1 it is the only house which it is improving to me to frequent2 her conversation is most agreeable to me1 not from any knowledge she displays1 but from her great refinement of feeling and taste2 her husband is an enthusiastic amateur painter4 ,i also meet there a young man of the name of ,cartwright1 a very old friend of theirs1 who seems to me to possess an extraordinary amount of information1 a mine which ,i have already begun to 'exploiter' to my own profit4 ,i have made a considerable number of acquaintances1 and have had more than enough parties1 for people have a habit here of receiving once a week1 so that1 especially towards the end of the season1 there never was an evening when ,i could not have gone somewhere1 and often ,i had two or three places for one night2 ,i used often to stay away from them1 till ,i was afraid of offending people1 which one does not wish to do when one experiences kindness from them4 ,then came a long series of arrears1 which ,i found most monotonously tiring1 for ,i am more lazy about dressing for a party than ever2 more than once1 when ,i have gone to my room to go through that hateful operation1 ,i have slipped into bed instead of into my glazed boots2 and yet1 if ,i had taken the steps a great many young men do take1 ,i should have gone to twice the number of places4 ,now all this was very well for this winter1 as ,i could do nothing else on account of my eyes1 but next year ,i shall turn over quite a new leaf2 in the first place1 give up dancing altogether--it is too fatiguing2 and in the next1 go nowhere but to my old acquaintances 7of this winter1 ,i mean74 ,i have lionised ,isabel all over ,rome1 and devoted to her nearly all my afternoons since she came2 it is the luckiest thing in the world1 her coming here at a time when ,i am not able to paint2 she is going in a few days2 you may easily imagine that ,i have not slept in the afternoons since she has been here4 ,gamba is1 as you rightly suggested1 far too straitened to go into society2 however1 he no way requires it1 he has good health and untiring industry1 and requires no such relaxation4 ,as my paper is coming to an end1 ,i must pass over the rest of your letter more rapidly4 ,i fully feel with you that it is better in many respects that ,i should not go to ,frankfurt1 but ,i confess that when ,i saw it was out of the question1 ,i felt painfully having to wait another year before seeing you2 however1 it is for the best4 ,i am interested in hearing that you have bought a house in ,bath2 it looks as if you had at last found an anchor in your own country2 is the society of ,bath really agreeable8 ,i always hear it spoken of in a jocular tone4 ,what becomes of the ,frankfurt house8 ,you won't sell it1 will you8 ,pray remember me most kindly to ,kate ,chamberlayne1 and thank her for giving such an unworthy a corner in her memory4 ,and now1 dear ,mamma1 ,i must close4 ,pray write very soon1 and give me a quantity of news about all your doings2 tell me how dear ,lina gets on and ,gussy's ,pegasus4 ,the preceding letter contains the first mention that ,i have seen of ,leighton's friends1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 who were to be so much to him during twenty-five years of his life4 ,he had known them seven weeks when he wrote it1 and already ,rome had become a happier place4 ,all that most interested him in social intercourse was satisfied in their companionship1 and in that of the intimate circle of friends who frequented their house4 ,it soon became a second home1 a home doubly welcome1 as ,leighton felt keenly being separated from his family4 ,mr4 ,sartoris was a fairly good amateur artist1 and was considered by his friends to be a first-rate critic of painting4 ,to ,leighton's reasoning mind1 ever prone to analyse and to give expression to the results of his analysis1 it must have been inspiringly interesting to discuss art in general and his own in particular with one who had a natural gift for criticism4 ,again1 music was ever a joy to ,leighton1 a joy only equalled by that inspired by his own art4 ,mrs4 ,sartoris 7,adelaide ,kemble71 imbued with the noble dramatic instincts and traditions of the ,kembles1 was not only a great singer1 but a great musician1 and had in all matters a fine taste1 bred of true and deep feeling united with keen natural perceptions4 ,in ,miss ,thackeray's ,preface to a ,preface to ,mrs4 ,sartoris' delightful story1 ,a ,week in a ,french ,country ,house1 she quotes the description of one who had known the two sisters1 ,fanny and ,adelaide ,kemble1 from their youth3 ,mrs4 ,kemble is essentially poetic and dramatic in her nature2 ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 so much of an artist1 musical1 with a love for exquisite things and all that belongs to form and colour4 7,some of us remember hearing ,lord ,leighton say that1 though ,mrs4 ,sartoris did not paint1 she was a true painter in her sense of beauty of composition1 in her great feeling for art47 ,another old friend1 referring to ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 with some show of reason deprecated any attempt to record at all that which was unrecordable3 ,would you give a dried rose-leaf as a sample of a garden of roses to one who had never seen a rose8 she exclaims1 recalling1 not without emotion1 the golden hours she had spent1 the talks she had once enjoyed in the ,warsash ,pergola4 ,you have only to speak of things as they are1 said a great critic who had known ,mrs4 ,sartoris in her later years4 ,use no conventional epithets3 those sisters are beyond any banalities of praise4 ,again1 take another verdict3 ,that fine and original being1 so independent and full of tolerance for the young2 sympathising even with misplaced enthusiasm1 entering so vividly into a girl's unformed longings4 ,when ,i first knew her1 she seemed to me to be a sort of revelation2 it was some one taking life from an altogether new and different point of view from anything ,i had ever known before4 ,such are the descriptions given by those who knew her intimately of the lady who held out so kind a welcoming hand to ,leighton when1 as a youth of twenty-two1 he started for the first time alone on the journey of life4 ,i saw ,mrs4 ,sartoris only two or three times at the house of our mutual friends1 ,mrs4 ,nassau ,senior and ,mrs4 ,brookfield4 ,it was during the last years of ,mrs4 ,sartoris' life1 when illness and sorrow had marked her noble countenance with suffering4 ,a friend of mine1 however1 who was greatly attached to ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 would often talk to me of her4 ,my friend had had exceptional opportunities of coming in contact with the most distinguished minds in ,europe4 ,she told me she had never met with any personality who naturally1 and apparently without effort1 so completely dominated all others who were present4 ,however distinguished the guests might be at a dinner1 ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 she said1 was invariably the centre of interest to all present4 ,the ,sartoris children were another source of delight to ,leighton in this home4 ,no greater child-lover ever existed4 ,he writes1 moreover1 that all social pleasures which he enjoyed during the three years he lived in ,rome he owed to these friends4 ,with life brightened and inspired by their sympathy1 and by all the sources of interest and culture which their society included1 ,leighton began brooding over the work which he meant should embody the best of his attainments so far as they were then developed4 ,florence and her art had cast a spell on his spirit very early in his existence4 ,he had become especially enamoured of ,giotto1 the half-,catholic1 the half-,greek ,giotto4 ,pheidias had not yet touched him intimately2 but his loving1 spontaneous appreciation of this ,florentine master1 whose work in one sense echoes the secret of the noble1 serene sense of beauty to be found in that of the ,greeks1 proves that in very early days ,leighton's receptive powers were alive to it4 ,the subject which inspired his first great effort appealed especially to ,leighton from more than one point of view4 ,in the historical incident which he chose was evinced the great reverence and appreciation with which the early ,florentines regarded art1 even when expressed in the archaic form of ,cimabue's painting4 ,the fact of his picture of the ,madonna causing so much public enthusiasm was in itself a glorification of art2 a witness that in the integral feelings of these ,italians such enthusiasm for art could be excited in all classes of the people4 ,one of the doctrines ,leighton most firmly believed1 and most often expressed1 was that of the necessity of a desire for beauty among the various classes of a nation1 poor and rich alike1 before art of the best could become current coin4#bf ,in painting the scene of ,cimabue's ,madonna being carried in triumph through the streets to the ,church of ,sta4 ,maria ,novella1 ,leighton felt he could record not only his own reverence for his vocation1 but the fact that all who follow art with love and sincerity find a common ground1 whatever the class may be to which they belong4 ,to ,steinle1 religion and art were as one1 and his pupil had so far been inoculated with his master's feeling that1 as his friend and brother artist1 ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere1 writes3 ,art was to ,leighton almost a religion1 and his own particular belief almost a creed4 ,as no difference of class should be recognised in church1 so neither should any be accentuated between artists1 when such are worthy of their calling1 a belief which ,leighton carried into practice all his life in his relations with his brother artists4 ,he makes ,cimabue1 the noble1 lead by the hand the shepherd boy ,giotto1 who was destined to outstrip his patron in the race for fame1 and to become so great an influence in the history of his country's art4 ,the magnates of the city are represented in ,leighton's procession as forming part of it1 while ,dante1 standing in a shadowed corner1 is watching it pass4 ,again1 ,leighton was afforded an opportunity1 in the accessories of the design1 of painting the things which had entranced him in those days when he first fell in love with ,italy2 the mediaeval costumes in the old pictures1 the background to the ,citta dei ,fiori of hills1 spiked with cypresses pointing dark1 black-green fingers upwards to the sky1 and the beautiful ,san ,miniato crowning one of their summits1 the stone pines1 the carnations1 the agaves--all these things that had appealed to his native sense of beauty as such wonderful revelations1 when1 at the age of ten1 he was transported to the sunlit land of art and beauty1 after being accustomed to the sights and surroundings of a dingy region in fog-begrimed ,london4 ,the subject of ,leighton's early opus magnum was indeed no bare historical fact to his mind2 it was a symbol of everything to which1 in his enthusiasm for his calling1 he attached the most earnest meaning1 and which was also steeped in the radiant glamour cast over his spirit from childhood by the land that inspires all that is most ardent in the aesthetic emotions of an artist4 ,the subject decided on1 in the spring-time of #ahec he began working1 as hard as the trouble in his eyes would permit1 at the cartoons for the design4 ,his intention of remaining in ,italy during the summer was frustrated1 partly by the unsatisfactory state of his eyes and health generally1 partly by the decision of his family to return to their home in ,frankfort for the summer1 before finally settling in ,bath4 ,this change of plans is first mentioned in a letter to ,steinle received ,february #bc1 #ahec3-- ,translation4 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,di ,,porta ,,pinciano #h4 ,,dear ,,master ,,and ,,friend1--,how gladly ,i seize the opportunity to answer your delightful letter1 and to connect myself again through the post with a man and a time round whom and which so many dear remembrances cling2 that ,i did not do this immediately on receipt of your lines1 ,i hope you have not set down to a possible negligence or to any sort of cooling of my grateful attachment to you1 but that you have thought1--something has happened1 ,leighton has not forgotten me2 and so it is2 ,i suffer with my eyes4 ,how sorry ,i am to begin a letter by giving you such news1 for you expected only to hear from me of industrious making of progress2 therefore exculpation of my silence is my first duty4 ,the disorder of my eyes is not painful2 ,i do not suffer with it2 ,i am only incapacitated4 ,oh1 that ,i were again in ,frankfurt1 then ,i should be well6 ,otherwise ,i am fairly well1 and am intensely eager to do a great deal--and dare not2 ,i am not altogether incapacitated1 only my wings are clipped2 ,i work for two or three hours every day1 but as ,i cannot accomplish all that ,i desire1 the little ,i can affords me the less pleasure2 what1 however1 particularly damps my ardour is the lack of intellectual stimulus1 because for nearly six weeks ,i have not looked at a book1 for in the evening ,i simply dare not do anything4 ,i have driven myself out into society1 till ,i absolutely prefer going to bed4 ,if ,i could only compose in my head6 but first this was always difficult for my unquiet head1 and secondly ,i have1 in consequence of this moral ,sirocco1 been blown upon by such a svoglia-tezza that it is quite impossible2 it only remains for me to think sadly of my1 and ,i may say to you1 most sympathetic friend1 of our hopeful expectation1 and to vex myself with the recollection of the zeal and joy with which ,i had commenced to put my plans into execution in ,venice and ,florence4 ,my optic ailment is partly of the nerves1 but principally rheumatic4 ,you can imagine whether it has been improved by four weeks of unbroken wet weather6 ,but enough of these complaints4 ,i will now turn to your letter and answer the points on which you touch4 ,what a refreshment your lines were to me6 ,they are a mirror of your warm1 rich soul2 ,i read with unfeigned emotion how sympathetically you still think of your two pupils2 you have not been out of our minds for a moment2 see how it is in my atelier here3 in your portrait you are bodily1 in your writings you are spiritually1 present with me daily4 ,that ,i did not write to you immediately on my arrival was certainly wrong of me1 for then ,i had not begun to suffer with my eyes2 but my head was in such a maze that ,i always put off and thought1 ,i will wait till ,i hear if he has received my first lines1 quite forgetting that you did not know my address in ,rome4 ,i am sure you will forgive me4 ,what you imagined about my impressions1 agrees at the first blush with the facts1 but as regards the gathered honey it has unfortunately turned out quite differently4 ,i feel as if blighted1 and until ,i have the full use of my eyes it will not be otherwise4 ,of ,rico ,i will say nothing1 for he will write himself either to-day or to-morrow2 ,i can only tell you that so far we have travelled through ,italy in perfect concord and friendship2 but there is one thing that he will not tell you himself1 he is indefatigably industrious1 and has made marked progress in both drawing and painting4 ,one word about my own development4 ,since ,i left ,frankfurt1 my observations on nature and art1 in all beyond what is technical1 have produced in me a curious shyness1 a peculiar and uncomfortable distrust of myself4 ,when on my journey ,i saw ,nature unfold before my eyes in her teeming summer glory1 and saw how each flower is like a miracle on her richly worked garment1 when ,i saw how golden threads wound everywhere through the whole fabric of beauty1 then it seemed to me that the artist could not without sacrilege pass over the least thing that is sealed with the love of the ,creator2 when1 later on1 ,i noticed in ,venice and ,florence with what love and truth the great ,masters had rendered the smallest1 then my feelings arose2 ,i knew only too well that ,i1 until ,i should have drawn a multitude of studies1 could not possibly complete a composition in the sense that ,i should wish1 and otherwise ,i would not2 and the consequence of this knowledge is that ,i have not attempted a stroke of composition1 and ,i often anxiously ask myself whether ,i could2 thus far it has worked to paralyse me1 but on the other hand it has led me to draw some very complete studies which would certainly not displease you1 dear ,master4 ,finally1 ,i touch upon a point which1 on account of its painfulness1 ,i would gladly pass over4 ,i heard in ,florence from ,andre of your severe loss1 and my first impulse was to write to you to express my sympathy2 but when ,i set about it1 ,i found it so infinitely difficult to say anything suitable without irritating your wound1 that in the end ,i forbore4 ,your consolation you draw from a higher source than human friendship4 ,we have visited ,overbeck several times1 and have found him a dear and estimable old man1 but naturally the difference of age and of aims is too great between us for him to supply your place with us2 besides1 ,i do not wish that he should in any way supplant ,steinle in my memory or affection4 ,flatz and ,rhoden have welcomed us both most cordially2 your name is a charm with them2 as regards their art1 both are thoroughly able1 but unfortunately such literal copyists of ,overbeck's style that absolutely no difference is perceptible2 consequently they are quite insipid to me1 for ,i consider a real independence indispensably necessary in an artist4 ,from all three ,i send you most cordial greetings4 ,much as ,i could still tell you1 my dear friend1 ,i must hasten to a close on account of my eyes4 ,i beg you not to repay my silence in kind1 but when you have a moment1 put a few lines on paper for the encouragement of your distant pupil4 ,i long also to know how your works prosper1 particularly the large one on the grey canvas with the light from above4 ,accept the assurance of the unalterable1 devoted attachment of your grateful pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,it is not impossible that ,i might come to ,frankfurt for a short time this summer4 ,a ,monsieur ,frederic ,leighton1 ,frankfort a_/,m4 ,poste ,restante4 ,,bath1 ,may #ae1 #ahec4 ,,my ,,beloved ,,son1--,i have hardly the courage to tell you how intense is our joy at the prospect of meeting you1 so much sooner than we had hoped1 knowing that our pleasure is obtained1 or will be1 at the expense of a grievous disappointment to your long cherished and quite reasonable hopes4 ,your father was quite depressed the whole evening after the receipt of your last letter4 ,i am sure ,i need not tell you how willingly ,i would relinquish my expected happiness to promote yours4 ,i shall write but a short letter1 as we hope to be in ,frankfort soon after this reaches its destination4 ,surely ,i told you in my last epistle we mean to spend the summer at home1 for the last time to bear that name1 alas6 ,i fear ,i shall never1 in ,england1 feel as ,i do in ,germany when tolerably well4 ,the climate makes it impossible for me to feel that springiness of spirit so nearly allied to youthful feelings which ,i have often enjoyed at ,frankfort and for no particular reason4 ,it was in the air1 but never notice these observations in your father's presence4 ,he is sufficiently troubled at the thoughts of depriving me of my beloved house and garden1 which1 after all1 is done by my own desire4 ,i have just been reading an extract from a letter to ,miss ,pakenham from ,mrs4 ,maquay1 partly at that lady's request1 that we might know the agreeable impression you made on her and your acquaintances at ,rome4 ,i will not gratify your vanity by repeating words of praise that have sunk deep into my mother's heart2 for the matter of that1 ,i think your father and sisters are equally pleased at the tribute to your attractive qualities4 ,i will no farther fatigue your eyes as we hope so soon to embrace you4 ,we fervently hope your eyes will be obedient to the treatment1 which shall enable you to return to ,rome for the winter4 ,you cannot doubt that your father desires as much as you that you may be in a fit state to return4 ,god bless you1 my dearest1 all unite in this wish1 if possible1 more than the others4--,your tenderly attached ,mother1 ,a4 ,,leighton4 ,leighton went for medical treatment to ,bad ,gleisweiler1 bei ,landau1 and writes to ,steinle from there on ,july #be1 #ahec3-- ,translation4 ,,honoured ,,and ,,dear ,,friend1--,what can you think of me for leaving you so long without news of me6 ,it certainly did not occur through forgetfulness1 but because ,i always deferred in the hope of being able to announce some marked improvement in my condition1 but that is still impossible1 although my general health 7particularly in respect of the hardening against cold-catching7 is much stronger1 though unfortunately the improvement in my eyes is not great2 this1 however1 requires time1 and especially patience4 ,i shall be here another fortnight1 then my medical treatment will proceed in a so-called after-cure 7,nachkur72 ,i shall be dieted1 take many baths1 work in moderation--ouf6 ,but ,i will conform to it all willingly1 if only ,i may very soon return to my adored ,italy4 ,how ,i cherish the beloved image in my heart6 how it comforts me6 how many idle hours it beautifies for me6 how mightily it draws me6 ,the remembrance of the beautiful time spent there will be riches to me throughout all my life2 whatever may later befall me1 however darkly the sky may cloud above me1 there will remain on the horizon of the past the beautiful golden stripe1 glowing1 indelible1 it will smile on me like the soft blush of even4 ,in the meantime1 ,i impatiently await the moment when ,i shall see you again1 my dear friend1 and when ,i shall be permitted to set before your eyes the work which we have already discussed together2 ,i shall seek so to deal with my affairs that you shall not be ashamed of your grateful and devoted pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,p4,s4--,i beg to be remembered most kindly to your wife1 and to all my friends4 7,on envelope--,a4 ,madame ,leighton1 #ej ,frankfurt a_/,m47 ,,bad ,,gleisweiler1 ,,bei ,,landau4 7,postmark1 ,july #cj1 #ahec47 ,i had the first quarter last year2 so that ,i shall still be where ,i started2 however1 ,i can say nothing more myself to ,papa1 since he has given me to understand that his reason is want of confidence in me1 for1 having rejected the obstacle which ,i myself suggested--that he could not afford it--he leaves no other reason possible4 ,i confess ,i do not feel much flattered that this feeling should have so penetrated him as to make him fall back from me on an occasion so momentous as the painting of my first exhibiting picture1 a moment critical in my career1 and on the immense importance of which nobody can1 at other times1 dwell with more disheartening eloquence than himself2 how1 he says1 do ,i know that your picture will succeed8 ,is it this doubt that makes him throw obstacles in my way8 ,nobody is better persuaded than myself of the kindness of ,papa's heart1 and of the sincerity of his desire for my welfare1 but he does not seem in any way to realise the importance of the occasion4 ,now1 if ,i1 like so many other young men1 had gone into the army1 he would not--for what father does8--have hesitated for a moment to provide me with my complete outfit as required by the rules of the regiment1 for he would have felt that ,i could not canter about on parade without a coat2 but now that ,i am girding myself for a far greater struggle1 now that ,i am about1 single-handed1 to face the bitter weapons of public criticism1 does he withhold the sword with which he might arm me1 for fear ,i should waste my blows on the butterflies that pass me as ,i march into the field8 ,at two and twenty ,i am still in his eyes a schoolboy whose great aim is to squeeze as much tin out of the governor as he can by any ingenuity contrive4 ,will you remember me most kindly to my uncle1 aunt1 and cousins1 and take for all yourselves the best love of your dutiful and affectionate son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,leighton took the cartoons for his picture of ,cimabue's ,madonna to ,frankfort to discuss the designs with ,steinle and obtain from him his criticism and advice4 ,in the autumn of #ahec1 the home in ,frankfort was finally given up1 and the family returned to ,bath4 ,leighton1 on his journey back to ,rome1 stopped some weeks at ,florence1 to steep himself afresh in her mediaeval art1 and to gather fresh material for the details of his picture4 ,during this visit1 he drew the group of figures painted al fresco by ,taddeo ,gaddi on the walls of the ,capella ,spagnola of ,sta4 ,maria ,novella1 which included the portraits painted from life of ,cimabue and ,giotto4 ,in this portrait ,leighton found the costume for the hero of his picture4 ,he also repeated the dress in painting the cartoon for ,cimabue's portrait executed in mosaic in the ,victoria and ,albert ,museum4 ,the pencil sketch 7see ,list of ,illustrations7 is wonderful as a drawing1 considering the conditions under which it was made4 ,it was secured for the ,leighton ,house ,collection1 and in the preface for the catalogue it is described 7see ,appendix74 ,while at ,florence he wrote the following letter3-- ,,florence1 #chf ,,via ,,del ,,fasso1 ,november #ac1 #ahec4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,mamma1--,how could you for one instant suppose that ,i could suspect you of coldness towards me8 ,i was quite distressed that you should have entertained such an idea1 and had ,i followed my first impulse should have written at once to tell you so2 but1 as it so easily happens when one is newly arrived in a strange place1 first one thing and then another made me defer writing1 till at last ,i made up my mind to stay at home all this morning1 and not to get up till the letter should be finished2 ,i am1 however1 still several days within my month4 ,with regard to my health1 ,i made no especial mention of it1 probably because1 as ,i have a treatment before me when ,i get to ,rome1 ,i attached little importance to my feelings in this state of interim2 however1 as you mention it1 ,i am happy to say that my faceache makes its appearance decidedly less often than it did in ,frankfurt1 and that my eyes seem to me1 if anything1 better since ,i have got to ,italy4 ,one thing is certain1 and that is that my spirits are very much improved since ,i have got back to the dear land of my predilection2 ,i felt it as soon as ever ,i arrived in ,venice2 ,i felt a heavy cloud roll away from over me1 the sun burst forth and shone on my path1 and a thousand little springs1 stifled and half-forgotten fountains of youth and joyousness1 gurgled up in my bosom and buoyed up my heart1 and my heart bathed in them and was glad--happy ,fred6 that he has such sources of joy and happiness6 ,unlucky ,fred6 for he will never be able to live but where the heavens always smile--and where he can economise on umbrellas6 ,i have had many happy hours within the last three weeks1 but ,i think that the happiest time of all was the afternoon of our descent on to ,florence from the mountains of the ,romagna2 even the morning of that day was very enjoyable1 for although the sky was murky and cross1 and it rained as far as you could see1 yet ,i knew that that very evening1 in that very coach1 ,i should be rattling along the streets of dear1 dear ,florence1 and that bore me up1 and ,i made light of the rain1 and whistled out of tune in order to take off the wind1 who1 in spite of his fine voice1 has certainly no ear for music4 ,then1 too1 we had a most amusing coachman1 who did nothing but tell stories and crack jokes the whole time4 ,one episode is worth transcribing3 ,seen to-day's paper1 sir8 7turning sharply round74 ,well1 no 7says ,i72 anything in it8 ,ah6 7says he71 very interesting correspondence from the moon4 ,the article seems to have been as follows3 ,our correspondent in the moon tells us of rather a discreditable affair which has just taken place in a high quarter4 ,it seems that the other night ,st4 ,peter1 having spent the evening with a few friends1 by whom he was entertained with the distinguished hospitality which his high position entitled him to expect1 left them in such a state of excitement and1 in short1 intoxication1 that he lost his way1 and was missing at his post till ten o'clock the next morning4 ,unfortunately1 too1 he had taken the keys with him4 ,about two o'clock in the morning a batch of souls1 with passports for heaven1 came up to the gates and requested admittance1 but finding all knocking in vain1 they were obliged to spend the night behind a cloud in a very exposed situation1 which was made doubly disagreeable by their having put on in anticipation the very slight costume habitually worn in the abode of eternal happiness2 several severe colds were caught4 ,but all this1 he added 7mysteriously producing a key from his waistcoat pocket71 does not affect me--letters1 you know1 despatches4 ,i have myself subsequently consulted the papers in question1 and find that ,st4 ,peter1 in the confusion of his ideas1 had taken up his seat at the other ,sublime ,porte1 and had inadvertently let a lot more ,russians into the ,danubian ,principalities4 ,so the papers say4 ,however1 ,i confess that ,i rather question the whole affair4 ,i close with the old1 yet ever new refrain4 ,pray1 write very soon6 if at once1 to ,florence1 ,poste ,restante2 if not1 to ,rome1 ,poste ,restante4--,with very best love to all1 ,i remain1 dearest ,mamma1 your dutiful and affectionate son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,illustration3 ,portraits of ,cimabue1 ,giotto1 ,simone ,memmi1 and ,taddeo ,gaddi1 from ,fresco in ,capella ,spagnola1 by ,taddeo ,gaddi4 ,santa ,maria ,novella1 ,florence1 #ahec4 ,,bath1 ,august #ac1 #ahed4 ,,my ,,dearest ,,freddy1--,we are delighted to know you are out of ,rome1 for it is possible to have too much of a good thing2 and much as you delight in seeing the streets flooded with light and glittering under a metallic sky 7how beautiful it must be671 the pure air of the country1 a less fierce heat1 and a total change of scene1 will1 ,i trust1 make a new man of you4 ,how long a holiday shall you take1 and did you mean that you are staying with the ,sartoris family as a visitor8 under all circumstances you will be a great deal with them1 and as for the happiness you would so affectionately share with me1 ,i would not1 if ,i could1 deprive you of a morsel of it2 you are enjoying such unusual social advantages that it is a solace to me to know that you are capable of appreciating them4 ,thank ,god1 you have no taste for what so many men of your age call pleasure1 and that in spite of your sociable disposition1 you always show good taste in the choice of your companions4 ,i wish we could have a little of your society4 ,the ---- are still familiar and dear friends1 but their minds are so different1 so conventional1 that many sides of your sisters' minds are closed1 even to them4 ,the next letter from ,leighton to his mother was written after he returned to ,rome3-- 7,on cover--,mrs4 ,leighton1 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,felice #abc1 ,no4 #i ,circus1 ,bath1 ,england47 ,january #ai1 #ahed4 7,on cover--,arrived ,jan4 #f1 '#ed47 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,when ,i received your long expected letter1 which1 by-the-bye1 took sixteen days reaching me1 ,i was just winding myself up to write and tell you that ,i was sorely afraid some letter of yours must have been lost2 ,i need hardly tell you that ,i was relieved of a considerable anxiety when ,i found that all was right1 and that your letter1 not mine1 had been detained in that most slovenly of all institutions1 the ,roman post4 ,and now that ,i have taken up my pen1 what a quantity ,i have to make up for in the way of congratulations1 and greetings1 and good wishes relative to days often and felicitously to recur6 what jolly birthdays loom in the imagination1 what ,christmas ,eves and ,christmas ,days1 and old years going out and new ones coming1 with a punctuality never known to fail6 ,alas6 that ,i cannot send you some outward and visible sign of my inward sympathies and hearty yearnings2 here would be a fine opportunity of enumerating an extensive catalogue of blessings which ,i sincerely wish to see showered down upon you1 but that they can all be returned in one compendious1 all-embracing word--,health6 ,i therefore laconically but heartily wish you all that1 positive or relative2 and this leads me to mine4 ,well1 let me confess it 7unromantic as it undoubtedly is72 ,i feel there is no shirking the avowal that1 stamping all things down into an average1 and squinting at little annoyances1 ,i--must ,i say it8--am about as happy as the day is long3 may my happiness reflect a little of its light on your days1 dearest and best of mothers6 ,i have begun my report of health by an average of my spirits2 ,i think there is more a propos in this than one might at first sight imagine4 ,i proceed to the other details which differ widely from your probable expectations2 you ask me whether ,i leech myself with conscientious regularity4 ,now ,i don't leech myself at all6 ,my reason for abstaining when ,i first came was that ,i feared so strong a measure till my spectacles should arrive that ,i might therewithal screen and protect my exhausted blinkers4 ,it is only the other day that the said barnacles arrived1 and as ,i have meanwhile gone on working day after day without great inconvenience to my eyes1 ,i really think ,i might do myself more harm than good by drawing blood1 the more so that ,i am by no means a person of full habit that ,i could spare much of that article4 ,on turning to your letter1 ,i find the next point you touch is my music4 ,i did indeed try my voice at the ,hodnett's as you anticipated1 but unfortunately ,i never by any chance had anything like a decent note in my voice during the whole time that ,i was in ,florence2 indeed at the very best of times it is the merest fil de voix that ,i have1 which1 however1 would not prevent my cultivating it for my own private enjoyment1 but for a circumstance which will astound you perhaps1 but is nevertheless a great fact--to wit1 that ,i can't afford it6 ,the expenses of my pictures are far too considerable to allow of it this winter2 next winter ,i hope to make up for lost time and still to be able to chirp some little ditty when ,i once more skim by the paternal nest4 ,a piano ,i have1 such a hurdy-gurdy6 ,i fear1 alas6 ,i am an inveterate blockhead2 ,i daily lament that you did not drub music into me when ,i was a child2 ,i should then have broken my fingers in time2 my youngsters shall most assuredly learn it with a stick in their minds' eye4 ,as we were just talking of the ----s1 ,i must mention that ,i founded my opinion less on what they say than on what ,i think and see2 they could not either of them be happy if they could not have their bonnets and dresses from the most fashionable modiste1 turn out drag of their own1 and in every way be the thing2 that they like me1 ,i know1 but ,i believe they would not have me if they liked me twice as much2 ,i am not exactly poor1 ,i admit1 but ,i seem something like it in ,florence1 where it is the custom for young men to drive to the ,cascine in elegant broughams or phaetons1 to find their riding-horses at the round piazza1 to prance and amble round the ladies1 and then to drive home again in the style they went4 ,but let me speak of more important things2 you will be pleased to hear that my compositions have been highly approved of by all those whose opinion has weight with me4 ,cornelius said1 the first time he saw them1 ,ich sehe ,sie sind weiter als alle ,englaender ausgenommen ,dyce2 that is a great compliment from such a man4 ,i have made one alteration in my plans1 of which ,papa1 ,i think1 will not disapprove2 ,i found1 on more accurate calculation1 that1 in order to paint my ,cimabue of such a size as to be admissible to the ,london ,exhibition1 the figures would be far smaller than my eyes would tolerate2 ,i have therefore reversed the order of things1 and am painting it on a large scale for the great ,exhibition in ,paris 7spring1 '#ee71 in which all nations are to be represented1 and where size is rather a recommendation than an obstacle4 ,my ,romeo ,i shall send to ,london in the same year2 it will be a foot each way smaller than ,lady ,cowley's portrait2 thus ,i also have the advantage of giving the ,florentine picture a size more commensurate to the art-historical importance of the event it represents4 ,with regard to the sale of it1 ,i hug myself with no vain delusions4 ,i paint it for a name2 ,i could not have a finer field than is offered by the great ,international ,exhibition in question4 ,i must come to a close1 for ,i expect a model immediately1 and do not wish to miss to-morrow morning's post4 ,la suite au prochain numero4 ,pray write soon1 dearest mother1 and tell me all ,i long to know about yourselves1 the house1 the furniture1 your friends1 and your dinner-party2 meanwhile1 having first largely helped yourself1 pass up to all the dear ones very best love and kisses from your dutiful and affectionate boy1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 7,on cover--,mrs4 ,leighton1 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,felice #abc1 #i ,circus1 ,bath1 ,england47 ,march #bb1 #ahed4 7,received ,march #ca47 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,as ,i see no chance of finding time to write to you in the ordinary course of things by merely waiting for it1 ,i lay down my brush for this afternoon1 and set to regularly pen in hand to answer your last1 dated the fifth 7let us be business-like71 but which did not reach me till a few days ago4 ,according to the egotistical practice which you have wished me to adopt1 ,i begin with an account of myself3 ,i am very much at a loss to tell you anything of my eyes that shall convey to you a correct idea of their state2 one thing is certain1 which is that their weakness bears no regular proportion to the work done2 sometimes when ,i do little or nothing my eyes feel uncomfortable1 and at others1 when ,i do a great deal1 ,i suffer nothing4 ,for instance1 yesterday1 having a great deal of work cut out for the day1 ,i worked eleven hours1 with barely half an hour's respite at twelve1 and1 pour comble de mefaits1 ,i did what ,i rarely venture on--,i read at night2 and yet ,i feel little or no inconvenience4 ,the fact is1 my eyes are the humble servants of my head1 which is particularly sensitive2 at the same time ,i hesitate to adopt leeches 7unless1 of course1 ,papa adheres to his opinion71 because ,i don't feel as if ,i were over-troubled with blood2 what do you think8 ,my otherwise health is1 thank ,god1 very decent4 ,i am not a robust man1 but ,i jog on very comfortably1 and feel very jolly1 and ,i am sure ,i have a good many reasons to be so4 ,about the hours ,i spend inactive1 ,i don't feel that so severely as ,i did last winter1 by any means2 in the first place1 ,i work till five or so 7from seven or eight in the morning71 then1 you know1 ,i dine at six1 which ,i make rather a long job2 then1 in the evening1 instead of tiring my eyes as ,i did last winter with dancing1 which ,i have totally forsworn 7there are more whiches in my letter than in the whole tea-party on the ,blocksberg in ,faust71 ,i spend nearly all my time at the house of my dear friends1 the ,sartoris1 where1 ,i assure you1 to pass to another point in your letter1 ,i neglect no opportunity to cultivate my poor unlettered mind4 ,it is indeed my only opportunity1 for to study1 alas1 ,i have neither time1 health1 nor eyes1 and the hopes to which you allude1 and which ,i myself once entertained1 must1 ,i fear1 be given up4 ,the worst feature in my mental organisation is my utter want of memory for certain things1 a deficiency of which ,i am daily and painfully reminded by the mention in my presence of books which ,i have read and enjoyed1 and which ,i have utterly forgotten4 ,my only consolation ,i find in the hope that ,i shall be able to devote myself with double energy to the art proprement dit1 and in the reflection that hardly any of the modern artists 7alas1 what a standard671 that have possessed extensive knowledge and varied accomplishments1 have had them as a super-addition to the gift of art1 but at the expense of their properly pictorial faculties2 to every man is dealt a certain amount of calibre--in one man's brain it breaks out in a cauliflower of variegated bumps1 in another's it flows into one channel and irrigates one mental tree1 and sends forth fruit in due season--hem6 ,thus1 whilst ,i paint1 others shall know all about it2 ,i shall be an artist1 let them be connoisseurs4 ,what did poor ,haydon 7for ,i have read the book7 get by his mordant gift of satire and his devouring thirst for ink8 ,he embittered old enemies1 made new ones1 estranged his friends1 encouraged the fierce irascibility of his own temperament1 allowed himself to cuddle the phantoms of undeserved neglect which always haunted him1 distorted his own perceptions1 and cut his throat6 ,without that pernicious gift1 ,haydon would not have written1 the ,academy would have hung his pictures as they deserved1 for his early works were full of promise1 they would have stood by him in the hour of need2 had everything that he saw and heard not fallen in distorted images on the troubled mirror of his mind1 he would1 no doubt1 have produced better works4 ,haydon might have been a happy man6 ,with regard to the practical lesson to be drawn by myself1 this painful book undoubtedly shows in a strong light the absurdity of always painting large pictures--a practice in which1 ,i assure you1 ,i have not the remotest idea of indulging4 ,to one thing1 however1 which you observe1 dear ,mamma1 ,i must beg to take exception1 as involving a very important question3 you say ,haydon persisted in following the historic style1 to the exclusion of pictures of a saleable size2 now this would only avail as precedent against historical art on the supposition that that walk necessarily implies colossal proportions1 than which idea 7though ,haydon seems to have entertained it7 nothing can be more false4 ,is it necessary to mention ,raphael's ,vision of ,ezekiel1 ,madonna della ,seggiola1 or a thousand other pictures1 by him and others1 which utterly confute any such notion8 ,but even were it so1 we must also not overlook the fact that the unsaleability of ,haydon's pictures had its cause as much in their quality as in their quantity1 and ,i will hold up to you1 in contrast to his sad story1 the case of ,mr4 ,watts1 who gives a sketch of the artistical character at the end of the autobiography1 and who has as many orders for fresco as he can execute for a considerable number of years4 ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,head ,,of ,,woman ,,at ,,window ,,in ,,cimabue',s ,,madonna ,leighton ,house ,collection ,,bath1 ,april #agth4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,fred1--,i have left a longer interval than usual between this letter and my last1 for your convenience and my advantage2 that is to say1 that by arriving close on the time for your writing to me1 the contents of this sheet1 or anything in it needing comment1 may not have escaped your memory till no longer wanted1 for1 with the best possible wish to be contented with the epistles for which ,i look forward so anxiously1 ,i cannot help feeling a little disappointed when you do not answer inquiries4 ,i do not wish to be unreasonable1 my darling1 in my demands on your time1 but ,i cannot bear that your letters should be mere unavoidable monthly reports1 and not what mine are to you1 that is1 in intention2 though ,i make every allowance for natural infirmity4 ,could we but have foreseen your weakness of sight1 ,i should have felt a great inclination to thrash you into exercising your memory more than you did1 though ,i am not at all sure that the result would have been satisfactory2 and with respect to music1 ,i am convinced you would not have made a satisfactory return for any knowledge acquired by dint of birch1 but--if it were not useless--,i would enlarge upon the imprudence of having neglected your father's admonitions at a more recent period to store your memory2 remember it for the sake of your own young people when you are the venerable papa of an obstreperous youth like yourself4 ,i think upon the whole it is satisfactory that the uneasiness in your eyes depends on your general health4 ,papa thinks the sensation you describe when drinking must be nervous1 and connected with the narrow swallow you inherit from me1 a peculiarity which has shown itself in four generations4 ,we do not feel so certain as it would be comfortable to do that the climate of ,rome is the one best suited to a nervous person2 but of course you will seek a healthy change of place as soon as the heat makes it desirable4 ,i must remind you of the unpleasant fact that your constitution very much resembles mine2 remember what ,i have come to1 and do not trifle with yourself2 do not say to yourself3 ,what a bore ,mamma is6 ,i am constantly thinking of my precious absent son1 and long1 as only a mother can1 to see you2 when ,i look at your picture1 ,i feel quite wretched sometimes that ,i cannot1 though you seem alive before me1 stroke your cheek and lean my head on your chest4 ,the other day we were startled by the appearance in the drawing-room of ,andrew1 ,lizzy1 and the girls2 and the first greeting over1 ,that's my saucy ,fred1 burst out of your aunt's mouth2 dear fellow1 what a likeness2 and ,lina was equally admired1 and we all agreed in deploring ,gussy's absence from the wall4 ,i wish ,i could see your studies1 for ,i suppose you have a great many for your great undertaking4 ,models are probably cheaper than in ,germany--are you conscious of improvement8 ,this seems an odd question1 but it is suggested by the fact that while ,gussy practises most diligently1 she seldom seems conscious of the improvement ,i perceive distinctly4 ,do you see ,cornelius from time to time1 and gain anything from him8 ,you never mention if you have any friends amongst the artists distinguished in any way4 ,,rome1 ,april #bi1 #ahed4 ,i have of late1 since the underpainting of my large picture 7at which ,i worked like a horse7 given myself rest and recreation in the way of several picnics in the ,campagna under the auspices of ,mesdames ,sartoris and ,kemble4 ,we are a most jovial crew2 the following are the dramatis personae3 first1 the two above-mentioned ladies2 then ,mr4 ,lyons1 the ,english diplomatist here 7whom your friend probably meant72 he is not ambassador1 nor is he in any way supposed to represent the ,english people here1 he is only a sort of negotiator2 however1 a most charming man he assuredly is1 funny1 dry1 jolly1 imperturbably good-tempered2 then ,mr4 ,ampere1 a ,french savant1 a genial1 witty1 amusing old gentleman as ever was2 then ,browning1 the poet1 a never-failing fountain of quaint stories and funny sayings2 next ,harriet ,hosmer1 a little ,american sculptress of great talent1 the queerest1 best-natured little chap possible2 another girl1 nothing particular1 and your humble servant who1 except when art is touched1 plays the part of humble listener1 in which capacity he makes amends for the vehemence with which he starts up when certain subjects are touched which relate to his own trade2 in other things1 silence1 alas6 becomes him1 ignorant as he is1 and having clean forgotten all he ever knew6#bg ,i shall not be able to leave ,rome more than a month in the summer1 as the work which ,i have carved out for myself makes it utterly impossible4 ,you must know1 however1 that the hot months 7,july and ,august7 are not the dangerous ones1 but ,september1 when the rains set in4 ,during that month ,i shall give myself a complete rest from work1 and shall go to the baths of ,lucca1 the healthiest spot in ,italy1 where ,i shall enjoy cool air1 country scenery1 and1 better than all1 the society of the ,sartoris1 who are going to spend the summer there2 meanwhile1 ,i shall take what precautions ,i can2 ,i shall live as the ,italians do1 getting up early1 and sleeping in the middle of the day1 and shall resume flannel1 if you do not advise the contrary1 as ,i see reason to believe that it is a great preservative against fever4 ,as for the general climate of ,rome1 ,i don't give it much consideration1 as there is not the least probability of my ever residing here2 ,i think there is not a worse place for a rising artist to set up his abode in than ,rome1 on account of the want of emulation as compared1 for instance1 to a place like ,paris1 where there are hundreds of clever men1 all hard at work1 and where an artist is always exposed to comparisons4 ,it is impossible for me to give you any decisive answer about my progress1 for you know ,i have been busy all the winter drawing studies2 ,i shall see when ,i come to the picture itself what steps ,i have made forwards2 ,i reckon on its being the best thing ,i shall have done1 ,i can say no more4 ,i believe ,sartoris1 whose judgment in all the arts is excellent1 considers me the most promising young man in ,rome2 but that does not mean much--we shall see6 ,of my daily life and occupations1 ,i have little or nothing to say1 as they are monotonous to a degree2 parties1 of course1 have ceased1 and ,i am just about to leave p4p4c4's everywhere1 as ,i don't mean to go into the world at all next year4 ,i don't remember whether ,i told you that some little time back ,mrs4 ,sartoris gave some tableaux and charades in which your humble servant co-operated2 the whole thing was1 ,i believe1 very successful4 ,the greatest treat ,i have had lately has been hearing ,mrs4 ,kemble read on different occasions ,julius ,caesar1 ,hamlet1 and part of ,midsummer ,night's ,dream2 ,i need not tell you how delighted ,i was4 7,cover--,mrs4 ,leighton1 ,,rome1 ,may #be1 #ahed4 ,circus1 ,bath1 ,england47 7,received ,june #e47 ,,very ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,your letter 7which ,i received the day before yesterday1 and should have answered the next day but for an engagement ,i had made to go into the country7 caused me great pain2 if you have known me hitherto for a dutiful and loving son1 believe that in this case nothing has been further from me than the least umbrage at the advice and suggestions that you always offer me with kindness and delicacy1 and that ,i am much distressed at the idea of having in any way aggravated the discomforts which an ,english winter make you suffer2 let me rather attribute1 and beg yourself to refer1 to the depressed state of your spirits any misconstruction you have laid upon a letter in which1 if there was any constraint1 it arose only from a desire to answer satisfactorily and systematically such questions as you asked me2 ,i will endeavour in future to present my report in a more ornamental form4 ,the delay1 too1 of my last letter arose from a misconception on my part of your expectations1 for ,i was waiting and eagerly waiting for your answer to intervene1 and1 considering the irregularity of ,roman posts1 you can hardly have a day on which you particularly expect to receive news of me4 ,let me hope1 dear ,mamma1 that on these points1 as on the others that ,i am going to touch1 you will be able in future to think more cheerfully1 in spite of the distorting medium of ,british fogs4 ,i fear from the tone of alarm ,i detect in your letter that ,i 7myself perhaps1 at the time1 under the influence of the scirocco7 must have conveyed to you an idea of greater ill-health than ,i labour under3 my eyes1 certainly1 are not strong1 so that ,i avoid using them at nights1 and ,i am1 as ,i ever was1 incorrigibly bed-loving1 but this is the whole front of my ailments2 meanwhile ,i work all day with little or no annoyance4 ,i am of good cheer and contented1 and altogether more free from rheumatism than ,i have been for a long time2 that1 thus deprived of the means of reading1 such little information as ,i ever had should have effectually made its escape from a noddle that never had the capacity of fixing itself on any one thing at a time1 is deplorable1 but not to be wondered at2 let us hope for a better day4 ,nor is spending the hot months of the summer here in ,rome so dreadful a thing as it appears to your tender anxiety2 with proper precautions and a regular life ,i shall no doubt go through it as well as so many of my friends that have tried the experiment2 the more so that the worst part of the summer is in ,september and early ,october1 at which period ,i shall be enjoying the particularly cool and healthy air of ,bagni di ,lucca4 ,how could you be surprised1 dear ,mamma1 at my having begun the pictures8 did ,i not tell you the size of them8 do you not know the quantity of figures in the composition8 do you not know that it will be considered a piece of extraordinary rapidity if ,i finished them in time for the ,exhibitions1 i4e4 by the beginning of next ,february8 ,you perceive the necessity of my staying here1 willy nilly4 ,the ,sartoris seem to you too prominent a motive in my desire to stay2 alas6 and again alas6 they are off to ,lucca in a few days1 and ,i shall be left alone4 ,judge whether ,i am eager to get off1 and whether anything but necessity of the most urgent kind will keep me here1 for ,i am warmly attached to both1 and her ,i dearly love4 ,be quite at ease about the amount of advice ,i can get here1 ,i do not lack that if ,i want it2 but as it is1 the compositions were so completely sifted by ,steinle before ,i left ,frankfurt1 that ,i have nothing left but the material execution1 in which you know every artist must fumble about for himself4 ,cornelius is very kind and amiable to me1 has been to see me twice1 and speaks well of me behind my back2 he told ,mrs4 ,kemble 7,fanny7 that there was not another man in ,england that could paint such a picture as my ,cimabue threatens to be1 and the same was unhesitatingly asserted by ,browning1 the poet1 who is also a connoisseur4 ,such details as these from my mouth savour of intolerable vanity2 they are not meant so1 and ,i give you them simply because ,i think they will fall pleasantly on the ear of the mother of the daubster4 ,to show you the revers de la medaille about advice from influential men1 ,i will just tell you that ,i received the other day from ,cornelius some advice which was diametrically opposed to that of ,steinle1 arrangez vous6 ,gamba and ,i are still capital friends1 and he is making great progress1 which is the well-earned fruit of his talent and assiduity4 ,now1 dear ,mamma1 you see how letters come to be dry2 by the time you have shaken off the responsibility of question answering1 and begin to breathe a little1 you have got to the end of time and paper1 and have no margin left for a little dessert2 the fact is1 your only chance is this3 next time you write1 ask me no questions1 and then ,i'll devote my epistle to telling you a most thrilling story which1 though it far surpasses in strangeness the common run of works of fiction1 is perfectly and literally true1 as ,i have it almost from headquarters2 them's your prospects6--,meanwhile1 with very best love to all1 ,i remain1 your affectionate and dutiful son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,illustration3 ,,original ,,sketch ,,of ,,complete ,,design ,,for ,,cimabue',s ,,madonna ,drawn in #ahec ,leighton ,house ,collection ,translation4 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,felice #abc1 ,may #bi1 #ahed4 ,,dearest ,,friend1--,delightful as it always is to me to receive any news of you1 yet your last letter1 along with pleasure1 caused me some pain1 for ,i could not help fearing that my long silence had annoyed you a little2 if this should be indeed the case ,i must express my extreme regret1 and beg you to believe that my gratitude and love can only cease when my memory ceases2 how could it possibly be otherwise8 ,you paint me a very melancholy picture of the situation in ,frankfurt2 it is certainly a most unpleasant state of things1 all this quarrelling and dissension6 ,when ,i1 at this distance1 think of such a regular hermit-like way of going on1 ,i feel quite disgusted2 it is fortunate that you1 dear ,friend1 have in the ecstasy of creation a resource that can never fail you4 ,but how comes it that ,hommel and ,hendschel1 formerly your enthusiastic pupils1 have now cooled down8 ,that is very incomprehensible2 they do not know their own interests4 ,i congratulate you most heartily on the completion of your large picture1 which ,i am very sorry not to have seen finished1 and ,i am especially glad to hear what you tell me about the shield-bearer1 for that breathes to me of industrious study of nature6 ,believe me1 that you1 the mature master1 who still consents to play the part of a student1 will not be without your reward4 ,what you have written me about my work has put me into a most terrible dilemma1 a dilemma which ,i am still very deep in4 ,it is a presumption that ,i should set up my ideas1 and a disobedience that ,i should take the advice of other friends1 against your judgment2 but ,i have gone so carefully into this manner of representation1 that ,i beg you1 dear ,friend1 to reconsider the matter1 and see whether ,i am not right4 ,these are my reasons3 it seems to me that the action in my pictures1 if ostensibly a triumph of the artist1 yet1 at the same time1 as an historical event1 is just as much the consecration of a ,madonna1 for which reason ,i 7as you know7 have placed the masterpiece which is being carried upon a small decorated altar2 that such a solemn event probably took place on a church festival 7as was the case with the consecration of the ,chapel7 may very well be assumed2 would not such a festival in the thirteenth century be important enough to justify the presence of the bishop8 ,but much more important than this question of historical probability1 appears to me the consideration that the conception of a bishop is only made tangible to the general mass of spectators by certain symbolic articles of apparel1 which are in some degree inseparable from it2 a bishop's presence in the procession is most probable4 ,why should ,i not put him there8 ,amongst others1 this opinion was also held by ,cornelius1 to whom1 as an experienced ,catholic1 ,i naturally applied at the outset1 and who told me candidly that he would leave it4 ,i hope you will not accuse me of being too stiffnecked2 in other respects ,i am certainly docile4 ,since ,i last wrote to you ,i have been fairly industrious on an average4 ,i have now under-painted ,romeo and ,juliet in grey 7grau untermalt71 made both the colour sketches1 and have now fairly got into the over-painting1 or rather second under-painting1 of ,cimabue2 but ,i have not been always within four walls2 on the contrary ,i have profited by the beautiful spring weather1 and have often gone out into the divine ,campagna with a party of dear friends1 male and female1 and ,i need not tell you that we have enjoyed it4 ,i wish with all my heart you could be with us1 my dear ,master4 ,rico1 the ever-industrious1 for he does twice as much as ,i1 sends you warm greetings4 ,i must now close4 ,i wish ,i could tell rather than write to you how you are loved and esteemed by your devoted pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,please remember me most kindly to your wife4 ,translation4 ,,frankfurt ,,am ,,main1 ,august #f1 #ahed4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,you have heaped coals of fire upon my head1 for ,i have not answered your last dear note1 brought me by ,andre1 and now ,i have received by ,miss ,farquhar the lovely study of ,vincenzo's head1 which you so kindly wish to present to me4 ,i am almost dumfounded to find that you could believe ,i was angry with you because you have not written me for so long1 and that you believe that the indignation had been ignored in my last note4 ,that1 dear friend1 was a complete delusion1 for there is nothing to which ,i am more partial than to artists' letters1 and nothing to which ,i am more insensible than to such flattering praise as you lavish upon me1 while ,i know only too well how unfortunately little ,i have deserved it4 ,in earnest1 dear friend1 call me no more master1 but rather regard me as your true and sincere friend1 who only out of friendship for you and love of art1 far removed from despicable dissimulation1 faithfully shares with you his opinions and experience1 and never regards them as the pronouncements of an oracle4 ,i know very well what a difference there is between the description of a work of art and the sight of it2 the first1 at best1 only gives one side1 one part1 whilst seeing places before our eyes the whole soul of the artist1 from all sides1 and then much is made mutually clear which in the former case appeared either not understood or misunderstood4 ,miss ,farquhar could not tell me enough about you and your work1 and greatly kindled my curiosity and desire to be in your atelier for once2 ,i was only sorry that she had nothing to tell me about ,gamba2 indeed1 on the whole1 she knew nothing about him4 ,if ,i am to express my thoughts of the very beautiful head of ,vincenzo1 it seems to me that ,leighton ought to guard against striving for excessive fineness1 for works of art can only be produced by quite the contrary method4 ,a certain roughness must bring out fineness1 but if everything is fine1 nothing remains fine1 c4 ,but believe1 though this head half displeases me1 especially on account of these theories1 ,i think it beautiful and masterly in drawing1 and am consequently proud to possess it1 as ,i am of all that ,i have from your hand4 ,i thank you a thousand times for this fresh proof of your friendship4 ,about this place1 let me be silent2 you are right to say that art is my refuge1 and that ,i find in it my compensation for much that goes ill here and everywhere2 ,i must also not allow this asylum to be profaned by the trifles of the very human things that surround us in this world4 ,greet from me ,rome1 ,gamba1 ,cornelius1 and all the friends who remember me2 and to yourself1 dear friend1 heartfelt greetings from your true and unchanging friend1 ,,edw4 ,,steinle4 ,illustration3 ,,vincenzo1 ,,the ,,prettiest ,,and ,,wickedest ,,boy ,,in ,,rome4 #ahed ,leighton ,house ,collection ,before leaving ,rome ,leighton received the following characteristic letter from ,mr4 ,cartwright1 one of his truest life-long friends3-- ,,carlsbad1 ,july #aa1 #ahed4 ,,my ,,dear ,,leighton1--,you will be astonished to see a letter from me4 ,i can assure you that ,i have often thought of you1 and meant to indite you an epistle in the hope of eliciting a reply full of ,roman tale from you1 and lately1 when through ,papeleu ,i heard of your great canvass labors1 my yearning got a new twinge which at last has been pinched into expression by the start at ,pollock's resuscitation4 ,i had heard of his death in ,paris and had mourned his fate most sincerely1 when the first man whom ,i met tramping health out of the hot water of ,carlsbad was ,pollock himself4 ,he is himself again every inch of him2 indeed a most wonderful recovery2 and1 after deep and valorous potations of hot water1 we take long walks in the hills4 ,he goes from here to ,marienbad and ,prague1 and means to be back in ,rome by the end of ,october4 ,and ,i also mean to return there4 ,like a true drunkard1 ,i can't forswear my bottle1 and ,i must have another pull at it4 ,we shall be there1 ,i hope1 in the beginning of ,october1 and ,i hope1 my dear ,leighton1 that you will not grudge me the pleasure of letting me have a few lines1 so that ,i may know whether you will be there in the winter and what are the changes in ,rome since my time4 ,are the ,sartorises to be there next winter1 and where are they now8 ,pray answer me this1 as ,i particularly wish to know where they are4 ,i have heard that there were such crowds of strangers at ,rome last winter that quarters were not to be had2 and for this reason ,i wish to be there early4 ,do you happen to know what is the price of the floors in the house on the ,pincio which was built by ,bystroem the sculptor8 ,next to the ,trinita1 immediately after the sculptor's studio1 there is a small house inhabited when ,i was last in ,rome by some ,french officers 7at least a sentinel was at the door7 and years ago by ,mrs4 ,sartoris4 ,pollock tells me it is now to be let4 ,would you be kind enough to give me any information you can about it4 ,it is a house ,i have often coveted on account of the view4 ,i beg your pardon for my coolness2 ,i hope you will bear kindly with it2 if ,i can do anything for you in ,paris1 command me3 but anyhow pray write to me1 if only a few lines1 for in my heart ,i wish to have some news about you and old ,rome4 ,the other day ,i saw at the ,louvre our old friend the very questionable ,vittoria ,colonna which was at ,minardis4 ,it was for ,exhibition there in the ,gallerie d',apollon3 what the picture is ,i cannot pretend to pronounce1 but ,i do not like it3 it is a picture in which ,i have no confidence4 ,i think that if not a made picture1 it is at all events a tame one4 ,this year there was no ,salon as it has been put off till next year's great ,exhibition4 ,robert ,fleury has sold a picture to the ,luxembourg which is not so good as his former ones2 but the man who ,i think is the most marked one of the day is ,conture4 ,excuse my scrap1 and pray take pity on my longing and write me1 were it only a line4 ,i should be grievously disappointed were you to refuse me the pleasure4 ,i shall be here till the #gth ,august2 until the #beth ,august1 after that date letters will find me ,frankfurt ,poste ,restante2 and after that in ,paris ,poste ,restante4 ,if you write here1 put ,carlsbad--,boehmen--and in a corner1 ,austria4 ,and now farewell2 with a real 444 ,i am longing for a letter4 ,the kindest regards to my ,caffe ,greco and other friends4--,yours most sincerely1 ,w4,c4 ,,cartwright4#bh ,after his stay at the ,bagni di ,lucca1 in the summer of #ahed1 ,leighton went to ,frankfort1 ,venice1 and to ,florence1 returning to ,rome in ,october4 ,in the following letter to ,steinle are sentences it might be well to print in finest gold1 for the benefit of students who try to run before they walk1 who aim at the freedom and glorious inevitability of a ,velasquez touch without taking the pains to equip themselves worthily to enter the lists with the giants2 not realising that skipping over the underpinning1 necessary in creating any work of art1 must result in the shakiest of edifices4 ,the sentence refers to the criticism in ,steinle's letter of ,august #f1 #ahed1 on the drawing of ,vincenzo 7called by ,leighton the prettiest and wickedest boy in ,rome7 which ,leighton had sent him4 ,translation4 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,felice #abc1 ,october #bb1 #ahed4 ,as ,i am making a short pause to-day in my work1 ,i cannot employ it better than in writing a letter to you1 my very dear ,friend4 ,it was a very great comfort to me to see by your last lines that you had not construed my former long silence as a cooling of my friendship and gratitude1 and ,i therefore hope that you will also this time meet me with the same forbearance4 ,you will certainly be interested to hear1 my dear ,friend1 that both my pictures are by this time fairly forward1 and ,i expect to finish them within three months4 ,how much ,i wish that you could see them here1 and that ,i could put in the finishing touches under your supervision6 ,i would give you an account of my work1 but1 bless me1 what is there to tell about my picture1 except that it has given me a fearful amount of trouble1 and that in the end one perceives how circumstantially one has gone to work on the whole matter2 the ,cimabue goes to ,london and the ,romeo to ,paris4 ,while ,i am speaking of my works1 ,i take this opportunity to touch gratefully upon your kind remarks about the study head of ,vincenzo1 and to inform you1 however1 that my opinion of it takes rather more the form of a question than that of an objection4 ,i have often considered the question of the self-guidance of an artist who is left to his own devices1 and it has often struck me how many wander in evil by-paths through an unorganised1 may ,i say unprogressive1 development of their gifts2 and now it seems to me that most of them are wrecked because they maturely study the object to be attained1 while the means are not considered which should lead to such results4 ,for example1 a young man sees a ,raphael1 a ,titian1 a ,rembrandt1 all in their latest manner1 and hears people say3 ,see how broad1 how full1 how round1 how masterly6 ,and the student naturally conceives the wish that he also might produce broad and masterly works1 and so far he is right2 but from that point he goes aside4 ,he goes home and strives and strains after masterly breadth2 he succeeds 7apparently71 and he is lost4 ,the soap-bubble is quickly blown2 he rejoices in its gay colours2 it flies up and breaks in the air4 ,and the cause is simple2 the true1 genuine mastership is not an acquired quality but an organised result4 ,as with art itself1 so is it also with the individual artist4 ,if we cast an eye over the progress of art-history1 we see how the full1 conscious1 free1 has developed itself out of the meagre1 timorous1 scrupulous1 dry4 ,similarly if we compare the first efforts of the individual with his last1 we perceive the same thing3 place ,m4 ,angelo's ,pinta beside the decorations of the ,sixtine1 one of ,raphael's works at ,perugia beside the ,stanzen1 ,rembrandt's ,lecon d'anatomie beside the ,nightwatch1 and it will be evident in the most striking manner that not one of these men had risen by means of his talent to full breadth in his youth1 or had been in any way studious to do so1 but on the contrary that they have attained mastery by natural growth4 ,in order1 therefore1 to reach the same altitude1 the young artist must proceed in the same manner as his exemplars1 and must endeavour so to direct his studies that he1 according to his gifts1 may achieve a similar result4 ,he who would fill his threshing-floor must not glean1 but rather he must sow that he may richly harvest2 he who would have rare fruits all his life must plant and cherish the tree2 even so should the young artist seek to plant a tree the normal fruit of which is called artistic perfection4 ,you will easily understand how by the application of these maxims my preliminary works go forward rather timorously4 ,entire conscientiousness is now the chief thing to me4 ,i am laying the foundation on which ,i hope to rely firmly later on2 ,i am amassing capital and am not yet in enjoyment of the interest4 ,how many objections to a couple of words8 you will laughingly remark2 dear ,friend1 ,i must feel myself indeed well equipped before ,i permit myself to oppose anything against your judgment4 ,of ,gamba ,i will say nothing1 for he is going to enclose a few lines in this4 ,i have made a trip to ,florence this summer1 and again thoroughly enjoyed the art-treasures4 ,i think ,i have spoken to you of the wall-paintings by ,giotto which were discovered two years ago in ,santa ,croce2 one of them1 which represents the death of ,st4 ,francis1 is the literal prototype of the celebrated fresco by ,ghirlandajo 7on the same subject7 in the ,sta4 ,trinita1 and ,i really prefer it4 ,time1 eyes1 paper fail me1 and ,i must close4 ,i hope that1 if you write to me again1 you will tell me exactly what you are doing4--,meantime1 dear ,master1 accept the heartfelt greeting of your grateful pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,please remember me most kindly to your wife and to all my friends4 ,leighton's eye trouble having become a constant anxiety and hindrance to him1 he resolved to consult ,graefe1 the great ,german oculist4 ,from ,florence1 on his return journey1 he writes his impressions of ,berlin to ,steinle4 ,in this letter he repeats again the sense of happiness which he always experienced in ,italy4 ,translation4 ,,florence1 #chf ,,via ,,del ,,posso1 ,november #ac4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend ,,and ,,master1--,at last ,i am able to write to you4 ,in the hurry and bustle of travelling1 and even in the short sojourns that ,i have made here and there1 it has been impossible for me to sit quietly down and compose a letter4 ,even to my parents ,i have written this morning for the first time since ,i left ,vienna4 ,but you will readily believe that during this time ,i have often travelled in thought to ,frankfurt in loving remembrance of you1 my dear ,friend4 ,strange things have happened to me since ,i saw you4 ,i had not even reached ,berlin when ,i was informed by a jebildeten 7cultivated7 ,prussian that ,graefe1 on whose account exclusively ,i was travelling to the geistreichen 7clever7 capital1 had gone away for an indefinite period2 imagine my dismay6 ,luckily on my arrival ,i found an old friend who was acquainted with the family of ,geheimerath von ,graefe1 and who found out through them that ,graefe must arrive at the ,golden ,lamb 7,leopoldostadt7 in ,vienna on such and such a day4 ,i met him1 and had a consultation at which he examined my eyes with the ophthalmoscope1 and told me to be of good cheer1 my trouble was certainly obstinate but in no way dangerous1 and ,i might hope for a complete cure4 ,he prescribed me a course for ,rome1 which consists principally of local blood-letting and wearing spectacles1 and will be very tedious2 but ,i will gladly conform to anything in order to get my eyes back again4 ,one thing is certain1 since ,i have been in ,italy they have been quite markedly better1 which ,i attribute for the most part to the diminution of my hypochondria4 ,yes1 since ,i have been in ,italy ,i have become a new man2 ,i breathe1 my breast throbs higher2 heavy clouds have rolled away from me2 the sun shines again on my path1 and my heart is once more full of youth and love of life2 if only you were also here1 dear ,friend6 ,but ,i must tell you something about my ,german travels1 and ,i will begin with ,berlin4 ,there is certainly something special about that town4 ,at the first glance it is somewhat imposing1 and the prodigious quantity of new buildings1 which evidently aim at architecture1 gives 7one may hold one's own opinion as to the taste of the buildings7 the appearance of great artistic activity and of a widespread taste for art2 but ,i have since found reason to regard this apparent love of art as something feigned or forced4 ,one gets quite sick of education in ,berlin2 would you believe that now every girl has to pass an examination as governess8#bi ,kaulbach understands the ,berliners well2 in ,raeginski's house a study of a ,roman piper hangs in great honour1 which he has purchased from the great master on account of a doggerel verse which is written on it in large letters1 and runs thus3-- ,upon my travels in ,italy1 ,this little boy ,i found1 but he1 ,although my brush may his form repeat1 ,remains to my sorrow incomplete4#cj --,w4 ,,kaulbach4 ,divine6 eh8 ,i knew a counterpart in the ,belgian art-world4 ,when ,i visited ,gallait in ,brussels some years ago1 before the door stood a ragged1 most picturesque ,hungarian rat-catcher1 who asked me if an artist did not live there4 ,recently ,i saw my ,slav again1 with a violin under his arm1 in a window1 very finely lithographed1 ,i believe even an artistes contemporains2 in the corner was ,louis ,gallait pinx2 underneath1 ,art et ,liberte6 ,thus do pictures originate6 ,in ,berlin everything is valued extrinsically4 ,one sees that most strikingly in the new ,museum4 ,when it is finished1 it will be1 in proportion to the means of the town in which it stands1 the most splendid that ,i know2 moreover1 it cannot be denied 7unsuitable as a three-quarters ,greek building may be on the banks of the ,spree7 that much in the architecture is even very beautiful4 ,but what is the good of it all8 ,with the exception of some ,egyptian antiquities1 in all these lavishly gilded and painted rooms there are only plaster casts6 ,yes1 and1 ,i must not forget it1 the great tea-service of ,kaulbach4 ,a wretched thing1 made1 moreover1 with superfluous productiveness2 simple allegory carried out without any fine sense of form1 with utter denial of all individuality1 and painted--well1 of that one would rather say nothing2 and yet ,kaulbach has the ,hellenic art1 c4 c41 and all the rest that is in the papers4 ,one would like to exclaim with ,cassius3 ,has it come to this1 ye gods6 ,unfortunately ,i cannot praise the ,cornelian things in the old ,museum much either4 ,i must confess they displeased me greatly2 when ,i consider them from a distance in their connection with the building1 ,i find them disproportioned2 in a long1 very simple colonnade1 built on a large scale1 ,i require of a fresco painting that it shall show in form and colour large1 quiet1 plastic masses2 instead of that ,i see here a gay1 unquiet1 confused fricassee of thought and allegory that makes one dizzy2 ideas in such profusion that nothing remains with the spectator2 he goes away without having received anything2 nor is the mental impression plastic4 ,if1 however1 one goes nearer to see the execution1 again one finds nothing pleasing--a constrained1 unlovely drawing--positions that could only be attained by complete breaking on the wheel--a general appearance as if the figures had no bones1 but muscles made of brick instead4 ,the colour is not much better than ,kaulbach's4 ,the end-piece on the right1 an allegorical representation of the death of man 7or something of the kind71 gives the most ordinary and at the same time most awkward sudden impression that ,i have yet seen4 ,cornelius may look at the ,vatican in ,rome and see if he can find anything like it there4 ,altogether the once certainly great artist seems to have somewhat deteriorated2 the ,cartoons at the ,campo ,santo are not by a long way so good as the design 7which ,i find charming in parts72 they are here and there1 which greatly surprised me1 disgracefully out of drawing2 and then the theatrical attitudes1 conventional clothes1 c4 c4 ,in the ,museum itself there are few pictures of the first rank1 but so much the more beautiful are those by masters of the second rank4 ,what a ,lippi6 what a ,basaiti6 what a ,cos ,rosetti6 ,i was entranced2 that is art1 character1 form1 colour1 all in beautiful harmony4 ,the ,daughter of ,titian does not deserve its celebrity2 it is weak and dull4 ,but my paper is exhausted1 as are also my eyes2 ,i will therefore defer the rest to another letter1 and only mention that in ,vienna ,kuppelwieser1 ,fuehrich1 and ,roesner received me like a son of the house1 and all sent hearty greetings to you4 ,do write to me very soon1 dear ,friend1 and keep in kind remembrance your grateful1 devoted pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,my address is1 ,poste ,restante1 ,rome4 ,please remember me most kindly to your wife1 and generally to all friends4 ,when tracing the ever-swaying ebb and flow in the tides of joy and sorrow in a life1 we come to times which seem to accumulate in their days the whole strength of feeling and vitality of which a nature is capable2 prominent summits that rise triumphant out of the troublous waves1 up to which the past existence has seemed to climb1 and the memory of which retains a dominating influence in the descent of the future4 ,i--h'm--must ,i say it8--am just as happy as the day is long4 ,so wrote ,leighton to his mother when at the age of twenty-three he was spending his days in and about ,rome--that wonderful ,rome with her world of ghosts1 her solemn eventful past skimmed over and made faint by her actual sunlit present4 ,to ,leighton that sunlit present became vividly1 excitingly alive4 ,fountains of joy were springing up in the artist-nature1 catching as they sprang golden rays from all that is most beautiful in youth's dominions4 ,leighton writes to ,steinle 7,july #be1 #ahec73 ,the remembrance of the beautiful time spent there 7,rome7 will be riches to me throughout my life2 whatever may later befall me1 however darkly the sky may cloud over me1 there will remain on the horizon of the past the beautiful golden stripe1 glowing1 indelible2 it will smile on me like the soft blush of even4 ,when1 in the late autumn of #aheb1 he first arrived in ,rome1 he had just stepped from the position of being one in a family to that of being an independent unit2 and1 though accompanied by his brother artist1 ,count ,gamba1 he felt greatly the loss of what he had left behind--the inspiring companionship of ,steinle1 compared to which nothing in ,rome was worthy to count as an art influence4 ,obliged to work in a small1 inconvenient studio1 the only one obtainable--expected friends1 whose society he valued1 failing him--he felt the want of so much that he could hardly enjoy what he had4 ,in those first days 7as we gather from his letters7 the ,eternal ,city cast no fresh glamour over his spirit4 ,spring came1 and the tune changed with the entrancement of ,persephone's release in the balmy warmth of the ,south4 ,the spring air twinkles with sunshine1 and the fruit-trees are again alive with gay blossom1 of fluttering petal1 frail as the soft moth wing2 the villa gardens are again bedecked with grand1 more solid petalled flowers--brilliant-hued camellias--and later1--the noble magnolia's ivory white goblets2 while the ground is carpeted with violets and varied-hued anemones4 ,all over the wild spaces of the ,campagna spring up grasses and lovely unchequered growth1 spreading a green and golden fur1 bristling in the bright light for miles and miles under a cloudless sky away to the faint blue line of mountains on the horizon4 ,on one summit--golden in the sunlight--the old town of ,subiaco is poised2 on nearer slopes--summer haunts of the ancient ,roman world1 ,tivoli1 ,frascati1 ,albano3 the wastes of budding herbage between checked only here and there by some spectre of old days1 some skeleton of a broken archway1 some remnant of a ruined wall4 ,it was on these strange wilds of the ,roman ,campagna that the life-long friends1 ,giovanni ,costa and ,leighton1 first met4 ,here is the description of the delightful scene of their meeting1 and of ,leighton's previous introduction to ,costa's work at the famous ,cafe ,greco1 written by ,costa after his friend's death3-- ,in the year #ahec1 the ,cafe ,greco at ,rome was a world-renowned centre of art1 a rendezvous for artists of all nationalities1 who had flocked to ,rome to study the history of art as well as the beauties of nature surrounding the sacred walls of the ,eternal ,city4 ,at the ,cafe ,greco#ca there was a certain waiter1 ,rafaello1 a favourite with all1 who had collected an album of sketches and water-colours by the most distinguished artists1 such as ,cornelius1 ,overbeck1 ,francais1 ,benonville1 ,brouloff1 ,boecklin1 and others1 and ,i felt much flattered when ,i too was asked to contribute1 with the result that ,i gave him the only water-colour ,i have ever done in my life4 ,leighton was also begged by ,rafaello to do something for the album1 and having it in his hands1 he saw my work1 and asked whose it was4 ,on being told1 he advised ,rafaello to keep it safely1 saying that one day it would be very valuable4 ,when ,i came later to the ,cafe1 ,rafaello told me how a most accomplished young ,englishman1 who spoke every language1 had seen my water-colour1 and all he had said about it4 ,i was very proud of his criticism1 and it gave me courage for the rest of my life4 ,that same year1 in the month of ,may1 the usual artists' picnic took place at ,cervara1 a farm in the ,roman ,campagna4 ,there used to be donkey races1 and the winner of these was always the hero of the day4 ,we had halted at ,tor de ,schiavi1 three miles out of ,rome1 and half the distance to ,cervara1#cb for breakfast4 ,every one had dismounted and tied his beast to a paling1 and all were eating merrily4 ,suddenly one of the donkeys kicked over a beehive1 and out flew the bees to revenge themselves on the donkeys4 ,there were about a hundred of the poor beasts1 but they all unloosed themselves and took to flight1 kicking up their heels in the air--all but one little donkey1 who was unable to free himself1 and so the whole swarm fell upon him4 ,the picnic party also broke up and fled1 with the exception of one young man1 with fair1 curly hair1 dressed in velvet1 who1 slipping on gloves and tying a handkerchief over his face1 ran to liberate the poor little beast4 ,i had started to do the same1 but less resolutely1 having no gloves2 so ,i met him as he came back1 and congratulated him1 asking him his name4 ,and in this way ,i first made the acquaintance of ,frederic ,leighton1 who was then about twenty-two years old2 but ,i was not then aware that he was the unknown admirer of my drawing in ,rafaello's album4 ,i remember that day ,i had the great honour of winning the donkey race1 and ,leighton won the tilting at the ring with a flexible cane2 therefore we met again when sharing the honour of drinking wine from the ,president's cup1 and again we shook hands4 ,when ,i heard from ,count ,gamba1 who was a friend and fellow-student of ,leighton's1 what great talent he had1 ,i tried to see his work and to improve our acquaintance2 for as ,i felt ,i must be somewhat of a donkey myself1 because of the ,franciscan education ,i had received1 and because ,i was the fourteenth in our family1 ,i thought the companionship of the spirited youth would give me courage4 ,and again it was on the ,campagna that that choice and delightful company picnicked in the spring-time of the year1 of which company ,leighton wrote on ,april #bi1 #ahed 7see p4 #adf74 ,who knows but that it was at one of these notable picnics that ,browning was inspired to write his wonderful little poem on the ,campagna8 ,the ,champaign1 with its endless fleece ,of feathery grasses everywhere1 ,silence and passion1 joy and peace1 ,an everlasting wash of air-- ,rome's ghost since her decease4 ,such life there1 through such lengths of hours1 ,such miracles performed in play1 ,such letting nature have her way1 ,while ,heaven looks from its towers4 ,life was full to overflowing in those inspiring days1 and ,leighton was indeed as happy as the day was long4 ,friendships grew apace4 ,many were made which were lasting1 notably that with ,mr4 ,henry ,greville1 the most intimate man-friend of ,leighton's life4 ,his friendships with ,sir ,john ,leslie1 ,mr4 ,cartwright1 ,george ,mason1 ,mr4 ,aitchison1 ,sir ,edward ,poynter1 all began in those early happy days in ,rome4 ,artists living there1 who included this gifted brother-painter in their comradeship1 showed more and more sympathy towards his work as they became more intimate with the delightful nature4 ,leighton had arrived so far forward on the threshold of his success that anxiety about his pictures was outweighed by hopeful expectancy2 but it was while still standing on the threshold--that really most inspiring of all stages in the journey1 during the two years from #ahec to #ahee1 before the great triumph of signal success crowned him--that we catch the happiest picture in ,leighton's life4 ,to use his own words1 ,in this world confident expectation is a greater blessing1 almost1 than fruition4 ,in a letter he wrote to ,fanny ,kemble on ,february #a1 #ahhj1 ,leighton refers to a conversation he had with her at this outset of his career--a conversation which recurred to him1 he tells her1 when he first addressed the ,royal ,academy students from the presidential chair in #ahgi4 ,he offers a copy of his discourse for her acceptance1 ending his letter by the words3 ,if you remember that conversation1 you may perhaps feel some interest in reading the ,lecture1 of which ,i ask you to accept a copy4 ,if you do not remember it1 nevertheless accept the little paper for the sake of old days which were not as to-day4#cc ,how much can a few words say6 ,if gratified ambition could ever make an artist-nature happy1 how transcendently happy ,leighton ought to have been in #ahhj6 ,but the fibre which strung the highest note in his nature never vibrated to worldly success4 ,though his ambition may have sought success1 and his passion for fulfilling to the utmost his duty towards his fellow-creatures may have greatly welcomed it1 he remained to the end of his life ever on the threshold of that kingdom1 the possession of which could alone have satisfied what he cared for most4 ,the following letters mention the progress of the opus magnum to its completion1 also of the ,romeo picture1 and his visits to ,florence and the ,bagni di ,lucca4 ,the first begins by his expressing his ever-growing dislike of general society4 ,commencement missing4 ,miss ---- is no less than ever1 and no less agreeable1 as far as ,i can judge2 ,i have only called once as yet1 ,i have an ungovernable horror of being asked to tea2 my aversion to tea-fights1 muffin-scrambles1 and crumpet-conflicts1 which has been gathering and festering for a long time1 has now become an open wound4 ,the more ,i enjoy and appreciate the society and intercourse of the dozen people that ,i care to know1 the more tiresome ,i find the commerce of the others1 braves et excellentes gens du reste2 the ,lord be merciful to the overwhelming insipidity of that individual whose name is ,legion--the unexceptionable--the highly respectable6 ,my great resource is1 of course1 ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 whom ,i see at some time or other every day1 for it would be a blank day to me in which ,i did not see her2 ,god bless her6 for my dearest friend4 ,i warm my very soul in the glow of her sisterly affection and kindness4 ,little baby is the same sunbeam that he always was2 did ,i tell you ,i painted his likeness in oils as a surprise for his father8 as a picture it is not unsuccessful1 but any attempt at a portrait of that child is a profanation1 and will be till we paint with the down of peaches and the blood of cherries1 and mix our tints with golden sunlight2 still1 it pleased them1 and that ought to be enough2 but ,i am an artist as well as a friend4 ,a very interesting acquaintance ,i have here in the shape of ,rossini1 the great ,rossini6 ,poor ,rossini1 what a sad fate is his1 to have lived to see the people on whom the glory of his splendid genius has shone turn away from him in forgetfulness1 neglecting his classical beauties to listen to the noisy trivialities of a ----1 who has made the ,italian name in music a by-word of ridicule2 with the music of course1 the singers have degenerated also2 a singer no longer requires to be an artist1 it is no longer necessary that he or she should study his or her part till every note has a meaning and a character expressive of the words of the libretto1 and accompanied by musical and impassioned mimica2 no1 let the prima donna only squall out her never-ending fioriture with sufficient disregard for the safety of her lungs1 or the primo tenore shake the stage with a la di petto1 and all is right4 ,this is a digression1 but as an artist ,i can't help taking it to heart1 and wanted to have it out4 ,amongst ,mrs4 ,sartoris' few intimes at this moment is a ,neapolitan lady1 la ,duchessa ,ravaschieri1 daughter of ,filangieri the minister1 who has given her himself an education almost unique amongst ,italian noblewomen1 who are insipid and ignorant beyond anything4 ,,florence1 ,,hotel ,,du ,,nord1 ,september #bj1 #ahed4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,i was much surprised1 as we very naturally measure time past by the number of events that have taken place in it1 the interval between this your last letter and the previous one seemed to me doubly long1 for ,i have changed scene so often during these last four or five weeks1 and have moved so much from place to place1 that it seems to me an age since ,i last despatched a letter to ,england2 from which you will naturally and correctly infer that it was a very great pleasure to me once more to see your handwriting4 ,your kind anxiety and advice about the cholera ,i shall remember when ,i get to ,rome 7which will be in a week or ten days71 where that disease prevails1 although mildly1 for what are thirty cases a day in a town of that size8 ,in the meantime1 both at the baths where ,i have been1 and at ,florence1 where ,i am1 the cholera has not dared to show its face2 indeed1 such a prestige of salubrity attaches to the name of the baths of ,lucca that eight days' sojourn at that place is considered tantamount to a quarantaine6 ,it is a very strange thing1 this exemption from disease1 for in a number of the surrounding villages the number of people carried off has been frightful4 ,as for that after apprehension of yours1 dearest ,mamma1 about my being alone and uncared for in case of illness1 ,i am happy to say that nothing can be more unfounded2 ,i have in ,mrs4 ,sartoris that genuine friend1 and1 especially1 genuine woman friend that in such a case would leave nothing undone that you1 the best of mothers1 and my own dear sisters1 would do for me4 ,it is her habit1 when any of her bachelor and homeless friends are poorly1 to go and sit with them and nurse them1 and do you think that ,i1 who have become one of her most intimate circle1 should need to fear neglect8 ,in the friendship of that admirable woman ,i am rich for life4 ,poor thing1 she has lately received a great blow in her own family from the sudden calamity which has befallen her4 ,this shocking news reached me here1 at ,florence1 where ,i had come on from the baths1 and ascertaining that her husband was gone off to ,england to inquire into the matter1 and that by a chance her boy's tutor was absent at the same time1 ,i instantaneously went off to ,lucca1 where ,i stayed a week 7till the return of the tutor71 taking care of her boy1 hearing him his lessons1 and especially keeping him out of the way2 in the evening ,i used to walk or drive with her1 and to my infinite gratification was able to be some little comfort and distraction to her2 my only regret in the whole business was that ,i was making no material sacrifice of my own time and pleasure1 so that ,i had not the satisfaction of comforting her at my own expense4 ,in adopting the resolution1 which ,i have communicated to you1 of retiring from society1 ,i have taken into consideration all that you say1 dear ,mamma1 and more too1 for ,i feel ,i have of my nature a very fair share of the hateful worldly weakness of my country-people2 still1 ,i have found no sufficiently great advantage or compensation for the tedium of going out2 the ,roman grand monde1 a small part of which ,i know1 and which1 had ,i chosen to push a little1 ,i might have known all1 is of no use whatever in reference to my future career2 added to which ,i believe ,i told you that ,i never by any chance got introduced to anybody1 so that whomever ,i know1 ,i know by chance1 or by their own wish4 ,for instance1 last winter ,i met the ,duke of ,wellington constantly1 both at the ,sartoris' 7he is a very old friend of hers7 and at the ,farquhars'1 and though he is the most accessible of men1 ,i made no attempt to make his acquaintance1 and so it is with everybody4 ,but for the tableaux charades which ,mrs4 ,s4 gave last winter1 in which ,i was joint-manager with herself1 and was therefore brought into contact with her numerous co-operating friends1 ,i should probably have known few or none of those who were at her house every week2 always excepting our own intimate circle1 to wit1 ,browning1 ,ampere1 ,dr4 ,pantaleone1 ,lyons1 ,count ,gozze1 ,duke ,sermoneta1 c4 ,you know1 when ,i say ,i shan't go out1 it is in so far a facon de parler1 that1 as ,i shall be at least every other day at ,mrs4 ,sartoris'1 ,i shall not be at home1 trying my eyes4 ,i quite agree with you in thinking this business of ----'s a most awkward thing2 ,i cannot understand a man having once gone into the army and made his profession to be honourably killed for his country1 should not jump at the idea of going to the scene of war2 ,i have felt a very strong desire to lend a hand myself1 but one cannot drive two trades4 ,my singing 7in particular1 and music in general7 ,i have avoided mentioning1 because1 dear ,mamma1 it is a subject on which ,i have no reason to dwell very complacently2 my first disappointment was finding my voice1 instead of strengthening in an ,italian climate1 getting if possible weaker than it was4 ,it is the merest fil de voix4 ,i have therefore as the onset very insufficient moyens2 this is owing1 not only to the insufficiency of my organe1 but also to an unpleasant visitation in the shape of swollen and irritated tonsils1 the very ailment1 ,i believe1 under which ,gussy labours4 ,this symptom1 which ,i have carried about some time1 is1 ,i fancy1 not likely ever to leave me permanently2 add to this that as soon as ,i sit down to thump with elephantine touch a most ordinary accompaniment1 the little voice ,i have vanishes2 thus between two stools 444 you know the rest4 ,still1 ,i am bound to add that ,mrs4 ,sartoris 7who could not flatter7 has great pleasure in hearing me coo a little song or two that ,i know1 and says ,i have what is better than voice1 which is a musical accent1 and that 7she is pleased to add7 to a rather remarkable degree2 my voice is weak and powerless1 but true and facile4 ,i will tell you exactly what to expect when you see me again4 ,i shall be able to sit down to the piano and whine some half-dozen pretty little ballads1 with a rum-tum-tum accompaniment of affecting simplicity4 ,gussy dreams of me as very handsome and are my whiskers growing8 ,i am not very handsome1 none of my features are really good4 ,my whiskers have grown1 they are undeniable1 there is no shirking them1 or getting out of the way of them2 ,i wear whiskers though you were short-sighted2 but they are modest ones2 as for moustaches1 the seven hairs which ,i have 7and wear7 are not worth mentioning1 but still ,i have none of that delicacy which you profess on the subject4 ,in my opinion1 if gentlemanhood is a thing dependent on the scraping of four square inches of your face1 and residing only in the well-shaved purlieus of a 7probably7 ugly mouth1 ,i feel equal to going without it1 in that shape at all events4 ,a moustache1 and even a beard1 if kept short enough to be in keeping with a not very flowing costume1 is both becoming and convenient1 and ,i fear that the whole prestige of respectability hovering around ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ----1 or the withering contempt of the irreproachable ,sir ,john and ,lady ----1 would not make me shave1 unless1 indeed1 ,i felt too hot about the chin4 ,i have gone through your letter1 and shall wind up with a few words about my doings1 which1 by-the-bye1 might be compendiously characterised by one word3 nothing4 ,my holidays are drawing to a close1 and ,i shall be in ,rome1 working very hard to get my pictures done for the ,exhibitions4 ,meanwhile ,i am enjoying ,florentine sunsets1 the gorgeousness of which defies description4 ,the other day1 in particular1 ,i was on the heights near the ,miniato1 ,i thought ,i had never seen anything like it4 ,i remembered ,papa's fondness for that spot1 and wished he had been there to share my enjoyment2 the lanes were cool and pearly grey2 over them hung in every fantastic shape the rich growth of the orchards and gardens that crowned the lengthened walls2 the olives1 strangely twisted1 flaming with a thousand tongues of fire2 the wreathing vine flinging its emerald skirts from tree to tree2 the purple wine flashing in the fiery grape2 the stately mais flapping its arms in the breath of the evening2 the solemn cypress2 the poetic laurel2 the joyous oleander--all glorified in the ardour of the setting sun1 that flung its rays obliquely along the earth2 you would have been enchanted4 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,felice #abc1 ,february #aj1 #ahee4 ,,dear ,,papa1--,i hasten to answer your kind letter and to thank you for the willingness you express to advance such a sum of money as ,i shall require to cover the heavy expenses ,i am incurring4 ,i forgot to mention in my last letter that my picture will be directed straight to the frame-maker's who undertakes the exhibiting of it4 ,in approaching the other points which you touch in your letter1 ,i feel that my letter will unavoidably have a combative colouring1 which ,i sincerely hope you will not misconstrue1 and beg that you will consider whether the reasons ,i advance for not conforming to your suggestions are not sound ones4 ,if ,i particularly object to accompanying my picture1 it is because ,i think that the small advantages that might accrue from so doing would in no way make up for all ,i should lose2 whatever can be done to my picture on its arrival in ,england will be kindly done for me by my friend1 ,mr4 ,t4 ,gooderson1 who is in the habit of receiving and varnishing ,buckner's works on similar occasions2 with respect to the interest to be made amongst the ,academicians in behalf of my op4 magn41 ,i have neglected that on the express advice of ,buckner1 who has great experience in those matters and is a most kind and honest man2 he says1 such is the party spirit of ,r4,a4's1 that the best chance of securing impartial treatment 7in the case of a work of merit7 is to be completely unknown to all of them1 a condition which ,i am admirably calculated to fulfil4 ,you are also perhaps not aware that my picture will reach ,england five weeks before the opening of the ,exhibition1 so that by accompanying it ,i should completely lose all the best part of the year here in ,rome4 ,there are a great number of things which ,i propose doing now that my pictures are about to be off my hands4 ,there are here several very remarkable heads of which ,i wish to make finished studies1 and especially also ,i am loth to go without having drawn anything from ,michael ,angelo and ,raphael1 which is one of the chief objects for which one comes to this city of the past2 but1 ,i do not hesitate to say1 the principal task which ,i propose to myself is a half-length portrait of ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 to which ,i wish to devote my every energy that it may be worthy of perpetuating the features of the last ,kemble2 irrespective of the enormous artistic advantage to be derived from the study of so exceptional a head1 you will easily understand my eagerness to give some tangible form to my gratitude towards those whose fireside has been my fireside for so long a time2 nothing would grieve me more than missing so good an opportunity4 ,i confess1 too1 that ,i wished to see a little more leisurely the glorious scenery that lies all round ,rome1 and which ,i have hitherto hardly glanced at1 and partly indeed not seen at all4 ,i had indeed contemplated before leaving ,italy1 making a trip to ,naples1 ,capri1 ,oschia1 ,amalfi1 and all the spots about which artists rave4 ,this1 however1 will ,i fear be under all circumstances a financial chateau en ,espagne4 ,translation4 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,felice #abc1 ,february #ab4 ,,honoured ,,and ,,dear ,,friend1--,that you1 who know me so well and are so well aware of how ,i carry your image in my heart1 could misinterpret my silence ,i did not fear for a moment1 for rather will you have thought to yourself that the stress of my occupations in the course of the day1 and my incapacity to do anything at night1 have hitherto prevented me from writing2 and so it is2 for1 be you assured1 dear ,friend1 that1 as long as ,i pursue art1 you will be ever present with me in the spirit1 and that ,i shall always ascribe every success which ,i may possibly attain in the future to your wise counsel and your inspiriting example1 for as the twig is bent the tree's inclined4 ,first ,i will tell you about my health2 thank ,heaven1 as regards my general health1 ,i have nothing to complain of2 if not exactly strong1 still ,i am lively and in good spirits1 and look out upon the world quite contentedly4 ,my eyes--well1 yes1 they might be better2 otherwise ,i am always in a condition to work my seven or eight hours a day without over-exertion1 in return for which ,i dare not do anything in the evenings4 ,to tell the truth1 my position is not an agreeable one2 ,i am not bad enough to follow the course prescribed for me by ,graefe1 but on the other hand not well enough to be able to feel quite tranquil4444 ,time has slipped away in stress of work since ,i commenced this letter4 ,i throw myself again upon your goodness1 dear ,master1 and beg you will not measure my love by my readiness in writing1 for then ,i should certainly come off a loser4 ,i told you that my affairs have pressed upon me2 ,i have finished my ,cimabue4 ,i am dreadfully disappointed1 dear ,friend1 that ,i cannot1 as ,i hoped1 send you a photograph1 but it has been impossible for me to have one taken1 since the picture is so large that it could not be transported to a photographic loggia without fearful ado and unnecessary risk to the canvas2 ,i will therefore exert myself to write you what it looks like4 ,first you must know that ,i changed my intention as to the respective sizes of the two pictures1 for ,i perceived that my eyes could not possibly permit the ,florentine composition to be carried out on the proposed scale4 ,i therefore took a canvas of #ag-a_/b feet 7,english measure71 in consequence of which my figures have become half life size 7like ,raphael's ,madonna del ,cardellino71 and do not look at all ill4 ,the other picture 7which ,i shall send to ,london7 will be something over #g feet long by #e feet4 ,if ,i am to get them both finished by next ,january1 ,i must set to work in earnest4 ,i have made the following alterations3 first1 those prescribed by you1 viz4 ,i have made the picture which is being carried larger1 the chapel smaller1 and have suppressed the flower-pots on the walls4 ,a further alteration ,i have made by the advice of ,cornelius2 he said to me that the foremost group 7the women strewing flowers with children7 seemed to him somewhat to disturb the simplicity of the rest of the composition1 and suggested that ,i should put in a couple of priests1 especially as the portrait is of a ,madonna and is being taken to a church2 he further advised me1 in order to prevent the picture from being too frieze-like1 to allow this foremost group to walk up to the spectator4 ,it now looks something like this3 7,slight sketch of the design for ,cimabue's ,madonna47 ,i hope with all my heart that you will approve these alterations4 ,i have drawn a quantity of heads and hands1 which are all finished1 like the ,chiaruccia which ,i gave you2 drapery is not lacking4 ,how ,i regret1 dear ,friend1 that ,i cannot show them to you4 ,gamba also is very industrious2 he has made endless studies1 and has also got his record ready4 ,he sends you most hearty greetings4 ,of his diligence there is always plenty to tell1 and you will not be surprised when ,i tell you that he has made very gratifying progress4 ,i could still tell you a great deal1 my dear ,master1 of what ,i have seen and experienced6 but time and1 alas6 especially eyes compel me to be laconic1 or this oft-begun letter will never be finished4 ,therefore ,i will only briefly narrate what happened to me in the imperial city2 my goodness6 how long ago that seems4 ,my first impression1 as ,i alighted from the train1 was very pleasant4 ,a lovely autumn morning1 the ,prater with its beautiful trees1 the ,jaegerheil in the sunshine1 all together welcomed me gaily4 ,i alighted in the ,leopold suburb1 and set off on foot the same morning in quest of ,kuppelwieser1 a cordial1 charming man4 ,through him ,i became acquainted with ,fuehrich and ,roesner1 who both received me no less kindly4 ,they all remembered with warm affection their dear comrade1 ,steinle1 and sent most hearty messages to him4 ,of their works 7for to you1 best of friends1 ,i write frankly7 ,i cannot1 candidly1 speak very highly1 but perhaps ,i might of the tenacious maintenance of their opinion in spite of the boundless1 oppressive indifference of the ,viennese towards high art4 ,now1 the dear friends are somewhat ascetic representatives of their mode of thought--a mode of thought which can be combined1 as we have seen in the great days of art1 with the greatest charm of representation2 but this quality is unfortunately too often absent from our friends4 ,of the two1 ,kuppelwieser is the less offensive2 he is perhaps rather antiquated1 but not without cleverness2 ,fuehrich is far too ornamental for me1 and as a painter1 ,god save the mark6 ,good gracious6 what is nature there for8 ,what can the people make of all this6 how is it possible that one can get so far in spite of a perverted training6 that people do not perceive their fearful arrogance6 ,they plume themselves upon piety and humility1 and in ,god's beautiful creation nothing is right for them2 do they then ever admit1 these gentlemen1 that they do not want nature any more because they are aware that they no longer know how to use her8 ,would they feel happy if they saw a ,masaccio1 a ,ghirlandajo1 a ,carpaccio8 ,but they in their drawings are pretentious and puffed up1 but there is no learnedness in them1 and that which ,god has made so lovely with all the brilliancy of colour1 they daub with any dirt1 and call it a picture2 some even 7that was still lacking7 shrug their shoulders spitefully and mock--at the unattainable4 ,and whence does all that arise8 ,how is it that even sensible1 clever men are so ill equipped8 ,it is due solely and alone to the topsy-turvy1 involved principle of education1 to the fact that the people1 while they are still young1 labour and worry day and night at the representation of unrepresentable ideas1 instead of drawing from nature and from nothing else for ever and ever amen1 till they are in close harmony with her2 that would be a soil from which the tree of their art could grow upwards1 fresh1 powerful1 ever-herbescent2 that they might not stand there in their old age as high1 proud1 upward-aspiring trunks without leaves1 without sap4 ,naturally all this is not aimed at the good ,fuehrich1 but in general against all those who in their infatuation allow themselves1 behind the shield of severe sentiments and high efforts1 to throw overboard all the difficulties of art4 ,how gladly my thoughts turn away from such unpleasing reflections to you1 dearest ,friend1 who take nature for your model in every part of your pictures1 and with your high degree of ability are always the devoted pupil of nature6 ,keep1 ,i beg you1 your grateful pupil in sympathetic remembrance1 and never doubt the devotion of your loving friend1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,please remember me most kindly to your wife2 also to my other friends4 ,if you see ,schalck1 will you kindly say to him that ,i have received his letter1 and will answer it when my eyes permit4 ,i am longing to hear what pictures and drawings you are making6 ,will you forgive my silence1 and write to me8 ,my picture is under-painted grey-in-grey 7grau in grau72 ,i finished it in a week2 it was a great effort4 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,felice1 ,february #ai1 #ahee4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,as the body of the letter ,i have just received is written by ,papa1 ,i have thought well to address to him the important part of mine2 you will therein see all the business news that ,i have to give1 and will1 ,i know1 be much pleased to hear that my picture has had great success here2 ,i hope it may not have less in ,london4 ,as the picture is of a jovial aspect and contains pretty faces1 male and female1 ,i think the public will find leur affaire2 the ,romeo and ,juliet 7also nearly finished7 will1 though perhaps a better picture1 probably be less popular from its necessarily serious and dingy aspect4 ,dear ,mamma1 ,i am much tickled at your comparison between the ,campagna and the environs of ,bath2 it is like saying that strawberries and cream are equal and perhaps superior to a haunch of wild boar6 l'un n'empeche pas l'autre1 but they can never be compared1 nor can they answer the same purpose4 ,the ,sartoris are well2 ,i am there every evening of my life4 ,the next page is ,papa's4 ,good-bye1 dear ,mamma4 ,best love from your affectionate and dutiful son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,p4,s4--,my resolution not to dance ,i have kept 7excepting in the case of quadrilles71 and have avoided making new acquaintances1 as ,i intend next winter not to go out at all2 but if ,i have no longer agitated the fantastic toe1 and have acquired a cordial dislike to balls1 ,i have been all the oftener to my dearest and best friends1 the ,sartoris1 to whom ,i go about four times a week1 and of whose sterling worth it is impossible to speak too warmly2 at their house also ,i have made several interesting acquaintances2 ,fanny ,kemble 7as you know71 ,thackeray1 ,lockhart1 ,browning1 the authors2 ,marochetti1 the sculptor1 and so on2 as for ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 ,i look upon her as an angel1 ni plus ni moins1 and ,i feel terrified at the idea of how much more exacting she has made me for the future choice of a wife1 by showing one what opposite excellencies a woman may unite in herself4 ,to his ,father--,part of letter missing4 #ahee4 ,it is with very great pleasure that ,i announce to you the completion of my large picture1 which ,i have exhibited privately to my ,english friends and a crowd of artists of all nations4 ,you will1 ,i am sure1 be gratified to hear that it had a remarkable succes2 artists of whatever school seem equally pleased1 some admiring the drawing1 others the colouring4 ,i hope that what ,i say does not savour of vanity2 ,i simply tell it you from a conviction that it is agreeable to you to hear what people say of your son1 and to anticipate in some measure the verdict of a larger public4 ,as for the positive value of it1 we all know what to think about that4 ,it amused me to hear that several people compared my picture to the works of ,maclise1 and came to conclusions considerably in my favour4 ,swinton paid me the compliment of requesting to be introduced to me1 and seemed very sincerely to admire my picture1 as also a portfolio of leads which ,i have drawn at different times1 and which are much admired by everybody4 ,of course you did perfectly right in not dreaming of exhibiting ,isabel's likeness4 ,pray do not think from what ,i said about my lengthened stay in ,rome1 that ,i undervalue the delight of seeing you all again1 but still ,i think that if by a little postponement ,i can have that pleasure without losing my spring1 it would be better4 ,my idea is to remain in ,italy till the end of ,may1 and then visiting ,paris 7to see the great ,exhibition7 on my road to get home by the middle or end of ,june1 which will still leave me a long summer's holiday4 ,this letter from his mother contains the news of ,leighton's father's joy at the success of the picture in ,rome3-- ,february #ah1 #ahee4 ,now ,i think of it1 you have probably some signs of spring about you--how enviable6 ,my dear ,fred1 ,i did not compare the artistic resources of ,bath with those of ,rome1 well knowing that the transparent atmosphere there imparts beauty to the country which1 without it1 might not be remarked2 equally bright and clear the sky is not in ,england1 but ,i assure you that many parts of the country near us and in ,devonshire1 and doubtless in many other counties1 may for beauty challenge a comparison with many most admired spots in ,italy and elsewhere1 though the character of the landscape is different4 ,nevertheless1 ,i shall be very glad to see again ,switzerland1 ,southern ,germany1 c4 c4 ,pray1 dear ,fred1 if you do go to sketch in the ,campagna1 take care not to expose yourself to any disagreeable adventures with ,brigands2 ,i entreat you1 be prudent4 ,not to tire you with repetition1 ,i have not alluded to the success of your picture1 but ,i must tell you that your father was radiant with joy as he read your letter and gave it into my hands with the words1 ,that is a satisfactory letter4 ,i am curious to know when we shall see your ,paris picture1 and whether we shall winter in that delightful town2 ,papa and ,i have always wished it4 ,i must just mention1 what ,i had nearly forgotten1 that a great treat is in store for the inhabitants of ,bath1 as next week ,mrs4 ,fanny ,kemble is to read some of ,shakespeare's plays in public1 with appropriate music4 ,a great treat is expected4 ,god bless you1 love1 ,i can no more4 ,our united affectionate greetings4--,your attached ,mother1 ,a4 ,,leighton4 ,,rome1 ,january #c1 #ahee4 7,recd4 ,january #ab47 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,let me hasten to reassure my poor dear progenitor on the subject of his anxieties2 if ,i spoke doubtfully and despondently of my performances1 it was owing to the lively feeling that every artist1 whose ideal is beyond the applause of the many1 must entertain of his own shortcomings2 once and for all let me beg him never to feel any uneasiness on the score of mechanical processes1 as in such cases one always has the resource of cutting the ,gordian knot by painting over again the unsuccessful portions1 an expedient indeed to which ,i have many a time been forced to resort2 the result of such failures is called experience2 through such failures alone one arrives at success4 ,nor am ,i wanting in the applause of my friends1 who all speak in praise and encouragement of my works1 and it is not a little gratifying to me to find that those whose opinions ,i most value are the first to speak favourably of my endeavours2 as agreeable as is to me this testimony on their part1 so indifferent am ,i1 and must ,i beg you to be 7for better and for worse7 to the scribbling of pamphleteers2 the self-complacent oracularity of these pachidermata is rivalled only by their gross ignorance of the subjects they bemaul1 and the conventional flatness of all their views2 ,i speak without fear of being considered partial1 as the article which you communicate to me contains more of praise than of blame2 it is1 however1 my practice never to accept 7inwardly7 the praise of those whose blame ,i don't acknowledge4 ,i happen to have seen other articles from the pen of this same ,mister ----1 and know a quoi m'en tenir4 ,the notice on myself ,i had heard of1 but not seen4 ,it may amuse you to hear that my draperies have been considered 7alas67 the most successful part of my picture1 and ,i am at present labouring hard to bring the heads1 c41 up to them6 ,in about a fortnight1 the large work 7,cimabue1 the canvas of many feet7 will be1 ,d4,v41 finished1 with the exception of the ultimate glazes and retouches2 by the end of ,february1 both pictures will start for their respective destinations4 ,one thing has caused me some annoyance and anxiety2 ,i wrote a month ago 7or more7 to one ,mr4 ,allen1 carver and gilder1 #ca ,ebury ,street1 ,pimlico1 sending a design of my frame1 and requesting him to let me know at once what would be the cost of such a frame1 whether he would undertake it1 and asking many questions important to me to know2 ,i have received no answer2 ,i therefore must take for granted that either he has not received my letter1 or his answer to me has been lost2 now1 as there is no longer any time to correspond on the subject1 ,i must1 on the supposition that my letter has gone astray1 send another design together with an unconditional order to begin at once at whatever cost2 now ,i grudge the time of writing a duplicate of my old letter1 and especially that of drawing a new diagram for his guidance4 ,with regard to the price1 ,fripp1 who recommended him to me1 says ,allen is a very respectable man1 and will no way take advantage of my awkward position2 ,i calculate the frame can hardly exceed five and twenty pounds2 then there will be the bill for exhibiting the picture of which he will take charge2 ,i expect that the framing1 packing1 sending1 c41 of the two canvases together will cost about fifty pounds tant pis pour moi6 7,here the letter breaks off47 7,cover--,madame ,leighton1 #i ,circus1 ,bath1 ,england47 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,felice #abc1 ,march #b1 #ahee4 7,on cover--,recd4 ,april #ab47 ,,dear ,,papa1--,i received a day or two ago the kind letter in which you inform me of the disposition you have made to enable me to get the money ,i want1 and for which ,i sincerely thank you2 your letter reached me just as ,i was driving the last nail into the coffin of my large picture2 the small had been disposed of in like manner the day before4 ,delighted as ,i am to have got them at last off my hands1 yet ,i felt a kind of strange sorrow at seeing them nailed up in their narrow boxes2 it was so painfully like shrouding and stowing away a corpse1 with the exception1 by-the-bye1 that my pictures may possibly return to my bosom long before the ,last ,judgment4 ,with regard to the success of my picture with its little ,roman public1 nearly all the praise that reached my ears was bestowed behind my back1 so that whether intelligent or no1 ,i have good reason to believe it was sincere2 indeed1 ,i should not else have said anything about it2 ,cornelius1 ,i am sincerely sorry to say1 did not see my daubs in their finished state2 he was prevented by ill-health2 however1 all the advice he could give me ,i got out of him in the beginning1 and indeed1 as you know1 altered about a dozen figures at his request2 in points of material execution he is utterly incompetent2 ,i am happy to say that he feels very kindly towards me1 as indeed he told me in plain words1 and added on one occasion1 ,sie koennen fuer ,england etwas bedeutendes werden2 ,i need not tell you that as he is altogether without apprehension of the peculiar and very great merits of some of our artists1 he considerably overvalues my 7relative7 value4 ,you ask for my opinion of my pictures2 you couldn't ask a more embarrassing and unsatisfactory question2 ,i think1 indeed1 that they are very creditable works for my age1 but ,i am anything but satisfied with them1 and believe that ,i could paint both of them better now2 ,i am particularly anxious that persons whom ,i love or esteem should think neither more nor less of my artistic capacity than ,i deserve2 the plain truth2 ,i am therefore very circumspect in passing a verdict on myself in addressing myself to such persons2 ,i think1 however1 you may expect me to become eventually the best draughtsman in my country2 ,gibson and ,miss ,hosmer are1 as you expect1 amongst those who praise me1 but ,i warn you that they are both utterly without an opinion in matters pictorial4 ,who is ----8 ,he is1 entre nous1 the worst painter ,i ever saw1 but also the greatest toady1 in virtue of which quality he makes ,l#ejjj a year by portraying the nobility of ,great ,britain and ,ireland2 however1 towards me he has been very pleasant and nice1 and so long as there is no lord in the way he is a sufficiently companionable person4 ,i certainly feel very little desire to have my ,cimabue hung in the little room you speak of1 but ,i fear that ,i must take my chance with the rest2 the fact is that although ,i personally have taken no steps in the matter1 still ces messieurs will not be unprepared for my picture1 because ,i know that old ,leitch for one will speak to them about it and will do everything that is friendly2 he even offered to varnish it1 but that another friend of mine has already undertaken4 ,one thing is certain1 they can't hang it out of sight--it's too large for that4 ,i must leave myself room to write afterwards to ,mamma4444 444,i am glad that you have made up your mind to not seeing me as soon as you expected2 indeed ,i felt sure that when ,i told you all the reasons which concurred to make me prolong my stay1 you would feel the force of them2 ,i willingly confess1 too1 that ,i was most strongly biassed on the matter by my reluctance to part from my friends1 but particularly her4 ,i am horrified at the use you make of the words indefinite time2 ,i shall certainly never live long anywhere without going to see them1 and ,i trust that our intimes relations will not cease as long as ,i live4 ,how sorry ,i am that ,i should not have known in time that ,mrs4 ,kemble was to read in ,bath2 ,i should have liked so to introduce you to her2 you no doubt found her reading a rare treat4 ,how beautiful is the ,midsummer ,night's ,dream with ,mendelssohn's music6 ,this reminds me of dear ,gussy and her music2 ,i suppose her new master is a good one1 or she would not have taken him2 generally speaking ,i have a sovereign dislike for the engeance of pianistes with their eternal jingle-tingles at the top of the piano1 their drops of dew1 their sources1 their fairies1 their bells1 and the vapid runs and futile conceits with which they sentimentalise and torture the motive of other men2 we have a specimen here in the shape of the all-fashionable ----4444 ,referring to a lady of his acquaintance1 he continues3-- ,she has acquired by her melancholy and sometimes haughty moods a character for misanthropy which she has not cared to refute2 but1 my good sir1 she is ,,divorced6 ,poor cowards6 should they not rather gather her to them1 and weep with her that weeps1 ,bible-wise ,pharisees6 ,your letter is full of thrilling events3 children born among the ,australian flocks of ,mr4 ,donaldson2 little ----1 too1 taking to herself a husband--alas for the ,laird of 7probably7 ,ballyshallynachurighawalymoroo6 ,i must think of answering dear ,gussy's note1 and close with a hearty kiss1 from your dutiful and affectionate son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,,dearest ,,gussy1--,many thanks to you for your kind note and for the sympathy and interest which you both offer and ask4 ,how heartily sorry ,i am that you should still be persecuted by the soreness in your throat1 and should be prevented1 poor dear1 from singing2 you who have the rare gift of that which is unteachable and without which the most brilliant execution is dumb to the heart2 ,i mean musical accent4 ,i had hoped that we should sing together1 but ,i fear that if the air of ,bath has such a bad effect on the throat1 ,i shall be invalided as well as yourself4 ,what is about the compass of your voice8 or 7which is more important7 in what tessitura do you sing with least discomfort8 that ,i may see whether anything ,i sing will suit us2 unfortunately most part of my limited repertoire consists of the first tenor part in quintettes and quartettes1 which are not available for us two4 ,i don't know whether ,i told you that ,i take a part in ,mrs4 ,sartoris' musical evenings1 in which ,i officiate as primo tenore2 you may imagine how great an enjoyment this is to me4 ,dear ,gussy1 how ,i wish you could hear her sing6 it would enlarge your ideas and open out your heart2 ,i am sadly afraid however1 that she won't winter in ,paris1 so that if you go there you must make up your mind to not meeting her2 but if you are in ,england in ,october she may possibly be there by that time1 and you might make her acquaintance2 if ,i sell either of my pictures1 and am sur les lieux at the time1 ,i will take you and ,lina to town at my own expense and introduce you to the dearest friend ,i have in the world2 ,i long for you to know and love one another4 ,you ask me whether she is like her sister2 in expression1 sometimes1 strikingly like2 in feature1 not in the least4 ,she is the image of ,john ,kemble1 with large aquiline nose and the most beautiful mouth in the world1 a most harmonious head1 and1 like ,fanny1 the hair low down on her forehead2 artistically speaking1 her head and shoulders are the finest ,i ever saw with the exception only of ,dante's2 in spite of all this1 many people think her barely good-looking1 because she has no complexion1 very little hair1 and is excessively stout2 you will be more discriminating4 ,i am amused at ,mamma's asking me in her letter whether ,i know why ---- did not know the ,sartoris6 ,pardi6 ,i did not introduce them1--in the first place ,i have been obliged to make a rule to introduce nobody to that house1 as ,i should otherwise become a nuisance2 people have constantly fished for introductions knowing my intimacy2 but the chief reason is that ,mrs4 ,sartoris has the judgment and courage to ask to her house nobody but those she likes for some reason or other1 for which reason her house is the most sociable in the world2 her intimes are a complete medley1 from the ,duke of ,wellington down to a poor artist with one change of boots1 but all agreeable for some reason2 ,i know that she would be kind to any one ,i brought to her1 but ,i also know that the ----s would have been in the way and a corvee to her1 which fully accounts1 c4 c4 ,i am delighted1 dear ,guss1 that you have a music master to your heart1 and that you have been considered worthy to play ,bach's ,fugues1 which are indeed monstrous difficult4 ,with regard to the pianistic style and the dewdrop-warbling school1 you need not fear that ,i should throw sour grapes in your teeth about that2 franchement1 the ---- after all is commonplace enough1 and the ----1 though pretty1 hardly deserves such an epithet as beautiful2 as for the ----1 it's just ludicrous4 ,did you ever hear ---- piano-doodle himself8 ,i was rather surprised at the judgment you pass on ,fanny ,kemble's reading2 if anything seems at all coarse in it1 it is occasional bits in the male part1 and that only1 after all1 because it is too good and it seems discrepant to hear male harsh sounds proceeding from the mouth of a woman4 ,with regard to her women1 nothing can be more pathetic and touching than her ,juliet1 or indeed all the women ,i have heard her do2 there is altogether in her style a certain amount of mannerism belonging to the ,kemble school1 but in spite of all that1 it is quite unapproachable now and is grand in the extreme2 the ,ghost in ,hamlet is quite a creation4 ,you seem1 like ,mamma1 to apologise almost for expressing an admiration for my photograph2 do you think1 dear1 that ,i don't value your sympathy irrespectively of your art judgment8 ,i shall send you soon two photographs of portraits that ,i am now painting2 one of ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 the other of her little daughter ,may4 ,i must close4--,with very best love to all1 ,i remain1 your very affectionate brother1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,the change ,leighton made in his picture at the request of ,cornelius1 mentioned in his letter to his father1 dated ,march #b1 #ahee1 can be seen by comparing the pencil sketch of the complete design with the finished painting 7see ,list of ,illustrations74 ,it consisted in his making the ,procession turn at the left-hand corner to face spectator1 instead of filling in this space and giving the required grouping of lines partly by the foreshortened horse and its rider which we find in the first sketch4 ,in the ,leighton ,house ,collection there is a fine study in pencil of the undraped figure of the man riding which is not included in the final design4 ,there are those who remembered the picture when first painted in ,rome1 also at the ,exhibitions in ,trafalgar ,square and ,burlington ,house1 who were of opinion that it was never seen so advantageously as on the occasion when the ,king lent it for exhibition in the artist's own studio in ,leighton ,house in the year #aijj1 and many seeing it there exclaimed1 ,leighton never did a finer thing2 and1 truly1 seen1 as it was then1 placed across the end of the glass studio under perfect conditions of lighting and surroundings1 the power and originality both in the colouring and design of the work were very striking and impressive4 ,leighton's friends felt specially grateful to the ,king1 for an opportunity having been afforded for the public to see this early work under such favourable and appropriate circumstances4 ,during those months when the picture was shown at ,leighton ,house1 it felt as if the very spirit of the young artist1 at the time when he was starting on his notable career1 had returned and was haunting the home of his later years4 ,from the end of the large studio1 looking through the darkened passage connecting the two rooms1 the procession verily looked alive1 a tableau vivant--no mere painting4 ,one of the salient virtues in the composition lies in the happy way in which the two central figures take a separate important position1 without the moving on of the procession being interrupted nor their attitudes being in any sense forced4 ,on the contrary1 it is by their absorbed1 modest demeanour1 which contrasts with the rest of the gay crowd1 talking1 singing1 and playing musical instruments as it moves along1 that the sense of awe and reverence felt by the two artist spirits becomes accentuated4 ,these recognise in this public ovation bestowed on the picture of their beloved ,madonna and ,child the union of a service offered both to ,art and to ,religion4 ,the happiness ,leighton enjoyed during the two years when this subject occupied his thoughts seems to have been reflected in the vigour of the actual painting4 ,it was evidently finally executed with an exuberant feeling of satisfaction4 ,careful studies having been previously made for every portion1 the under-painting itself was1 as he writes to ,steinle1 completed in one week1 and the canvas once attacked1 there appears to have been no hitch in the process of completion4 ,the happy balancing of masses1 the grouping of the figures1 the beauty of the lines throughout the crowded procession are admirable4 ,the picture was admitted by competent judges to be a work marked by a distinct individuality1 yet possessing style1 a word which in recent years had been associated in ,england with art that lacked vigour and originality1 and which flavoured solely of obsolete grooves and theories4 ,the colour is richer and purer than in ,leighton's earliest pictures1 and arranged cleverly so as to give full importance and value to the beautiful white costume worn by ,cimabue4#cd ,sir ,william ,richmond1 ,r4,a41 writes3 ,impressions of early years are not easily removed4 ,as a boy at school ,i went to the ,r4,a4 ,exhibition1 and saw for the first time a work of ,leighton's1 the procession in honour of the picture by ,cimabue in ,florence1 #ahee4 ,it stood out among the other pictures to my young eye as a work so complete1 so noble in design1 so serious in sentiment and of such achievement1 that perforce it took me by the throat4 ,leighton sent a photograph of the picture to ,steinle with a letter dated ,march #a4 ,translation4 ,,rome1 ,,via ,,felice #abc1 ,march #a1 #ahee4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,although since my last letter ,i have had no news of you1 ,i cannot pass by this moment1 so important to me1 without giving you intelligence of it4 ,yesterday ,i at last sent off both my pictures1 the large one to ,london1 the small one to ,paris1 with the consignment of the ,roman ,committee4 ,thank goodness1 at last ,i have got them off my mind6 ,and how sorry ,i am1 dear ,friend1 that ,i could not put the finishing touches to them in your presence6 ,of the ,cimabue1 ,i send you1 in two pieces1 a very bad photograph1 but it is the best that could be made within four walls2 from it you will only be able to judge generally of the grouping1 for as regards the colour1 which comes out so black in the photograph1 in the picture it is altogether clear and light4 ,you will certainly be glad to hear that this work has earned much praise here2 ,i promised that you should not have to be ashamed of your pupil4 ,the small picture is so dark in effect1 that it would be impossible to photograph it2 but as ,i suppose you1 like all the rest of the world1 will visit the great exhibition in ,paris1 you can avail yourself of the same opportunity to see my daub4 ,gamba is1 now as ever1 industrious1 tireless1 conscientious2 his picture also will be finished in a few weeks1 and will be a great credit to him2 ,i only wish he had a prospect of selling it1 but at present the sale of pictures is stagnant1 especially in ,piedmont1 where the art-loving ,queen-,mother has died4 ,he will have to fight hard against the gigantic pedantry of the ,turin ,academy and ,college of ,painters 7,malfacultaet71 for he paints things exactly as he sees them in nature2 ,god be with him6 ,of course1 he sends you heartfelt greetings4 ,of other artistic doings in ,rome ,i cannot tell you much2 ,i think ,i have already told you that ,i look upon ,rome as the grave of art2 for a young artist1 ,i mean1 for whom actively suggestive surroundings are necessary4 ,as regards the so-called ,german historical art1 that is not much of a joke to me2 when men1 out of pure impotence1 throw themselves under the shield of noble tendencies1 in order to make mistaken efforts to imitate the work of other painters1 they are simply ridiculous2 but when men are endowed with fine natural gifts1 and nevertheless out of sheer queerness and pedantry go altogether astray1 then ,i only feel angry4 ,god forgive me if ,i am intolerant1 but according to my view an artist must produce his art out of his own heart2 or he is none4 ,dear ,master1 ,i may perhaps pass through ,frankfurt on my way back 7in ,june72 ,i should like beyond all things to see you again1 you and your works that are so dear to me4 ,have you painted the ,death of ,christ which pleased me so much8 ,write to me if you have time1 and tell me how things go with you4 ,keep a friendly recollection of your grateful1 affectionate pupil1 ,,fred4 ,,leighton4 ,translation4 ,,frankfurt ,,am ,,main1 ,march #bj1 #ahee4 ,,dear ,,friend1--,my best thanks for your dear lines of the #ast and for the photographs1 with which you afforded me the greatest pleasure4 ,i had an idea that ,i should receive this friendly remembrance1 and ,i hope that you have meanwhile received my letter of the #crd ,march4 ,i know the difference in a photograph of a painting1 and the often quite contrary effect of the yellow and red1 too well to be deceived by a dark impression2 the masses1 their distribution1 alike in the groups and in the light and shade1 the outline of the background1 most of the single figures1 all please me very well1 and you could not believe how much ,i rejoice in every detail in which ,i recognise my ,leighton1 and when ,i see how all these have been achieved so thoroughly by industrious study and artistic culture4 ,you have indeed prepared a real feast for me1 my good wishes in my last letter were quite the right ones1 and the recognition which you have obtained in ,rome was certainly well earned4 ,i am convinced that ,overbeck was heartily pleased with your pictures4 ,it was perhaps my imagination1 dear friend1 when ,i thought from your letter that there was a slight cloud between us1 but ,i think it will be torn away when these lines reach you4 ,the fond idea of being again able to share your life and artistic work1 ,i must relinquish1 for ,i am an exile1 and besides cannot make myself familiar with your progress as an artist in the ,fatherland4 ,shall1 then1 your stay in ,italy be ended by the journey which you led me to hope would bring you to see me again8 ,but ,i forget so easily that we live in a world of renunciations1 and that often when we believe we are disposing1 we are disposed4 ,my spirit and my love will always1 wherever you may be1 be with you4 ,it occurred to me that probably our excellent ,gamba would not send his great picture to ,paris1 and yet ,i seem to have heard that he intended doing so2 it appears to me that exhibition in ,paris would give the picture more importance than in ,turin2 that ,gamba would triumph over the academic formalities in ,turin1 ,i do not doubt in the least4 ,his grandmother and all his friends await him here2 on a journey to ,paris8--,now1 dear friend1 one more request4 ,ihlee brought from ,rome some photographic views1 with which ,i and the friends who know ,rome are truly delighted2 the worthy ,frau ,rath ,schlosser wishes very much to possess a selection of twelve1 ,i myself would like to have at least three1 will you be so good as to bring them with you in ,june1 and also yourself take the trouble to make a really beautiful selection8 ,you will oblige me thereby very greatly4 ,i shall rejoice excessively to see you again1 and wish much that your stay in ,frankfurt need not be so short4 ,remember me cordially to ,gamba1 and give my kindest regards to ,altmeister ,cornelius4 ,my wife thanks you for your kind remembrance1 and sends many greetings4 ,all friends here have bidden me send their best wishes to you and ,gamba4 ,adieu1 dear friend1 always and altogether yours1 ,,edw4 ,,steinle4 ,translation4 ,,rome1 ,april #ae1 #ahee4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,only a day or two after ,i sent off my letter with the photograph1 ,i received your dear lines1 and now ,i have also the letter in which you acknowledge receipt of mine1 so that ,i am well off for news of you4 ,all the affection and kind sympathy which you express for me has affected me deeply1 and ,i look forward with sincere pleasure to the moment when ,i shall be able personally to express my gratitude to you2 ,i am also most eager to see the drawings of the completion of which you tell me2 judging by the sketches1 ,i expect great things from this composition1 so rich in imagination2 ,i saw the first beginnings of it4 ,that you are pleased with my photograph rejoices me extremely1 but ,i am sorry that you have not mingled some blame with the praise2 you say that most of my figures please you well2 ergo1 some of them do not2 which are they8 why not tell me all8 do you no longer regard me as your pupil8 ,from one part of your letter ,i understand that you think ,i have had a great deal of intercourse with good old ,overbeck2 that is not so2 he and his followers one does not see at all unless one belongs to their clique2 ,overbeck has never been within my four walls4 ,cornelius ,i see less seldom1 but not very often2 he is a very charming old man1 so cheerful and friendly1 and is of great strength2 for the rest1 he has some little queernesses2 he said to me once1 ,yes1 ,nature has also her style 7674 ,does that not bespeak a curious mental development8 ,gamba will not1 as it happens1 send his picture to ,paris1 it was not ready in time2 meantime1 it is being exhibited here in the ,piazza del ,popolo1 and receives the applause it merits2 he sends you most cordial greeting4 ,yes1 indeed1 the years of my ,italian ,journey are now ended6 ,it seems but yesterday that we first took leave of one another1 and you encouraged me upon my setting forth2 the remembrance makes me sad at heart2 ,i cannot help asking myself whether my expectations for these three years have been fulfilled3 and the question remains unanswered4 ,my stay in ,italy will always remain a charming memory to me2 a beautiful1 irrecoverable time2 the young1 careless1 independent time6 ,i have also made some friends here who will always be dear to me1 and to whom ,i particularly attribute my attachment to ,rome4 ,from an artistic point of view ,i am quite glad to leave ,rome1 which ,i1 for a beginner1 regard as the grave of art4 ,a young man needs before all things the emulation of his contemporaries2 this ,i lack here in the highest degree2 also here ,i cannot learn my trade1 and1 notwithstanding ,cornelius1 ,i am of opinion that the spirit cannot work effectively until the hand has attained complete pliancy1 and ,i cannot see what right a painter has to evade the difficulties of painting2 ,cornelius always says1 ,take care that the hand does not become master of the spirit1 and that sounds well enough2 however1 ,i see that1 in consequence of his scheme of development1 he has not once succeeded in painting a head reasonably1 not once in modelling as the form requires2 and that1 with all his magnificent talent6 ,judge the tree by the fruit4 ,how are the frescoes of ,raphael painted and modelled8 and the ,sixtine ,chapel6 the lower part of the ,day of ,judgment is in a high degree colouristic 7,koloristisch74 ,those people took nature straight from ,god1 and were not ashamed2 therefore their art was no galvanised mummy4 ,i must close4 ,please remember me most kindly to your wife1 and to my other friends4 ,for yourself1 keep in remembrance1 your grateful and affectionate pupil1 ,,fred4 ,,leighton4 ,steinle answers3-- ,translation4 ,,frankfurt ,,am ,,main1 ,may #f1 #ahee4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,hearty thanks for your friendly note of ,april4 ,the photograph of your picture quite pleases me as it is1 and if ,i am particularly pleased with the details1 that is to cast no discredit on the whole2 for a general criticism the photograph does not give me sufficient certainty1 and ,i must content myself1 this time1 with expressing the pleasure your always well-composed pictures give me4 ,you know your picture1 and can see more in the photograph than ,i4 ,what you say about ,overbeck1 ,cornelius1 and ,rome1 ,i understand well1 and ,i am in sympathy with much of it2 but ,i am almost beginning to fear you1 especially as ,i particularly feel how much ,i myself am wanting in ground-work1 how much ,i myself belong to the same evolution as these two men4 ,custom1 circumstances1 and the tendencies of the times1 are often mitigating facts in our judgment of these painters2 they have fought against things of which we no longer know anything1 and1 as participators in their art1 we stand1 to a certain extent1 shoulder to shoulder with them2 their delicacies are proofs of their struggle1 and the characteristic of youth becomes in old age principally a sign of weakness4 ,also experience has taught me not to let myself be deceived by what is called cliquiness1 ,i grant you that this is not an infallible judgment1 which is often to be regretted1 but people nowadays are weak1 and ,i have found that cliques often have a greater tendency for good than those judgments which make more noise1 a greater outcry than the fact warrants4 ,overbeck has always withdrawn himself too much2 but now1 dear friend1 you must attack him on the subject before you leave ,rome4 ,kindest regards to ,gamba1 to whom ,i wish a happy completion of his picture4 ,my wife sends best greetings4 ,always and altogether yours1 ,,edw4 ,,steinle4 ,we have read in ,leighton's letters the effect the ,cimabue's ,madonna produced on his friends in ,rome1 and how it was nailed up as in a coffin and despatched from the ,eternal ,city1 where it was destined never to return4 ,illustration3 ,,cimabue',s ',,madonna' ,,carried ,,in ,,procession ,,through ,,the ,,streets ,,of ,,florence4 #ahee ,by permission of the ,fine ,art ,society1 the owners of the ,copyright ,there exists a small long envelope edged with black1 stained horny yellow by time1 the head of ,queen ,victoria on the postage stamp4 ,it was despatched from ,england to ,rome over fifty years ago4 ,in the ardent spirit of the young artist who had been eagerly awaiting tidings of his first great venture1 what a tumult of excitement must the contents of that small envelope have aroused6 ,they brought with them a conclusive and triumphal end to all arguments with his father concerning the career ,leighton had chosen2 they realised the sanguine hopes of his beloved master1 ,steinle1 and of his other friends2 last not least1 they gave him the means and the great happiness of helping his fellow-artists4 ,to quote again from the record of one who was with him in ,rome at the time3 ,my husband#ce remembers the departure of his picture ',the ,triumph of ,cimabue1' sent with diffidence1 and so1 proportionate was the joy when news came of its success1 and that the ,queen had bought it4 ,it was the month of ,may4 ,rome was at its loveliest1 and ,leighton's friends and brother-artists gave him a festal dinner to celebrate his honours4 ,on receiving the news1 ,leighton's first act was to fly to three less successful artists and buy a picture from each of them4 7,george ,mason1 then still unknown1 was one47 ,and so ,leighton reflected his own happiness at once on others4 ,translation4 ,,rome1 #abc ,,via ,,felice1 ,may #ah1 #ahee4 ,,dear ,,and ,,honoured ,,friend1--,as with everything that ,i receive from you1 ,i was delighted to get your dear lines of the #fth2 one thing only in them grieved me a little1 i4e4 that what ,i said about the ,german historical painters here seems to have rather jarred upon you4 ,was ,i then so intolerant in my expressions8 ,i hope not4 ,you say that you are almost afraid of me4 ,when ,i spoke to you so freely of the others1 was that not a plain proof of how completely ,i except you8 ,you assuredly know1 dear ,master1 how and what ,i think of you1 and that ,i ascribe entirely to you my whole aesthetic culture in art4 ,your commission to good old ,overbeck ,i have executed as well as ,i could4 ,i found him much more cheerful and less ailing than before4 ,he received me with the greatest amiability2 we spoke1 amongst other things1 of you1 and ,i perceived that he had it in his mind to go soon to ,germany and to spend a couple of weeks in ,mainz2 ,i should like to be the first to give you this good news4 ,as for myself1 dear ,friend1 my plans are once more quite upset4 ,my father has hastily recalled me to ,england1 and ,i am sorry to say that ,i must consequently give up going to ,frankfurt4 ,however1 ,i have not neglected your commission4 ,i have chosen the photographs1 and you will receive them in the beginning of next month1 and that by a friend of mine who will be passing through ,frankfurt1 and whom ,i hereby introduce to you4 ,mrs4 ,sartoris is my dearest friend1 and the noblest1 cleverest woman ,i have ever met2 ,i need not say more to secure her a cordial welcome from you4 ,she is one of the celebrated theatrical family of ,kemble4 ,it is now ten or eleven years since she left the stage1 but she is still the greatest living cantatrice4#cf ,you will certainly be glad to hear that on the first day of the ,exhibition my picture was bought by the ,queen4 ,i am at this moment in the thick of packing2 you must excuse1 dear ,friend1 my ending so abruptly4 ,i will write again from ,england4--,your grateful pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,illustration3 ,reproduction of ,letter written by ,sir ,charles ,eastlake1 ,p4,r4,a41 to ,lord ,leighton1 announcing the fact that ,queen ,victoria had purchased his picture1 ,cimabue's ,madonna4 #ahee4 ,so ended the first page of ,leighton's life as an artist in the ,rome of the fifties--a very different ,rome to that of the present4 ,the atmosphere was still steeped in those days with a flavour belonging to the ,papal temporal dominion1 and the visible life still picturesque with the costumes and grandeur of mediaeval customs4 ,,footnotes3 #bj ,see page #hc4 #ba ,page #ig4 #bb ,page #bf1 ,introduction4 #bc ,if the ,almighty were to come before me1 with absolute knowledge in his right hand1 and perpetual striving after truth in his left1 ,i would fling myself to his left1 praying3 ,father1 give6 pure truth is thine alone4 #bd ,the ,well-,head 7see ,list of ,illustrations71 drawn during ,leighton's visit to ,venice1 and described in ,pebbles1 more than justifies this opinion1 for it may be questioned whether any other drawing he ever made of the kind is as perfectly beautiful4 #be ,miss ,laing1 afterwards ,lady ,nias4 #bf ,see ,appendix4 ,presidential ,address delivered by ,sir ,f4 ,leighton1 ,bart41 ,p4,r4,a41 at the ,art ,congress1 held at ,liverpool1 ,december #c1 #ahhh4 #bg ,this modest attitude ,leighton took as listener reminds me of the last time he saw ,browning4 ,one afternoon in the autumn of #ahhh1 we were sitting with ,leighton and ,browning in the ,kensington studio4 ,browning showed us photographs of the ,palazzo ,rezzonico which he had lately given to his son4 ,the subject turned to a discussion on ,byron and ,shelley4 ,often as ,i had heard ,browning talk well1 ,i never heard him converse so well as he did on that afternoon4 ,it was no monologue4 ,it was real conversation1 and of the kind that inspires others to do also their best2 but ,leighton never uttered1 till--when1 after an hour or so1 we rose to leave--he exclaimed1 ,oh1 don't6 do go on1 and we had to sit down again4 ,when at last the good thing came to an end1 ,leighton conducted us downstairs to his door1 where we parted4 ,browning waved a farewell from across the road1 where he stood for a moment in front of the little cottages1 while ,leighton stood in the porch-way of his house4 ,the next day ,browning started on his last journey to ,italy--to die in the ,palazzo ,rezzonico4 #bh ,another old friend of ,leighton's1 ,mr4 ,hamilton ,aide1 writes3 ,my journal #ahed-ee-ef contains frequent notices of our excursions and long days spent on the ,campagna1 and on the hill-sides near the ,bagni di ,lucca1 where we took out food for mind and will as well as for the body1 and sketched while one of our party read aloud--and also of many ,tableaux at ,rome1 devised by him 7,leighton7 to suit the colouring1 character1 and grace of certain noble ladies4 #bi ,it appears that ,leighton had been misinformed as to every girl having to pass such an examination4 #cj ,in ,italien auf meiner ,wanderschaft ,hab' ich dies ,bueblein aufgerafft ,hab's mit dem ,pinsel so hingeschrieben ,ist mir leider unvollendet geblieben4 #ca ,the ,cafe ,greco still exists1 unaltered since the days when ,leighton and ,gamba lunched there every day on macaroni al burro4 ,i visited it last ,may 7#aijf71 and heard from the present proprietor that it continues to be frequented by artists of all countries4 ,he had heard of the book of sketches1 and also that ,rafaello had sold it before his death1 but to whom the ,padrone could not say4 #cb ,of ,cervara there is a pencil drawing by ,leighton in the ,leighton ,house ,collection1 in his earliest style1 dated #ahef4 #cc ,fanny ,kemble's answer to these words of ,leighton's were3--,thank you1 my dear ,sir ,frederic1 for the address you have been so good as to give me4 ,you honour me by remembering any conversation you ever had with me4 ,i remember one ,i had with you many years ago1 but do not think you refer to that4 ,you say no word1 and you do well1 upon the subject that must be uppermost in both our minds when we meet or hold any intercourse with each other--our thoughts must be of the same complexion and could hardly find any expression4 ,thank you again for your kindness4--,i am affectionately1 your obliged1 ,,fanny ,,kemble4 #cd ,ruskin wrote the following criticism of the picture when it was first exhibited3 ,this is a very important and very beautiful picture4 ,it has both sincerity and grace1 and is painted on the purest principles of ,venetian art--that is to say1 on the calm acceptance of the whole of nature1 small and great1 as1 in its place1 deserving of faithful rendering4 ,the great secret of the ,venetians was their simplicity4 ,they were great colourists1 not because they had peculiar secrets about oil and colour1 but because when they saw a thing red they painted it red1 and 444 when they saw it distinctly they painted it distinctly4 ,in all ,paul ,veronese's pictures the lace borders of the tablecloths or fringes of the dresses are painted with just as much care as the faces of the principal figures2 and the reader may rest assured that in all great ,art it is so4 ,everything in it is done as well as it can be done4 ,thus1 in the picture before us1 in the background is the ,church of ,san ,miniato1 strictly accurate in every detail2 on top of the wall are oleanders and pinks1 as carefully painted as the church2 the architecture of the shrine on the wall is studied from thirteenth-century ,gothic1 and painted with as much care as the pinks2 the dresses of the figures1 very beautifully designed1 are painted with as much care as the faces2 that is to say1 all things throughout with as much care as the painter could bestow4 ,it necessarily follows that what is most difficult 7i4e4 the faces7 should be comparatively the worst done4 ,but if they are done as well as the painter could do them1 it is all we have to ask1 and modern artists are under a wonderful mistake in thinking that when they have painted faces ill1 they make their pictures more valuable by painting the dresses worse4 ,the painting before us has been objected to because it seems broken up in bits4 ,precisely the same objection would hold1 and in very nearly the same degree1 against the best works of the ,venetians4 ,all faithful colourists' work1 in figure-painting1 has a look of sharp separation between part and part4444 ,although1 however1 in common with all other work of its class1 it is marked by these sharp divisions1 there is no confusion in its arrangement4 ,the principal figure is nobly principal1 not by extraordinary light1 but by its own pure whiteness2 and both the master and the young ,giotto attract full regard by distinction of form and face4 ,the features of the boy are carefully studied1 and are indeed what1 from the existing portraits of him1 we know those of ,giotto must have been in his youth4 ,the head of the young girl who wears the garland of blue flowers is also very sweetly conceived4 ,d4,g4 ,rossetti wrote to his friend1 ,william ,allingham1 ,may #aa1 #ahee3 ,there is a big picture of ,cimabue1 one of his works in procession1 by a new man1 living abroad1 named ,leighton--a huge thing1 which the ,queen has bought2 which every one talks of4 ,the ,r4,a4's have been gasping for years for some one to back against ,hunt and ,millais1 and here they have him1 a fact that makes some people do the picture injustice in return4 ,it was very interesting to me at first sight2 but on looking more at it1 ,i think there is great richness of arrangement1 a quality which1 when really existing1 as it does in the best old masters1 and perhaps hitherto in no living man--at any rate ,english--ranks among the great qualities4 #ce ,sir ,john ,leslie4 #cf ,mrs4 ,richmond ,ritchie gives a very charming account of her first introduction in the ,rome of those days to ,leighton's friend1 the great cantatrice1 ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 in the preface to the edition of ,a ,week in a ,french ,country ,house1 published in #aijb4 ,thackeray1 ,mrs4 ,ritchie's father1 and ,charles ,kemble1 ,mrs4 ,sartoris' father1 had been old friends4 ,mrs4 ,ritchie says3 ,the writer's first definite picture of her old friend 7,mrs4 ,sartoris7 remains as a sort of frontispiece to many aspects and remembrances4 ,we were all standing in a big ,roman drawing-room with a great window to the west1 and the colours of the room were not unlike sunset colours4 ,there was a long piano with a bowl of flowers on it in the centre of the room2 there were soft carpets to tread upon2 a beautiful little boy in a white dress1 with yellow locks all a-shine from the light of the window1 was perched upon a low chair looking up at his mother1 who with her arm round him stood by the chair1 so that their two heads were on a level4 ,she was dressed 7,i can see her still7 in a sort of grey satin robe1 and her beautiful proud head was turned towards the child4 ,she seemed pleased to see my father1 who had brought us to be introduced to her1 and she made us welcome1 then1 and all that winter1 to her home4 ,in that distant1 vivid hour 7there may be others as vivid now for a new generation7 ,rome was still a mediaeval city--monks in every shade of black and grey and brown were in the streets outside with their sandalled feet flapping on the pavement2 cardinals passed in their great pantomime coaches1 rolling on with accompaniment of shabby cocked-hats and liveries to clear a way2 ,americans were rare and much made of2 ,english were paramount2 at night oil-lamps swung in the darkness4 ,many of the ruins of the present were still in their graves peacefully hidden away for another generation to unearth2 the new buildings1 the streets1 the gas lamps1 the tramways were not4 ,the ,sartorises had fireplaces with huge logs burning2 ,mrs4 ,browning sat by her smouldering wood fire2 but we in our lodging still had to light brazen pans of charcoal to warm ourselves if we shivered4 ,at my request an old friend1 who for our good fortune has kept a diary1 opens one of his pretty vellum-bound note-books1 and evokes an hour of those old ,italian times from the summer following that ,roman winter4 ,he tells of a peaceful ,sunday at ,lucca1 a place of which ,i have often heard ,mrs4 ,sartoris speak with pleasure2 ,leighton and ,hatty ,hosmer and ,hamilton ,aide himself are there2 they are all sitting peacefully together on some high terrace with a distant view of the spreading plains1 while ,mrs4 ,sartoris reads to them out of one of her favourite ,dr4 ,channing's sermons4 ,another page tells of a party at ,ostia4 ',very pleasant we made ourselves in a pine wood1' says the diarist2 ',i walked by ,a4,s4's chaise-a-porteur up the hills later in the evening4 ,she talked of her past life and all its trials1 and of her early youth4' ,mrs4 ,ritchie in her preface also tells of this 'past life4' ,the ,rue de ,clichy of which he 7,thackeray7 speaks was the street in which ,miss ,foster lived1 under whose care both ,fanny and ,adelaide ,kemble were placed1 when they successively went to ,paris4 ,then each in turn came out and made her mark1 and each in turn married and left the stage for that world in which real tragedies and real comedies are still happening1 and where men and women play their own parts instinctively and sing their own songs4 ,adelaide's short artistic career lasted from #ahce to #ahdb1 long enough to impress all the subsequent years of her life4 ,with all the welcoming success which was hers1 there must have been many a moment of disillusion1 discouragement1 and suffering for a girl so original1 so aristocratic in instinct1 so quick of perception1 so individual1 ',de la boheme exquise1' as some great lady once described her4 ,the following page out of one of her early diaries gives a vivid picture of one side of her artistic life3 '444,received an intimation that the company who are to act with me had arrived at ,trieste1 and would be here at eleven to rehearse the music4 ,at twelve came ,signor ,carcano 7the director of the music71 and a dirty-looking little object1 who turned out to be the prompter4 ,after they had sat some time wondering what detained the rest1 a little fusty woman1 with a grey-coloured white petticoat dangling three inches below her gown1 holding a thin shivering dog by a dirty pocket-handkerchief1 and followed by a tall slip of a man1 with his hair all down his back1 and decorated with whiskers1 beard1 and mustachios1 made her appearance4 ,i advanced to welcome my ,adalgisa1 but without making any attempt at a return of my salutation1 she glanced all round the room and merely said1 ,come fa caldo qui6 ,non c'e nessuno ancora8 ,andiamo a prendere un caffe1 and taking the arm of the hairy man retreated forthwith4 ,then came ,signor ,gallo1 leader of the band1 then the tenor1 who could have gained the prize for unwashedness against 'em all--and after half-an-hour more waiting1 ,adalgisa and the hairy one returned1 and after about half-an-hour more arrived my bass1 and1 ,god bless him1 he came clean6 ',we then went to work4 ,adalgisa could think of nothing but her dog1 who kept up a continuous plaintive howl all the time we sang1 which she assured me was because it liked the band accompaniment better than the piano1 as it never made signs of disapprobation when she took it to rehearsals with the orchestra4 ,she also informed me that it had five puppies1 all of which it had nursed itself1 as if ,italian dogs were in the habit of hiring out wet nurses4444' ,and again-- ,i can remember her describing to us one of these performances1 and her enjoyment of the long folds of drapery as she flew across the stage as ,norma and how she added with a sudden flash1 half humour1 half enthusiasm3 ',i have everything a woman could wish for1 my friends and my home1 my husband and my children1 and yet sometimes a wild longing comes over me to be back1 if only for one hour1 on the stage again1 and living once more as ,i did in those early adventurous times4' ,she was standing in a beautiful room in ,park ,place when she said this4 ,there were high carved cabinets1 and worked silken tapestries on the walls1 and a great golden carved glass over her head--she herself in some velvet brocaded dress stood looking not unlike a picture by ,tintoret4 ,,chapter ,,iii ,,pencil ,,drawings ,,of ,,plants ,,and ,,flowers #ahej-ahfj ,no attempt at an appreciation of ,leighton's art would be complete were it not to include1 and even accentuate1 the distinct value of the exquisite drawings of flowers and leaves which he made in pencil and silver point between the years #aheb and #ahfj4cg ,as regards certain all-important qualities these studies are unrivalled4 ,i was well acquainted with the drawings ,leighton made for his pictures during the last twenty-five years of his life1 and ,i had oftentimes heard ,watts express an unbounded admiration for these2 but when1 looking through the portfolios of early drawings after ,leighton's death1 ,i came upon these exquisite fragments in pencil1 it seemed that ,i had found for the first time the real key to the inner chamber of his genius4 ,as reproductions of the beauty in line1 form1 and structure--the architecture1 so to speak1 of vegetation--nothing ever came closer to ,nature revealed by a human touch through a treatment on a flat surface4 ,on ,december #bb1 #aheb1 ,leighton writes to his mother from ,rome3 ,i long to find myself again face to face with ,nature1 to follow it1 to watch it1 and to copy it1 closely1 faithfully1 ingenuously--as ,ruskin suggests1 'choosing nothing and rejecting nothing1' and it is in this spirit that he set to work when he filled sketch-books with exquisite studies of the flowers and plants he loved best4 ,these records of the joy with which ,nature filled his artistic temperament are to some more truly sympathetic than his elaborate work1 for the reason that1 while enjoying their beauty1 we come in contact with the pure spirit of ,leighton's genius unalloyed by any sense of intellectual effort4 ,in his diary1 ,pebbles1 on ,august #ba1 #aheb1 ,leighton writes3 ,of the ,tyrolese themselves1 three qualities seem to me to characterise them1 qualities which go well hand in hand with1 and1 ,i think it is not fanciful to say1 are in great measure a key to1 their well-known frankness and open-hearted honesty4 ,i mean ,piety1 which shines out amongst them in many true things1 a love for the art1 which with them is1 in fact1 an outward manifestation of piety1 and which is sufficiently displayed by the numberless scriptural subjects1 painted or in relief1 which adorn the cottages of the poorest peasants 444 and last1 not least1 a love for flowers 7in other words1 for ,nature71 which is written in the lovely clusters of flowers which stand in many-hued array on the window-sills of every dwelling4 ,the works of all the really great artists display that love for flowers4 ,raphael did not consider it niggling1 as some of our broad-handling moderns would call it1 to group humble daisies round the feet of his divine representation of the ,mother of ,christ4 ,i notice that two plants1 especially1 produce a beautiful effect1 both of form and colour1 against the cool grey walls2 the spreading1 dropping1 graceful carnation1 with its bluish leaves and crimson flowers1 and the slender1 anthered1 thousand-blossomed oleander4 ,no exact name has ever been given to the special creed of the artist's religion2 to that condition of the soul which ,socrates in ,plato's ,phaedrus declares has come to the birth as having seen most of truth together with that of the ,philosopher1 the ,musician1 and the ,lover4 ,the artist penetrates further than others can1 into the mysteries of ,nature's marvels as revealed through the eye1 and he therefore comes in closer union through the sense of sight with the spirit of the artist of the infinite1 and can gauge better the immeasurable distance which exists between ,divine and human creation1 and this is felt more distinctly1 more reverently1 when the artist simply copies ,nature than when his own daemon is taking a part in the inspiring of his inventions4 ,leighton writes to his mother when he first reaches ,rome in #aheb3 ,i wish that ,i had a mind1 simple and unconscious1 even as a child2 and we find the evidence in these studies by ,leighton of plants and flowers that his wish1 for the time when he was drawing them1 was granted2 no intellectual choice nor assumption of scholarly theories have taken part in their achievement2 they are spontaneous echoes of ,divine creations when he was face to face with ,nature1 and there is no reflection of any teaching but hers4 ,nature and her child have been alone together4 ,the results are unalloyed expressions of the joy he felt in pure impersonal revelations of beauty4 ,they are distinguished because elemental1 recording the birth of the ingenuous response of a human spirit to a superhuman perfection of workmanship4 ,when in such union of spirit with ,nature1 the artist-soul enters his most sacred shrine4 ,an ecstatic joy is kindled by wonder1 admiration1 adoration1 from which joy is inspired a peremptory impulse to endeavour to reproduce in his human handicraft the marvels of creation4 ,such experiences result from instinctive inevitable conditions1 and1 coming from the illumination of genius1 belong to a higher level than that on which the intellect works2#ch no temptations of the personal daemon simmer behind and distort the pure vision of ,nature1 provoking suggestions which are human of the human--the desire to excel1 the ambition to be first1 the love to display individuality4 ,that inner life1 the very core and most vital meaning of ,leighton's being1 the life that held revelry with all ,nature's beauty1 had been enraptured through the pure innocent loveliness in the flowers4 ,take1 for instance1 the page where he has explained the cyclamen he found at ,tivoli in ,october #ahef1 and take a cyclamen1 the real flower1 and dissect it4 ,what precious work we find3 the ribbed calyx spreading out from the satin sheen of the stalk to clasp the bulbous swelling at the root of the petals--brilliant like finest blown glass1 each calyx fringed round with emerald green flutings--inside straw colour dashed with brown speckles1 all this triumph of minute finish just to start the sail-like petals of the flower itself4 ,what reverence and enthusiasm was excited in ,leighton as he pored over such things is vouched for by this page 7and others similar of different flowers71 exquisite portraits of every view of the cyclamen2 faint notes in writing recording the colours which his pencil failed to do4 ,illustration3 ,,studies ,,of ,,cyclamen4 ,tivoli1 ,october #ahef ,leighton ,house ,collection ,illustration3 ,,wreath ,,of ,,bay ,,leaves4 ,drawn at the ,bagni di ,lucca1 #ahed4 ,leighton ,house ,collection ,referring to his journey through the ,tyrol1 in #aheb1 ,leighton writes3 ,i had been dwelling with unwearied admiration on the exquisite grace and beauty of the details1 as it were1 of ,nature2 every little flower of the field had become to me a new source of delight2 the very blades of grass appeared to me in a new light4 ,not only his artistic temperament1 but also circumstances1 had guided ,leighton's instincts into the worship of beauty--beauty such as can be conceived alone by the artistic temperament--as the divinest element in creation and one to be reverenced beyond all others2 and when face to face with ,nature1 having no desire but to record that reverence and worship ingenuously1 he made these incomparable drawings4 ,they were done solely for the sake of the joy he felt in doing them1 and ,leighton certainly never expected any recognition of their beauty by a future generation4 ,stray leaves from a sketch-book have been collected and preserved in the ,leighton ,house ,collection1 having been extracted from a mass of old dusty papers4 ,on these pages are exquisite pencilled outlines of cyclamen1 of a crocus1 of oleander flowers1 of a bramble branch1 of sprays of bay and of plants of the agaves4 ,they are dated the year after ,leighton's great success1 #ahef1 the year of his failure4 ,in #ahed1 when he spent the summer at the ,bagni di ,lucca1 he drew studies of bay-leaves twined into a wreath and festoons of the vine 7see ,list of ,illustrations and design on cover74 ,three days after ,leighton's death1 in a letter to ,the ,times from one who knew him1 a reference was made to this visit to ,lucca4#ci ,this old acquaintance1 who was then seeing him daily for three months1 writes1 ,he was the most brilliant man ,i ever met4 ,it was this brilliant entity1 this attractive personality1 who spent hours over drawing the flower of a pumpkin and of a faded pumpkin4 ,professor ,aitchison records how he found ,leighton at work over this drawing4#dj ,the celebrated ,lemon ,tree1 to which ,professor ,aitchison refers1 and of which ,ruskin also writes1#da though the most renowned of ,leighton's drawings of plants1 and doubtless a tour de force1--a wonderful achievement1--has not1 ,i think1 the same perfection of charm which many of the earlier1 less complete studies possess4#db ,the sketch of a portion of a deciduous tree#dc is perhaps a greater triumph in draughtsmanship than even the ,lemon ,tree1 because the foliage has a frailer and less definite aspect1 and is yet reproduced with an absolute certainty of outline4 ,the ,lemon ,tree1 drawn at ,capri in #ahei1 was done for a purpose4 ,leighton had a feeling that the pre-,raphaelites ought not to have it all their own way on the score of elaborate finish and perfection in the drawing of detail4 ,my first introduction to the ,lemon ,tree was on an occasion when ,leighton and ,i had had an argument respecting the principles of the pre-,raphaelite school4 ,he fetched the drawing from a corner in his studio1 and1 while showing it to me1 said words to the effect that it was not only the pre-,raphaelites who reverenced the detail in ,nature1 and who thought it worth the time and labour it took to record the beauty in the wonderful minutiae of her structure4 ,if sufficient pains were taken1 any one1 he maintained1 who could draw at all ought to be able to draw the complete detail of every object set before him4 ,but1 for the very reason that the ,lemon ,tree was done with a further purpose than the mere joy the beauty of ,nature excited in ,leighton's aesthetic senses1 there is not1 ,i think1 quite the same convincing charm in this drawing as in some other more fragmentary studies4 ,in considering this early work by ,leighton1 it should be borne in mind1 that in those years when it was executed1 photography had not yet given the standard of a finish and perfection in actual delineation which outrivals every record made by human hand and eye4 ,photography has1 in these later years1 given the proportion and detail in beautiful architecture1 the form of trees1 plants1 and flowers1 their exquisite delicacy of structure1 their grace and intricacy of line3 all this has been secured and pictured for us by the camera2 and1 up to a certain point1 very precious and truthful are these memoranda of the aspects of nature and art4 ,many of us remember the days when enthusiastic disciples of the wonderful new art of photography prophesied that no other would soon be needed1 and that the draughtsman's craft would before long cease to exist4 ,and further1 they maintained it only required the discovery of a means to photograph colour for the painter's art also to be demolished4 ,artists1 however1 knew better4 ,what was valuable in the records of photography1 and what was of most intrinsic worth in the records created through means of the human hand and eye1 were absolutely incomparable quantities4 ,the treatment of nature in a photographic picture1 however admirable and complete1 must always be lacking in the evidence of any preference1 reverence1 or enthusiasm--in the sacred fire1 in fact1 which inspires the draughtsman's pencil and the painter's brush4 ,photography is indiscriminate2 human art is selective1 and is precious as it evinces and secures a choiceness in selection4 ,however truthfully a photograph may record beauty of line and form in nature1 it inevitably also records in its want of discrimination any facts which may exist in the view photographed2 these counter-balance the effect of such beauty1 and mar the subtle impression of charm which scenes in nature produce on a mind sensitive to beauty4 ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,lemon ,,tree4 ,capri1 #ahei ,by permission of ,mr4 ,s4 ,pepys ,cockerell ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,deciduous ,,tree4 ,leighton ,house ,collection ,as the vision of the artist which attracts this feeling for beauty focalises itself in the sight1 he naturally perceives but vaguely any other objects before him2 therefore1 the facts inspired by such preference become accentuated1 and all their surroundings subordinated to it4 ,for this reason1 also1 what is called1 somewhat erroneously1 the sculptor's sense of line and form--the sense applying equally to the treatment of line and form on a flat surface as in the round--is not so obvious in a photograph as in a good drawing4 ,the eye of one possessing a gift for drawing transmits to the brain the structure of an object1 not only as it is outlined against other objects1 but also as the different planes of which it is formed recede or advance1 slant one way or another1 curve or straighten4 ,to a truly gifted draughtsman1 such as ,leighton1 there is an absorbing interest in working out the forms of the objects he sees which delight his sense of beauty1--of guiding his pencil so that it echoes on the paper the gratification with which his senses are inspired through his artistic perceptions4 ,the result will be--that the drawing he produces almost unconsciously accentuates what has delighted him most in the objects he is depicting1 and1 explaining further than does even an actual copy by photography the element of beauty which has inspired him1 carries with it also an inspiring effect on the spectator3 the drawing will have something in it which affects us as a living influence1 an influence which the most perfect of photographs can never possess4 ,the actual perspective may be absolutely correct in the photograph--so may be the placing on the paper of every turn and twist in a bough or a leaf as regards their outlines2 but compared to a beautiful drawing we feel the want of mind behind it3 no human sense has revelled in the intricacies of growth and foreshortening1 no human eye has traced the exquisite grace and sweep of the curve and the happy spring of the shoot alive with uprising sap4 ,just that accentuation which unwittingly creeps into the human touch1 denoting that the construction of the form has been perceived and appreciated with delight1 is lacking4 ,the line of a pathway rising up on the sweep of an upland1 a line which is always so fascinatingly suggestive1 does not lead you farther over the hill in a photograph as it does in a little woodcut by ,william ,blake4 ,just that push and movement is wanting in the sense of the line which in a really fine drawing gives it a living quality4 ,another shortcoming is caused by the inevitable flattening of tone in a photograph4 ,the brightest light does not detach itself1 the darkest spot1 to some degree always1 even in the best print1 is merged in the general shadow4 ,illustration3 ,,early ,,studies ,,of ,,kalmia1 ,,oleander1 ,,and ,,rhododendron ,,flowers ,leighton ,house ,collection ,the idea that photography could supersede the art of the draughtsman soon exploded4 ,artists have used photography--some intelligently1 as did ,watts--many unintelligently4 ,the illegitimate use of photography1 the endeavour to make the lens do the work which alone the human eye and hand can effect1 was seen in lifeless portraits1 painted partly from the sitter1 partly from a photograph4 ,it is natural that any genuine artist should rebel against such cheapening of his art2 and the deadening effects of relying on photography to help you out have brought about the result that the qualities in art which are furthest removed from those which it has in common with photography have been forced to the front1 and the grammar of drawing1 the groundwork of nature's structures which the human hand and the photographic lens can both record1 has ceased to be considered as all-important4 ,in ,leighton's work this grammar was in itself developed into a fine art4 ,by comparing any sketch he made of a leaf or of a flower with a photograph of the same1 this will be evident to any eye that can appreciate grace and quality in drawing4 ,the latest phase of using photography to help out the drawing is found in some modern illustrations where the lens has found the outline1 the right placing of the scene on the paper1 the right proportion and perspective in buildings1 and the general light and shade of the scene for the illustrator--the human hand only coming in to give breadth of effect1 to undo the tell-tale finish of the photograph1 and to make it into what is called a picture on the lines of a ,turner or a ,whistler4 ,all these were unknown ways in ,leighton's youth1 and to the end of his life he could make no use whatever of photography in his work4 ,he took a kodak with him once on his travels1 but the results were amusingly negative4 ,from the moment an artist relies on photography he does no good1 was a statement ,i heard him make4 ,leighton believed in no short cuts4 ,enthusiasm1 labour1 sacrifice1 renouncement1--these1 and these alone1 he maintained1 can secure for the artist a worthy success4 ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,a ,,faded ,,flower ,,of ,,pumpkin4 ,rome1 #ahed ,leighton ,house ,collection ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,flower ,,of ,a ,,pumpkin4 ,meran1 #ahef ,leighton ,house ,collection ,illustration3 ,,studies ,,of ,,branches ,,of ,,vine4 ,bagni di ,lucca1 #ahed ,leighton ,house ,collection ,illustration3 ,,branch ,,of ,,vine4 ,bellosquardo1 ,florence1 #ahef ,leighton ,house ,collection ,there are those who would define genius by describing it as the faculty for taking infinite pains4 ,but obviously genius is in itself a power1 born of inspiration1 which so completely overmasters all other conditions in a nature1 that no labour nor time is taken into account so long as the impelling force obtains utterance4 ,the inborn conviction in a nature that it has the power to create1 demolishes all impediments which come in the way to hinder this power from stamping itself into a form4 ,the necessity of taking infinite pains is but the natural and inevitable consequence of the burning desire born1 who knows how8 in the spirit of those who are blessed with genius1 and the faculty to discern how best to develop it4 ,leighton1 by reason1 perhaps1 of the very spontaneity of his own gifts1 and also of his extreme natural modesty1 allied to the conscientiousness with which he carried out his feeling of duty towards his vocation1 was apt to lay more stress on the necessity for taking pains than on the necessity of possessing the real source of his power of industry4 ,he saw too often the fatal results of artists depending on talent to achieve what only talent allied to industry can perform1 for him not to accentuate the all-importance of unceasing labour4 ,he wrote to his elder sister with reference to one of these fatal results3 ,i have not seen that young man's recent work1 neither do ,i hunger and thirst thereafter2 twenty-one years ago1 or more1 his parents brought me a composition of his--it justified the highest hopes--it was very ambitious in its scope 7though the work of a child71 and the ambition was justified in the ability it displayed4 ,nothing that ,i could have done at his age approached it4 ,i told his parents so4 ,he ought now to have been a very considerable artist1 to say the least--he no longer even aims6 ,he told me a year or two ago that he had ceased to design6 ,he paints portraits1 and twists a little moustache under an eyeglass4 ,he is nothing1 as far as the world knows1 and ,i doubt whether he is hiding himself under a bushel4 ,i fear vanity and idleness have rotted out his talents4 ,it is a strange and a sad case4 ,i often quote it 7without names7 to those who show precocious gifts4 ,his attached friend and fellow-,academician1 ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere1 writes of ,leighton3-- ,i have always believed that his ruling passion was ,duty--the keenest possible sense of it2 to do anything he had to do as perfectly as possible1 and to be always at his best4 ,he was evidently a believer in ,goethe's maxim that 'an artist who does anything1 does all4' ,in his own work1 in what concerned his colleagues and the outside body of artists1 in fact in everything he did4 ,nothing easily or passively done satisfied him2 but in every case the decision and action were brought by care and work--if possible1 executed by himself2 and no pressure of time or labour ever made him escape such personal trouble1 or caused him to transfer it to the shoulders of another4 ,this temper of mind was shown even in small matters1 which so busy a man might well have left for others to do4 ,i think it sometimes injured his own work as an artist1 because1 though a great artist can never be evolved except by years of patient work and strenuous effort to do his very best always1 yet1 on the other hand1 it is often the happy1 easy work and absolutely spontaneous effort at the moment by such a hand which is his very best4 ,such happy1 easy work probably ,leighton would seldom allow himself to do1 and never would leave at the right moment1 but would still strive to make better and more complete4 ,he must still elaborate it and try to make it more perfect2 and this it was which made his old friend and enthusiastic admirer1 ,watts1 sometimes say how much finer ,leighton's work would be if he would admit the accidental into it4 ,i remember once casually remarking to ,leighton how much easier writing was than painting4 ,he answered quickly but seriously--quite impressively3 ,believe me1 nothing is easy if it is done as well as you can possibly do it4 ,this was ,leighton's creed of creeds4 ,whatever genius or facilities an artist may possess1 he must ignore them as factors in the fight4 ,he must possess them unconsciously--the whole conscious effort being concentrated on surmounting difficulties1 not on encouraging facilities4 ,to return to the subject of this chapter4 ,it would be obviously unreasonable to attempt to compare slight studies of plants and flowers1 however precious1 with finished important works of art such as ,cimabue's ,madonna1 ,a ,syracusan ,bride1 ,daphnephoria1 ,captive ,andromache1 ,the ,return of ,persephone1 or1 in fact1 with any of ,leighton's well-known paintings--or indeed with those masterly studies of the figure and draperies in black and white chalk1 drawn for his pictures1 or when he was seized with the beauty of an attitude while his model was resting4 ,these1 though executed in a few seconds1 are true and subtle records of the perfection in the form and structure of the human figure1 proving the existence of a knowledge and of a sense of beauty which ,watts declared were unrivalled since the days of ,pheidias4 ,the later masterly studies of landscape in oil-colour which formerly lined the walls of his ,kensington studio1 in which can be so truly discerned the distinctive colouring and atmosphere of the various countries where they were painted1 also are greater as achievements than the pencil drawings4 ,nevertheless1 when studying ,leighton's genius with a view to gauge rightly its power and also its limitations1 it is1 ,i maintain1 essential to take into account these direct studies from ,nature1 made with the object solely of following1 watching1 and copying her faithfully1 ingenuously1 choosing nothing and rejecting nothing1 but into which crept unconsciously the undeniable evidence of his native gifts4 ,as proofs of spontaneous power in the quality of his genius1 they refute much unjust criticism which has been hurled at ,leighton's art since his death4 ,sir ,william ,richmond wrote#dd3-- ,that term of abuse and of contempt1 trite now1 on account of the mannerism of its constant adoption by ephemeral critics1 and sometimes adopted by poorly equipped artists1 'academic1' has been most unjustly1 in its derogatory sense1 applied to ,leighton's art4 ,in point of fact1 it is academic1 but only in the good sense of being highly educated1 very scientific1 and restrained4 ,and in that sense it is a pity that there is not more of such academic art4 ,the bad sense1 wherein such criticism is applicable1 being justly advanced towards work that displays no inspiration1 no originality1 that is correct and commonplace1 balanced without enthusiasm1 adequate without reason1 and accurate without good taste in the choice of beautiful and expressive gestures1 forms1 and colours1 and is preoccupied and narrow4 ,it is probably the restraint1 the science1 the high education in ,leighton's finished pictures which have provoked unsympathetic critics to endeavour to demolish ,leighton's reputation as a great artist4 ,to these1 such qualities would seem to deny the existence of any sensitiveness1 any spontaneity in his art4 ,they have asserted that it is cold1 dry--academic4 ,for the reason that science1 calculated effects1 style1 and high education--qualities rarely found in modern ,english art--are evident in ,leighton's pictures1 they conclude that the painter is possessed of no intuitive genius4 ,they take essentially a ,british1 a non-cosmopolitan standpoint from which to preach4 ,they do not take into account the standard towards which ,leighton was ever aiming4 ,he may not have attained the goal towards which he worked1 but the nature of that goal should be understood and recognised before any criticism on his work can pass as intelligent and just2 and these exquisite drawings of flowers and plants come to our aid in confuting sterile estimates of ,leighton's art1 which deny any other elements but those which can be acquired by painstaking and teachable qualities4 ,here are records of ,nature complicated by no intellectual choice1 no academic learning1 no results of high education2 and what is the result8 an undeniable evidence of the finest1 most tender sensitiveness for beauty1 resulting in a complete and perfect rendering of the subtlest forms of growth4 ,when face to face with ,nature1 ,leighton's aesthetic emotions were keen enough and all-sufficient to create these perfect records1 as later in his life he created unrivalled drawings of the human figure in even more spontaneous and certainly more rapid strokes of his pencil1 and landscape sketches which prove undeniably his gifts as a colourist2 but it may be questioned whether his aesthetic emotions had as great a staying power as those qualities of heart and brain which made ,leighton a great man1 independent of the position he held as a great artist4 ,his sensibilities were of the keenest2 the agility and vitality of his brain power were quite abnormal4 ,as ,watts wrote1 a magnificent intellectual capacity1 and an unerring and instantaneous spring upon the point to unravel4 ,it seemed1 however1 that this vitality and agility did at times run away with that more abiding strength of aesthetic emotion which impregnates the very greatest art with a serenity1 a sublime atmosphere1--an emotion which denotes a mood in which the artist has been steeped throughout the creation of a work1 from the first moment he conceives it to the moment when he puts the last touch to the canvas1 and affects the actual manipulation of the pigment4 ,the above criticism applies only justly to certain of ,leighton's works4 ,in many of his paintings the poetic motive which inspired their invention1--their mental atmosphere1--governs the achievements throughout1 though doubtless these works also would have had a more convincing effect as art had the surface possessed a more vibrating quality4 ,among those pictures in which form1 colour1 tone1 and expression are completely dominated by their poetic meaning are ,lieder ohne ,worte1 a lovely1 though youthful1 work2 ,david2 ,ariadne1 a picture little known1 but in some respects perhaps the most poetic ,leighton ever painted2 ,summer ,moon 7,watts' favourite ,leighton71 ,elisha ,raising the ,son of the ,shunammite1 ,winding the ,skein1 ,music ,lesson1 ,antique ,juggling ,girl1 ,daedalus and ,icarus1 ,helios and ,rhodos1 ,golden ,hours1 ,cymon and ,iphigenia1 ,the ,spirit of the ,summit1 ,flaming ,june1 ,clytie 7unfinished74 ,illustration3 ,,ariadne ,,abandoned ,,by ,,theseus2 ,,watches ,,for ,,his ,,return4 ,,artemis ,,releases ,,her ,,by ,,death4 #ahfh ,by permission of ,lord ,pirrie ,illustration3 ,,elisha ,,raising ,,the ,,son ,,of ,,the ,,shunammite4 #ahha ,illustration3 ,,daedalus ,,and ,,icarus4 #ahfi ,by permission of ,sir ,alexander ,henderson ,no aspect of his own work was a secret from ,leighton4 ,no one knew better than he did his own limitations1 or why it was necessary to keep himself in hand by methods of procedure in his painting which he could guide by his ever present intellectual acumen4 ,he wrote to his father on ,march #b1 #ahee1 having just completed the two pictures1 ,cimabue's ,madonna and ,romeo3 ,you ask for my opinion of my pictures2 you couldn't ask a more embarrassing and unsatisfactory question2 ,i think1 indeed1 that they are very creditable works for my age1 but ,i am anything but satisfied with them1 and believe that ,i could paint both of them better now4 ,i am particularly anxious that persons whom ,i love or esteem should think neither more nor less of my artistic capacity than ,i deserve--the plain truth2 ,i am therefore very circumspect in passing a verdict on myself in addressing myself to such persons2 ,i think1 however1 you may expect me to become eventually the best draughtsman in my country4 ,a biographer's obvious moral duty is to aim at presenting impartially the plain truth1 following ,leighton's lead in not desiring to give either a more or less favourable view of his capacities as an artist than they deserve4 ,on ,may #g1 #ahfd1 ,leighton writes in a letter to his father and mother3 ,i had a kind note this morning from ,ruskin in which1 after criticising two or three things1 he speaks very warmly of other points in my work and of the development of what he calls 'enormous power and sense of beauty4' ,i quote this for what it is worth1 because ,i know it will give you pleasure1 but ,i have not and never shall have 'enormous power1' though ,i have some 'sense of beauty4' ,leighton remained ever far from being contented with his own work4 ,i alone know how far ,i have fallen short of my ideal1 he says1 many years later1 to the old acquaintance of the ,lucca days4 ,he had studied under the shadow of the great masters2 and though never an imitator even of the greatest1#de he had set himself a standard of supreme excellence1 more easily approached under the conditions in which artists worked in the fourteenth1 fifteenth1 and sixteenth centuries than it possibly could be in those of the nineteenth4 ,with respect to his power of draughtsmanship and his natural sense of beauty1 ,leighton knew his place was among the greatest4 ,his appreciation and love of colour were also far keener than those possessed by the average artist4 ,he felt nevertheless that he lacked the inevitable and continuous force which alone gives enormous power and ease to the craftsman1 when he deals with work on a large scale1 and which carries with it the absolutely convincing effect of the world-renowned art of the past4 ,realising that the enormous power was not there because the ever conclusively propelling force was lacking1 perhaps owing partly to the want of robust health1 and also doubtless from the scattering of his powers in many directions to which he was drawn by a sense of duty1 ,leighton1 in working out the designs of his large pictures1 clung all the more resolutely to the exercise of that system which he had adopted1 and which many of his friends--,watts and ,briton ,riviere among the number--thought tended to cramp his genius4 ,he was not sufficiently sure of himself to admit the accidental into his work4 ,illustration3 ,,captive ,,andromache4 #ahhh ,the ,corporation of ,manchester ,illustration3 ,,study ,,in ,,colour ,,for ,,captive ,,andromache4 #ahhh ,by permission of ,mrs4 ,stewart ,hodgson ,illustration3 ,,weaving ,,the ,,wreath4 #ahgc ,illustration3 ,,winding ,,the ,,skein4 #ahhj ,by permission of the ,fine ,art ,society1 the owners of the ,copyright ,illustration3 ,,music ,,lesson4 #ahgg ,by permission of the ,fine ,art ,society1 the owners of the ,copyright ,some critics have1 however1 gone beyond the mark in emphasising this characteristic of ,leighton's methods4 ,one writes3 ,deliberateness of workmanship and calculation of effect1 into which inspiration of the moment is never allowed to enter1 are the chief characteristics of the painter's craftsmanship4 ,the inspiration stage was practically passed when he took the crayon in his hand2 and to this circumstance probably is to be assigned the absence of realism which arrests the attention4 ,this statement is contrary to many which ,i have heard fall from ,leighton's own lips4 ,he constantly drew my attention to the fact--a fact on which he laid great stress1 and of which many models were witnesses--that he invariably recurred to ,nature in the later stages of his pictures1 in order to imbibe renewed inspiration from the source of all his aesthetic emotions--,nature4 ,any one who carefully studies ,leighton's pictures will find evidence of this in the works themselves1 in the accessories no less than in the principal figures4 ,during the exhibition of some thirty of ,leighton's finest paintings at ,leighton ,house in #aijj1 ,i was daily more and more impressed by the fact that the final touches in those pictures had been inspired by the actual subtlety of ,nature's aspects1 and transmitted to the canvas by the artist direct from the objects before him without conscious calculation4 ,very obviously was this the case not only in the principal features of the design--the countenances and the hands and feet of the figures--but in such details as the flowers1 fabrics of draperies1 carpets1 mother-of-pearl inlaying1 found 7for instance7 in ,a ,noble ,venetian ,lady1 ,summer ,moon1 ,sister's ,kiss1 ,weaving the ,wreath1 ,winding the ,skein1 ,the ,music ,lesson1 ,atalanta4 ,in all these pictures exists the internal convincing evidence contradicting the statement that the inspiration stage was practically past when he took the crayon in his hand4 ,this1 however1 did not obscure in some of ,leighton's large finished pictures undoubted evidences of arrangements and calculated effects1 which are not over-ruled by an art which conceals them1 by the art which disguises art1--the clenching force of the inevitable4 ,the beauty of line1 the grouping of masses1 the composition evident in the posing of the figures--admirable and unlaboured as all these arrangements are--not infrequently lack this convincing sign of the inevitable4 ,it is too obvious that they have been chosen by the intellectual taste of their maker4 ,when ,goethe was expatiating on ,shakespeare and comparing his genius with his own1 he said1 as a proof of his own inferiority1 that he knew well how every word was made to come in its place1 but with ,shakespeare they came without ,shakespeare knowing4#df ,leighton1 like ,goethe1 was conscious that his genius could not vie with the greatest in the world--the genius he was able to appreciate as ,goethe did ,shakespeare's2 but he also knew1 as did ,goethe1 exactly the place his own art ought to take2 he knew that in his sense of style--which1 in its true meaning1 is the echo of ,nature in her choicest1 noblest moods1--in his sense of the beauty of the human structure1 in his power of draughtsmanship1 his work was superior to that of any of his contemporaries in ,england4 ,the fact of the greatness of ,leighton's powers in some directions challenges a comparison between his work and that of the giants of old who possess enormous power in all directions4 ,no one knew so well as did ,leighton the place he must take when he entered the lists with the giants3 ,i have not and never shall have 'enormous power4' ,he writes in #ahef from ,paris to his ,master1 ,steinle3-- ,translation4 ,,paris1 ,,rue ,,pigalle #ba4 ,,my ,,good ,,and ,,dear ,,friend1--,accidentally ,i had an idle morning when ,i received your dear letter1 and therefore answer it immediately4 ,with your usual modesty you put aside all that ,i say of goodness and love1 but ,i repeat it unweariedly4 ,steinle1 my good ,master1 if in this insincere world ,i have an unfeigned1 pure feeling1 it is my warm gratitude and love for you2 and the time when ,i bloomed1 gay and full of hope1 in your garden will light me through life like a sunny spot in the past2 and ,i yield myself to this feeling the more confidently1 since ,i know that ,i am under no delusion in it4 ,i have fairly strong insight1 and know exactly what ,i owe to you1 and for what ,i have to thank nature2 ,i can already appraise my moderate natural gifts2 but ,i know also that these gifts received through you alone the impression of taste that can alone make them effective1 and that in your hands they were refined as in a furnace4 ,an ,english painter seldom lacks fancy and invention1 but taste1 that which forms and embellishes the raw material1 that is almost always wanting with us--and it is you ,i must thank for the little ,i possess4 ,to flatter was an impossibility with ,leighton4 ,he paid every artist the respect of believing he desired the same sincerity shown in the criticism of his work that he1--,leighton1--wished when his own was judged1 and with which he judged it himself4 ,a remarkable feature in his character was the power he had of retaining so secure a hold on his own standards of excellence without for a moment losing his individual self-centre1 yet at the same time possessing that of entering sympathetically into the view of other artists--a view often quite contrary to his own--and generously acknowledging every merit that could by any possibility be extracted from their work4 ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere writes3 ,the intensity of his own personal belief was well known to himself4 ,he once said to me1 in reference to a clever picture which he greatly admired for some of its qualities1 that he could not really enjoy it1 owing to its careless drawing4 ,on another occasion1 when at ,mr4 ,russell's sale ,i had bought a very vigorous study by ,etty1 and ,leighton was quite enthusiastic about its colour and painting1 he said1 ',but ,i could not bear it on my wall1 with that drawing1' and he laughed at himself for this strictness1 and said1 ',i know that ,i am a prig about drawing4' ,however1 not only did this never blind him to the claims of another kind of art1 but ,i think he was even more keen to recommend for approval the work of any school of painting for which1 personally1 he had no particular liking or sympathy4 ',it is not whether you or ,i like it1 but what it is on its own merits1' was a favourite warning of his to any rapid opinion expressed on a picture4 ,to any one intimately acquainted with his own real views and opinions it was sometimes surprising to find how well he realised the intentions1 and put himself in the place1 of some artist who had produced something very foreign to his own point of view1 and quite repugnant to his beliefs4 ,this is not a common quality among artists1 whose critical tolerance is often in an inverse ratio to the firmness of their own particular creed of art faith2 and it was one of the many qualities which marked ,leighton out as so admirably fitted for the ,presidency4 ,leighton was1 undoubtedly1 an absolutely competent critic of his own art2 and the fact that his principles had been inspired by a spontaneous and sincere reverence and admiration for the creations of artists whom time has crowned as the greatest in the world1 and that with his critical faculty he perceived in what measure he had succeeded in following in their steps1 enabled him to gauge with absolute justice the merits and shortcomings of his own work1 compared with that of his contemporaries4 ,whatever those shortcomings were1 certain it is that they did not arise from an absence of those natural gifts which are the outcome of emotional sensitiveness1 nor from a want of intense feeling for the beauty of ,nature1 nor from a poverty of invention4 ,the theory that his art was solely the result of his having an abnormal power of industry and of taking pains--a theory which has been advanced many times since ,leighton's death--cannot hold good for a moment with those who impartially study his work from the beginning of his career4 ,the spontaneity of the impulse to produce in every born artist is described in the following passage from ,leighton's first discourse1 when ,president1 to the students of the ,royal ,academy1 ,december #aj1 #ahgi1 and the description is obviously drawn from his own personal experience3 ,the gift of artistic production manifests itself in the young in an impulse so spontaneous and so imperative1 and is in its origin so wholly emotional and independent of the action of the intellect1 that it at first and for some time entirely absorbs their energies4 ,the student's first steps on the bright paths of his working life are obscured by no shadows save those cast by the difficulties of a technical nature which lie before him1 and these difficulties1 which indeed he only half discerns1 serve rather to whet his appetite than to hamper or discourage him2 for his heart whispers that1 when he shall have brushed them aside1 the road will be clear before him1 and the utterance of what he feels stirring within him will be from thenceforward one long unchecked delight4 ,this spirit of spontaneous1 unquestioning rejoicing in production1 which is still the privilege of youth1 and which1 even now1 the very strong sometimes carry with them through their lives1 was indeed1 when ,art herself was in her prime1 the normal and constant condition of the artistic temper1 and shone out in all artistic work4 ,it is this spirit which gave a perennial freshness to ,athenian ,art--the serenest and most spontaneous men have ever seen4 ,and when again1 after many centuries1 another ,art was born out of the night of the ,dark ,ages1 and shed its gentle light over the chaos of society1 this spirit once more burst through it into flame4 ,all forms of ,art are alike fired with it4 ,architecture first1 exulting in new flights of vigorous and bold creation2 then ,sculpture2 last1 ,painting1 virtually a new ,art1 looked out on to the world with the wondering delight of a child1 timidly at first1 but soon to fill it with the bright expression of its joy4 ,those were halcyon days2 the questions1 ',why do ,i paint8' ',why do ,i model8' ',why should ,i build beautifully8' ',what--how--shall ,i build1 model1 paint8' had no existence in the mind of the artist4 ',why1' he might have answered1 'does the lark soar and sing8' ,though his direct study from ,nature mostly took the form1 in later years1 of sketching in oil colour views in the different countries in which he travelled1 ,leighton showed to the end of his life his great delight in flowers by continuing to make sketches from them4 ,in #ahie1 at ,malinmore1 he was fascinated by the sea-thistle1 and there are four pages in a sketch-book devoted to rapid sketches of the plant1 callantra1 which he made there4 ,notes are written on the first sketch indicating the colours4 ,it is interesting to compare the early pencil work executed between #ahej and #ahfj with that of forty years later4 ,though the handling may be different1 there is the same complete sense and enjoyment of the wonderful architecture of plants and flowers obvious in both4#dg ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,sea ,,thistle4 ,malinmore1 ,ireland1 #ahie ,from ,sketch-book ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,sea ,,thistle4 ,malinmore1 ,ireland1 #ahie ,from ,sketch-book ,illustration3 ,,return ,,of ,,persephone4 #ahia ,illustration3 ,,study ,,in ,,colour ,,for ,,return ,,of ,,persephone4 #ahia ,by permission of ,mrs4 ,stewart ,hodgson ,,footnotes3 #cg ,see ,appendix1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 description in ,preface to ,catalogue of the ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #ch ,an artist who was a great flower lover1 when relating her experiences1 maintained that it was in the revelation1 to her perceptions1 of the infinite perfection of the structure and form of one flower1 that she had realised in her own nature a more intimate recognition and response to that of the ,creator of the ,infinite than had ever been elicited by any church services or creeds1 or even1 in fact1 by the most sublime scenery4 ,in one small flower she had found an epitome of the wonders and beauties of all creation1 so focussed as to be grasped closely1 and responded to1 from the innermost intimate recesses of her nature with a joy unspeakable4 #ci ,see ,appendix1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 ,preface to ,catalogue of the ,leighton ,house ,collection4 #dj ,see ,appendix1 ,vol4 ,,ii41 ,lord ,leighton1 ,p4,r4,a41 ,some ,reminiscences4 #da ,appendix1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 #db ,ruskin was mistaken in thinking that the ,lemon ,tree and the ,byzantine ,well are of the same date4 ,the former drawing was made in #ahei1 the latter seven years earlier in #aheb 7reproduced facing page #hj71 and is referred to in his diary1 ,pebbles4 ,i think this is the most beautiful drawing of the kind ,i have ever seen4 #dc ,see ,list of ,illustrations4 #dd ,see ,appendix1 ,vol4 ,,ii4 #de ,see letter to ,steinle1 page #ahh3 444,god forgive me if ,i am intolerant2 but according to my view an artist must produce his art out of his own heart1 or he is none4 #df ,i remember hearing him 7,wordsworth7 say that ',goethe's poetry was not inevitable enough4' ,the remark is striking and true2 no line in ,goethe1 as ,goethe said himself1 but its maker knew well how it came there4 ,wordsworth is right2 ,goethe's poetry is not inevitable2 not inevitable enough4--,preface to ,poems of ,wordsworth1 chosen and edited by ,matthew ,arnold4 #dg ,knowing that ,leighton was a frequenter of the ,kew ,gardens1 ,i asked ,sir ,w4 ,thiselton ,dyer to write me his recollections of him1 which he most kindly did in the following letter3-- ,,kew1 ,january #aa1 #aijf4 ,,dear ,,mrs4 ,,barrington1--,my acquaintance with ,lord ,leighton was only beginning to ripen into intimacy when he unhappily died4 ,his somewhat grand seigneur manner at first a little alarmed me2 but when ,i had broken through his reserve1 ,i became1 like every one else1 much attached to him4 ,he used often to dine in evening dress at a small table behind a screen at the door of the coffee-room at the ,athenaeum4 ,in the corner adjoining this is a round table known as ,abraham's ,bosom1 as it was once frequented by ,abraham ,hayward4 ,here1 on ,royal ,society days1 we often had a lively scientific party4 ,leighton often found it impossible to keep aloof1 and joined in the fun4 ,i found ,sir ,frederic1 as he was called1 was well known to our men as a visitor to ,kew4 ,he used to drive down in his victoria in the afternoon and take a solitary walk4 ,i only myself came across him once4 ,i had taken some trouble to get a fine show of the old-fashioned ,dutch tulips known as ,bizards and ,byblomen4 ,i found ,leighton one day absorbed in the enthusiastic contemplation of them4 ,there were certain combinations of colour which completely fascinated him4 ,i remember that he particularly admired a purplish brown with yellow and a reddish purple with cream-colour4 ,both were1 ,i think1 in the key that particularly appealed to him4 ,he was very anxious to have them in his garden in ,london1 and we gave him a little collection1 with directions how to grow them4 ,what was the result ,i never heard4 ,i then suggested that1 as it was a lovely spring day1 ,i should take him a walk4 ,he assented1 and we sent his carriage round to the ,lion ,gate1 nearest to ,richmond4 ,i took him through the ,queen's ,cottage grounds to show him the sheets of wild hyacinth4 ,he admitted their beauty1 but remarked that the effect was not pictorial4 ,that1 ,i think1 was ,leighton's point of view4 ,with an intense feeling for beauty1 he had little or none for ,nature pure and simple4 ,his art was essentially selective1 and ,i think he took most pleasure at ,kew in the more or less artificial products of the gardener's art4 ,what he sought was subtle effects of form and colour4 ,personally1 ,i appreciate both ways of treating plants4 ,i am always at war with artists for their undisciplined and mostly incompetent treatment of vegetation3 drawing and anatomy are usually defective to an instructed eye1 such faults would be intolerable in the figure4 ,their presence robs me of much pleasure in looking at ,burne-,jones' pictures4 ,i imagine he mostly made his plants up out of his head4 ,ruskin1 with all his talk1 was both unobservant and careless4 ,millais1 on the other hand1 though ,i am not aware that he ever had any botanical training1 by sheer force of insight paints plants in a way to which the most fastidious botanist can take no exception4 ,one can actually botanise in his foreground of ,over the ,hills and ,far ,away1 yet there is no loss of general pictorial effect4 ,the plant drawing of ,albert ,duerer1 ,holman ,hunt1 and ,alma ,tadema1 though more studied1 is absolutely satisfying to the botanist4 ,sir ,joseph ,hooker has always complained that the ,royal ,academy has never given any encouragement to accurate plant drawing4 ,yet ,i have heard ,sir ,william ,richmond say that1 as a student1 he made hundreds of careful studies of plant-form1 and that he knew no discipline more profitable4 ,i remember remarking to an ,academician that ,i thought that in this respect the competition pictures of the students reached a higher standard than that of the average ,may ,exhibition1 and he admitted that that was a possible criticism4 ,leighton aimed at beauty by selection and discipline4 ,millais in his later work looked only to general effect and balance1 but as to detail was content to faithfully reproduce1 and did not select at all4 ,this explains the admiration which ,i believe ,millais had for ,miss ,north's work4 ,both produced admirable results1 but they were of an essentially different kind1 though equally admirable4 ,but whenever ,leighton introduced plant-forms1 it was penetrated by his characteristic thoroughness and perfect mastery of what he was about4 ,i am myself a passionate admirer of the ,gloire-de-,dijon rose4 ,i remember telling ,leighton that ,i did not think that any one had ever painted it with such consummate skill as he had4 ,i am told1 and quite believe it1 that his pencil studies from plants are as fine as anything that has ever been done4 ,leighton rendered us a very great service on one occasion4 ,miss ,north's pictures were painted on paper1 roughly framed1 and simply hung by her on the brick walls of her gallery4 ,they soon began to rapidly deteriorate4 ,i appealed to ,l4 for advice4 ,i was1 ,i confess1 astonished to receive from him a full1 precise1 and business-like report1 pointing out exactly what should be done1 and who was the proper person to do it4 ,the gallery was to be lined with boarding1 the pictures were to be properly framed1 cleaned1 lightly varnished1 and glazed4 ,the report was at once accepted by the office of works1 the work was successfully carried out1 and no trouble has been experienced since4 ,in his turn1 ,leighton sometimes appealed to me4 ,this was notably the case when he was painting his ,persephone1 which ,i frankly told him ,i thought was the most beautiful picture he had ever painted4 ,he had been in ,capri1 and had seen on the rocks a blue flower which he wished to introduce into the foreground4 ,we made out what it was1 and sent him tracings from plates and sketches from herbarium specimens4 ,these did not satisfy him1 and he ultimately sent to ,capri for the living plant4 ,he worked hard at it1 and1 ,i do not doubt1 produced a very beautiful piece of colour4 ,that year ,i dined at the ,academy4 ,persephone hung over ,leighton's chair1 and was the subject of one of the few really witty remarks ,i ever heard in an after-dinner speech4 ,but then the speaker was ,lord ,justice ,bowen4 ,but his beautiful foreground was all gone4 ,leighton1 and ,i think he was right1 thought it destroyed the balance of his colour scheme1 and painted it out4 ,but ,i have always felt sad to think of the beautiful work that lay buried there4 ,when he died1 we felt very sad at ,kew4 ,he had always been so lovable and disinterested4 ,we decided to send some tribute to his funeral1 but to avoid what was commonplace4 ,so we sent a large wreath of bay1 introducing1 in the place of the conventional berries1 single snowdrop flowers4 ,the result was dignified and1 ,i think1 adequate4 ,at any rate1 the ,academicians thought so1 if1 as ,i have been told1 they placed the wreath by the coffin on the hearse on its way to ,st4 ,paul's4 ,i walked back with ,lord ,redesdale1 one of ,leighton's most intimate friends1 who had come up from ,batsford to attend4 ,there was a great gathering at the ,athenaeum4 ,i sat next ,millais1 already himself stricken with death1 and whom ,i never saw again4 ,i am afraid all this will not be very helpful to you1 but my pen ran on to tell you all ,i could of a good1 great1 and brave man1 whom it was an honour to have known4--,yours always sincerely1 ,w4,c4 ,,thiselton ,,dyer4 ,,chapter ,,iv ,,watts--,,success--,,failure #ahee-ahef ,it was in the summer of #ahee1 in consequence of his father having summoned him suddenly back to ,england1 that ,leighton first became known as a notable person to the ,london world4 ,his picture of ,cimabue's ,madonna had preceded him1 and gave him an introduction to the art magnates2 while the fact that the ,queen had bought it of the young and1 till then1 unknown artist1 raised the curiosity of those to whom the intrinsic value of the work was insignificant1 compared to its having received this mark of ,royal approval4 ,hanging on the walls of the ,academy throughout the season and being much talked about1 the picture1 combined with the painter's charming personality1 won for him at once a prominent position4 ,his friends of the happy ,roman days1 however1 remained the nucleus of his real intimacies4 ,as can be gathered from his letters1 he had already in ,rome felt general society to be fatiguing and unremunerative1 the interest in it never having compensated him for the physical exertion and weariness it entailed4 ,health--and a more or less stolid temperament--are requisite in order to combat1 with any satisfaction1 the wear and tear of late hours1 and contact with mere acquaintances and strangers whose personalities carry with them no special interest4 ,leighton found no pleasure in such intercourse sufficient to overbalance its sterility1 for he possessed neither robust health nor much equanimity of temperament4 ,he could enjoy with ecstasy those things which delighted him1 but had little of that even current of patient contentment1 the normal condition of those who can tolerate cheerfully--and even with pleasure--the herding in crowds with mere acquaintances4 ,circumstances combined in making ,leighton's disinclination to indiscriminate visiting often misunderstood4 ,his extreme vitality when in company1 his notable gifts as a talker and as a linguist1 the high social standing of many of his most intimate friends1 naturally gave the impression that he was made for the sort of success which is the aim of many living in the ,london world4 ,that he never availed himself of all the opportunities that offered themselves was considered by many as a sign of conceit and superciliousness4 ,nothing could have been farther from the truth4 ,that he was ambitious for ,art to take her legitimate position on the platform of the world's highest interests is certain1 and that he resented the position which was but too often accorded in ,england to her earnest votaries1 and had a keen discernment in tracing evidences of self-interest and snobbish proclivities in those who would have patronised him1 is no less certain2 but that ,leighton himself was ever personally otherwise than the most modest of men1 all who really knew him can attest4 ,to whatever class in society a man or woman might belong1 whether a ,royal or a quite humble friend--once a friend1 ,leighton gave of his very best and worthiest4 ,no time or trouble would he spare in such service2 though he was too eager a worker1 and felt too keenly a responsibility towards his calling for him to allow any moment of his life to be frittered away by claims which were not in his eyes real or of any serious advantage to others4 ,illustration3 ,,cupid ,,with ,,doves ,decorative work with gold background4 ,about #ahhj ,it was during this summer that he made the personal acquaintance of ,ruskin1 ,holman ,hunt1 ,millais1 and ,watts4 ,while in ,london he found a home with his mother's relations1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,nash1 in ,montagu ,square1 for whose affectionate kindness he was ever grateful4 ,it was while staying there that ,watts and he first met1 or rather on the pavement outside the house4 ,watts recounted how he had ridden one afternoon to ,montagu ,square1 and having asked for ,leighton1 the artist himself came out to greet him4 ,watts was much impressed at the time1 he said1 by the extraordinary amount of vitality and nervous energy which ,leighton seemed to possess4 ,this acquaintance thus begun was continued for forty years4#dh ,as regarded ,art1 the supreme interest in the lives of these two famous painters1 their relations remained intimate to the end of ,leighton's life4 ,before ,leighton definitely settled in ,london1 ,watts invited him to show his work in the studios of ,little ,holland ,house1 which invitation he gratefully accepted4 ,in a letter to his mother ,leighton writes3 ,watts has been exceedingly amiable to me2 the studio is at my disposal if ,i want to paint there4 ,i am still of opinion that ,watts is a most marvellous fellow1 and if he had but decent health would whip us all1 if he does not already4 ,it is interesting to trace the influences which developed alike in ,leighton and ,watts1 the feeling for form which in both artists is analogous to that of the ,greek4 ,before going to ,italy1 ,watts had studied the perfection in the work of ,pheidias in the ,elgin ,marbles1 a perfection rediscovered by ,haydon2 and a visit to ,greece later only confirmed his conviction that the ,pheidian school of sculpture made a higher appeal to his artistic sense than did any other4 ,that was the indelible seal which1 in the case of his brother artist1 had been stamped on ,leighton's artistic nature through the guidance of his master1 ,steinle4 ,when ,watts lived in ,italy1 from the year #ahdc to #ahdg1 he found that it was the work of ,orcagna and ,titian that appealed most to his imagination1 and to his sense of form and colour--,orcagna's great conceptions1 which struck notes stranger and more widely suggestive than those dictated and restricted by special religious creeds2 ,titian1 the glorious ,titian of the ,renaissance1 whose sense and modelling had the breadth and bloom of ,pheidian art1 and whose colour was triumphant in qualities of richness and subtlety combined4 ,the pure beauty in the early religious painters made a much slighter and less personal appeal to ,watts during those four years he lived in ,italy4 ,it was in ,italy1 when a child of twelve1 that ,leighton drank a deep draught from the fountain-head of mediaeval and modern art2 and this established once and for all the high standard towards which he ever aimed4 ,but though his true artistic preferences were aroused at this early age1 the full and complete passion for his calling was not developed till he met his master some years later in ,frankfort4 ,belonging to the brotherhood of ,nazarenes1 the early religious ,italian art appealed more strongly than any other to ,steinle2 and1 doubtless1 the earnest study ,leighton devoted to ,duccio1 ,cimabue1 ,giotto1 ,buonfigli1 ,perugino1 and ,pinturicchio1 and the delight he took in their work1 was originally started by ,steinle4 ,the following list1 which exists in ,steinle's handwriting1 of the paintings which he wished ,leighton specially to study in ,florence is evidence of this4 ,translation4 ,,florence ,st4 ,croce4--,the choir by ,angiolo ,gaddi1 pupil of ,giotto4 ,the chapel on the right by his uncle1 ,taddeo ,gaddi4 ,the altar by ,giotto himself1 in the sacristy the ,taddeo ,gaddi1 in the refectory the ,last ,supper1 all by ,giotto4 ,st4 ,marco4--,outside ,fiesole1 where particularly should be seen in the cloister-cell and choir-stalls a ,last ,supper by ,ghirlandajo4 ,st4 ,maria ,novella4--,the choir by ,domenico ,ghirlandajo1 chapel by ,giovanni and ,filippo ,lippi1 a ,madonna in marble by ,benedetto da ,majano1 the great ,madonna of ,cimabue4 ,the ,hell and ,paradise of ,andreas ,orcagna4 ,opposite the court of this chapel grey in grey by ,dello and ,paul ,ucello2 from the court into the ,capello dei ,spagnola1 to the left the picture by ,taddeo ,gaddi2 all the rest by ,simon ,memmi4 ,capella di ,st4 ,francesco1 by ,dom4 ,ghirlandajo4 ,st4 ,ambrogio4--,fresco by ,cosimo ,rosetti4 ,st4 ,spirito4--,built by ,brunelleschi2 altar-pieces by ,filippo ,lippi and ,botticelli4 ,al ,carmine1 dei ,massacio's4 ,st4 ,miniato4--,chapel by ,aretino ,spinello4 ,palazzo ,riccardi4--,the lovely chapel by ,benozzo ,gozzoli4 ,in the ,chapel of the ,foundling ,hospital4--,beautiful altar-piece by ,ghirlandajo4 ,after visiting ,padua1 ,siena1 ,perugia1 ,assisi1 however1 the pupil became a keen admirer of this early art1 independently of any influence other than the inherent beauty1 dignity1 and purity of the feeling in the works themselves4#di ,moreover1 the natural sympathy which ,leighton felt for the art of ,greece1 discovered in this early ,italian work records of her influence1 and that1 in a very striking manner1 it was allied to that of the great ancients4 ,in his ,academy address of #ahhg we find this alluded to in the following passage3-- ,the production1 both in sculpture and painting1 of the middle period of the thirteenth century has a character of transition4 ,in painting1 the works1 for instance1 of ,cimabue and of ,duccio are still impregnated with the ,byzantine spirit1 and occasionally reveal startling reminiscences of classic dignity and power1 to which justice is not1 ,i think1 sufficiently rendered4 ,in sculpture1 the handiwork of ,nicolo ,pisano is full of the amplitude1 the rhythm1 and virility of classic ,art4 ,i see in it1 indeed1 the tokens of a new life in ,art1 but little sign of a new artistic form--it is not a dawn2 it is an after-glow1 strange1 belated1 and solemn4 ,in the ,art of ,giotto and the ,giottosques1 the transformation is fulfilled4 ,it is an art lit up with the spirit of ,st4 ,francis1 warm with ,christian love1 pure with ,christian purity1 simple with ,christian humility2 it is the fit language of a pious race endowed with an exquisite instinct of the expressiveness of form1 as form1 but untrained as yet in the knowledge of the concrete facts of the outer world2 an art fresh with the dew and tenderness of youth1 and yet showing1 together with this virginal quality of young life1 a simple forcefulness prophetic of the power of its riper day4 ,within the outline of these general characteristics individuality found sufficient scope4 ,even when this transformation is fulfilled in the frescoes of ,giotto1 any intelligent study of his art at ,padua and ,assisi1 while keeping in mind the manner in which ,pheidias felt and treated the human form in his sculpture1 would prove to the student how distinctly visible is the link between the ancient and this mediaeval art2 though the fact of the latter being fired with an ecstasy of spiritual emotion of which the ,greek had no experience1 may disguise the link where feeling in art is of more interest than form4 ,there is the same detachment of one form from another1 each being given its full expression and intention--which induces a feeling of simplicity and serenity in the greatest work4 ,the form of the head is not smudged into the throat1 nor the throat into the chest1 nor the chest into the arms4 ,even in the smallest ,greek coin or intaglio of the best period this separate individuality of form in each part of the human frame is accentuated1 and with it a sense of size and breadth4 ,the same fundamental principles also1 adhered to by the great ,greek workmen in their treatment of drapery1 is to be traced in the work of ,giotto4 ,illustration3 ,,idyll4 #ahha ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,miss ,,mabel ,,mills 7,,the ,,hon4 ,,mrs4 ,,grenfell74 #ahgg ,but the great ,greeks did not invent the beauty they immortalised1 any more than did ,leighton and ,watts2 the ,pheidian school intuitively chose the noblest form it found in nature4#ej ,the notable gift with which nature endowed the artists of the ,periclean epoch consisted of eyes to perceive1 and taste to prefer1 the form which1 intrinsically and most convincingly1 inspires admiration in those imbued with the finest sense of beauty--not a gift to invent something new and different from nature4 ,in like manner the gift nature bestowed on ,leighton and ,watts was the same1 a perception and a preference for noble form2 and in this choice they had been educated by legacies from ,pheidias and his school1 but only so far as these legacies induced them to seek and perceive in nature herself the elements of such nobility4 ,in painting the magnificent head and shoulders entitled ,atalanta1#ea or the reclining figures in ,idyll1#eb ,leighton copied as directly from nature as when he painted the portrait of ,miss ,mabel ,mills1#ec where a similar beauty of form in the throat existed as in ,miss ,jones1 who sat for ,atalanta and ,idyll4 ,when ,watts painted his superb ,lady with the ,mirror1 one of his really great achievements1 it was the model before him whose beauty he was recording1 though his own sense in recognising it had been further inspired by his study of ,pheidias4 ,we need not go out of ,england to find types which are as completely noble as are those in the most inspiring art ever created1 but the sense as a rule is wanting in ,english artists to select and to prefer such nobility4 ,leighton writes to a friend in #ahgi3-- ,i have just remembered a circumstance which might be worth mentioning3 ,i painted pictures in an out-of-door top light and with realistic aims 7of course1 subordinate to style7 in the old ,frankfurt days before ,i came over here1 and long before ,i heard of 'modern' ideas in painting4 ,in this1 perhaps1 more than in anything1 the boy was the father of the man1 for it is still the corner-stone of my faith that ,art is not a corpse1 but a living thing1 and that the highest respect for the old masters1 who are and will remain supreme1 does not lie in doing as they did1 but as men of their strength would do if they were now 7oh1 derisim67 amongst us4 ,leighton taught ,watts to appreciate the ,greek inheritance to be found in early ,italian art2 and ,i have frequently heard ,watts comment on the evidence of this legacy in ,giotto's work4 ,watts1 by ventilating the results of his studies of ,pheidian art with ,leighton1 and analysing the elemental principles on which it was grounded1 aided his brother artist in securing a faster hold on the sources of his individual preferences4 ,no two characters could have been more dissimilar than those of ,watts and ,leighton1 no two men could have led more different external lives2 ,leighton's great and varied gifts requiring for their full exercise the whole area of life's stage1 ,watts' genius demanding seclusion1 and days undisturbed by friction with the outer world4 ,watts' first and great object in life was to preserve his work1 and to bequeath it to his country1 which he1 happily for his country1 was enabled to do2 ,leighton's object was to complete a work as far as industry and his gifts would enable him to complete it1 then--as he would say--to get rid of it and never see it again2 but try to do better next time6 ,the one was frank1 free1 courageous2 the other almost morbidly self-depreciative1 sensitive1 and timid4 ,all the same1 no two workmen could have had more sympathy with one another in their true aims and aspirations1 or more mutual admiration for each other's artistic gifts4 ,illustration3 ,,venus ,,disrobing ,,for ,,the ,,bath4 #ahfg ,by permission of ,sir ,a4 ,henderson1 ,bart4 ,illustration3 ,,phryne ,,at ,,eleusis4 #ahhb ,watts1 to his credit1 had from his first acquaintance with ,leighton discerned that the unusual position which ,leighton undoubtedly held from his first appearance in the ,london world to the day of his death1 was due to the possession of unusual gifts1 exercised in a very unusually generous and public-spirited manner1 and not to reasons invented by those who were envious of this prominent position4 ,watts wrote to ,leighton after they became neighbours in ,kensington3-- ,i have been worrying myself by fancying you rather misunderstood the drift of my observations respecting the value of social consideration to a professional man1 that ,i meant to imply you sold your pictures in consequence of the unusual position you undoubtedly hold2 knowing me and my opinions as you do1 you could hardly think so1 yet poets and artists are proverbially sensitive beings4 ,i know ,i am myself to a degree that could hardly be imagined1 though not with regard to opinion of my work2 ,i am resigned1 if not contented1 to preserve what ,i can do for posterity1 conscious that no other judgment can really be worth anything2 ,i am very often unhappy1 thinking that after all the best ,i can do may not be worthy of being brought before the great tribunal at all2 but ,i do not allow myself to brood over the subject more than ,i can help4 ,however1 ,i do not attempt to deaden the keen dread ,i have of giving pain or offence1 and am really miserable when ,i think ,i have done so1 or been unjust2 ,i don't think ,i am often the latter1 but ,i may by clumsiness fall into the former regrettable position4 ,i should grieve indeed if any word or deed of mine should ever be offensive to you1 for you know me to be always yours most sincerely1 ,,signor4 ,immediately on his arrival from ,italy ,leighton paid a visit to his family at ,bath1 arriving on ,may #bd4 ,he returned to ,london shortly after1 where his family joined him on ,june #ae1 and the introduction so long desired by ,leighton took place between his parents and sisters and his great friends1 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,sartoris4 ,in ,december #ahed ,leighton's mother had written3 ,how delightful to see you again1 and perhaps we may spend the next winter together1 but of that ,i am uncertain4 ,in ,england we shall not be1 and both ,papa and ,i incline to ,paris1 but ,gussy has an anxious desire to go to ,berlin4 ,the ,sartoris' being in ,paris would be a strong inducement to us to go there1 as we very much wish to make your friends' acquaintance1 and we should most likely meet at their house agreeable people4 ,i am exceedingly sorry ,i overlooked ,mrs4 ,sartoris' friendly message1 which ,i have since discovered in your former letter4 ,pray offer her my best compliments1 and assure her ,i consider her great kindness to you gives her a claim upon my sympathy1 and ,i shall rejoice to have an opportunity of giving her this assurance in person4 ,in ,february his mother wrote3 ,i hope you will not long be separated from your friends the ,sartoris when you leave ,rome4 ,we all sincerely desire to become acquainted with the valued friends of whom we hear so much4 ,later his father wrote3 ,with regard to your reasons for remaining at ,rome during the spring1 you have this time at least the best of the argument4 ,if there were no other than your wish to give more tangible form to your gratitude to your kind friends1 the ,sartoris1 it would be sufficient1 to say nothing of the drawings from ,m4 ,angelo and ,raphael4 ,and in the same cover his mother says3 ,i feel1 with your father1 great satisfaction at your undertaking a likeness of ,mrs4 ,sartoris--,i hope it may prove a satisfactory one4 ,give our love to ,mrs4 ,sartoris4 ,leighton's younger sister kept a diary in those days4 ,written in this are notes which describe the keen appreciation which she and her family felt for her brother's friends4 ,in fact she is1 as ,fred says1 an angel4 ,she seems very fond of him1 as she might be of a younger brother4444 ,she is very stout1 high coloured1 and has little hair4 ,but the shape of her mouth is very fine1 the modulations of her voice in speaking are exquisite4 ,she is a creature who can never age1 and before whose attractions those of younger and prettier women must always pale4 ,august #ahee4--;,fred returned to ,bath to stay with us a little while4 ,beautiful drives together4 ,so generous in giving me several volumes of poetry4 ,sept4--,left us to go to ,paris4 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,mrs4 ,,adelaide ,,sartoris ,drawn by ,lord ,leighton for her friend ,lady ,bloomfield1 #ahfg ,by permission of the ,hon4 ,mrs4 ,sartoris ,while in ,london ,leighton wrote the following to his master1 ,steinle3-- ,translation4 #aj ,,maddox ,,street1 ,,bond ,,street1 ,,london1 #ahee4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,at last ,i am able to write to you again4 ,when ,i sent off my last letter to you ,i was busily packing for my journey2 now ,i have been already six weeks in ,england1 and it seems a year since ,i left ,rome4 ,i scarcely need tell you1 dearest ,friend1 that at first1 in this ,london hurly-burly1 ,i hardly knew whether ,i was standing on my head or my heels3 ,i will not say that this condition has not had a certain charm4 ,i have made several acquaintances1 have been cordially received1 and have had considerably more praise for my picture than it deserves4 ,however1 ,i have already set seriously to work again1 and expect shortly to commence upon a new composition4 ,it is a real grief to me1 dear ,master1 to have to work without your guidance4 ,my succes1 here in ,london1 which1 for a beginner1 has been extraordinarily great1 fills me with anxiety and apprehension2 ,i am always thinking1 ,what can you exhibit next year that will fulfil the expectations of the public8 ,when ,i have settled anything definitely1 ,i shall report to my master in ,frankfurt4 ,now1 however1 as regards the photographs4 ,owing to unforeseen circumstances1 ,mrs4 ,sartoris 7whom ,i introduced to you in my last letter7 was obliged to alter the plans of her journey1 and will not leave this for ,germany until the middle of ,september4 ,what now8 ,will you wait so long1 or shall ,i seek an opportunity to send you your seven things8 ,and now1 my ,friend1 how are you occupied8 ,do you still sparkle with beautiful inventions8 ,tell me all that you are doing4 ,i had a delightful surprise recently when ,i saw your long expected ,court ,scene in ,paris2 it is a charming composition4 ,i tell you nothing of the great ,paris ,exhibition1 for you naturally will not neglect to see a thing so excessively interesting2 it throws light upon a great many things4 ,if only you could come in ,september6 then we could meet again and renew old times a little2 it would be very delightful4 ,i should like extremely to arrange something of the kind with you2 we should certainly agree very well4 ,remember me most kindly to your wife and my old friends in ,frankfurt1 and keep in mind your loving pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,in a letter to his mother1 before she arrived in ,london1 ,leighton refers to ,ruskin's criticism when comparing his ,cimabue's ,madonna to ,millais' ,rescue3-- ,,london4 ,i do wonder at the critics3 will they never let the cat die8 ,what ,ruskin means by ,millais' picture being greater than mine1 is that the joy of a mother over her rescued children is a higher order of emotion than any expressed in my picture4 ,i wish people would remember ,st4 ,paul on the subject of hateful comparisons3 ,there is one glory of the sun1 and another glory of the moon1 and another glory of the stars1 for one star differeth from another star in glory4 ,i spent last night an evening that ,gussy would have envied me4 ,we 7,i and the ,sartoris and one or two others7 were at ,halle's1 who is the most charming fellow in the world4 ,illustration3 ,,study ,,for ,,portion ,,of ,,frieze1 ,,music 7not carried out in final design74 #ahhc ,leighton ,house ,collection ,having sent his ,romeo picture to ,paris1 ,leighton was not quite unknown to the art world when he arrived there in ,september #ahee4 ,the ,cimabue's ,madonna1 hanging on the walls of the ,royal ,academy in ,london1 and this picture being shown at the great ,international ,exhibition in ,france1 he can fairly be said to have entered at the age of twenty-four the arena where he competed with the first artists in ,europe4 ,by a mistake the ,romeo picture was hung in the ,roman instead of the ,english section in the ,international ,exhibition4 ,the following extract appeared in a publication at the time1 and gives the unbiassed criticism of one who was unknown to ,leighton3-- ,strange it may seem1 but such is the fact1 that of the thirteen canvasses she 7,rome7 has sent on this occasion to sustain her credit1 that which for intrinsic merit takes the lead--in which soul for expression and true artistic feeling are conspicuous1 is due to the pencil of an ,englishman--,frederic ,leighton1 ne a ,scarborough1 eleve de ,mons4 ,edouard ,steinle de ,frankfort4 ,the subject of this picture--and it is a fine one--is the reconciliation of the ,houses of ,montagu and ,capulet over the bodies of ,romeo and ,juliet4 ,let us hope that his native country may hear and see more of so promising an artist as ,mr4 ,leighton4 ,and again3-- ,when these lines were written on the other side of the ,channel1 ,mr4 ,leighton had already sent his 'pencil's' first representation to the ,royal ,academy1 causing therein not a little surprise1 fluttering the dovecots in ,corioli4 ,we beg he will construe our sincere anticipations into a hearty welcome4 ,in the early days of ,september #ahee1 ,leighton was in ,paris preparing to settle in for a winter's hard work4 ,the following letters to his mother and father and to ,steinle were written soon after his arrival4 ,in that to ,steinle1 ,leighton alludes to the serious work he has before him1 in painting ,the ,triumph of ,music3-- ,,hotel ,,canterbury1 ,,rue ,,de ,,la ,,paix1 ,sunday1 #ahee4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,though ,i have1 of course1 nothing to tell you yet1 still1 as it is ,sunday morning1 ,i send you a few lines as a token of continued vegetation4 ,paris is bright and warm and sunny1 and contrasts incredibly with the murkiness of ,london4 ,i have already set to work to look for a studio1 but shall have great difficulty in finding one1 and shall have to pay about #aejj francs per annum unfurnished2 my furniture ,i shall of course hire1 not buy--ci vuol pazienza4 ,,hotel ,,canterbury1 ,saturday1 #ahee4 ,,dear ,,papa1--,when one has bad news to swallow1 there is nothing like taking the bull by the horns and engulphing the dose at once3 this is the bull to be swallowed1 horns and all4 ,i have1 after great trouble and manifold inquiries1 taken the only studio that at all suited me1 and for that ,i give unfurnished #aej francs a month4 ,it is enormous1 but unavoidable2 nor have ,i been at a disadvantage from being an ,englishman1 for two artists of my acquaintance1 one a ,parisian just returning from ,rome1 the other a ,frankfurter1 have seen precisely the same1 and only the same1 studios as ,i did4 ,it is the dearth of studios and the great demand for them that makes the price so high4 ,those who have had studios some time of course pay very much less1 others put up with little holes far too small to paint a picture of any size4 ,carlo ,perugini is painting in the studio of a friend1 and that is a strip not large enough for one person4 ,there was only one studio which ,i could for a moment think of besides this one ,i have taken1 and that costs infinitely less2 but not only was it too small--it had been built this summer1 and is not yet finished painting1 feels cold and damp1 and would no doubt have laid me up with the rheumatism4 ,i have been advised and actually assisted in everything by ,hebert1 who is a friend as well as an old acquaintance1 and than whom nobody knows the resources of ,paris better4 ,he took me about to get my furniture1 c41 and ,i am happy to say that ,i have bought everything1 including ample bedroom and table linen1 crockery1 and knives1 spoons1 c41 all under ,l#cj4 ,i have quite a little fond de menage2 this is the only cheap thing ,i have done in ,paris1 everything is exactly as dear as ,london4 ,it certainly is lucky ,i sold my picture4 ,my frame cost1 with time and trouble of exhibition1 #cbj francs4 ,portion of letter to his father4 #ba ,,rue ,,pigalle1 ,tuesday4 ,i have nothing whatever to tell you1 except that ,i have just finished a head of ,carlo ,perugini 7for myself71 which is the best thing of the kind ,i ever did4 ,it has not interfered with my picture1 but has stopped up unavoidable gaps4 ,i have got ,h4 ,wilson#ed to teach me the ,conture ,method--a fin d'avoir tate a tout4 ,conture paints well in spite of his method1 which might easily lead to superficial mannerism4 ,the best dodge is to be a devil of a clever fellow4 ,will you do me a great favour--for my friend ,hebert1 to whom ,i am under great obligations8 ,if you can get me for him any ,greek classic 7if ,homer1 all the better7 in the same edition as my ,brumek's ,anacreon with ,latin notes1 ,i shall be much obliged4 ,hebert wants very much to have any such work4 ,translation4 #ba ,,rue ,,pigalle1 ,,paris1 ,saturday1 ,september #bi1 #ahee4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,at last ,i find the long-desired opportunity to send you the photographs2 our old ,gamba has undertaken to convey them to you4 ,how ,i envy him the pleasure of seeing you again1 dear ,master6 ,you1 on your side1 will certainly have great pleasure in seeing your old pupil again4 ,he is just the same as ever2 rather more of a beard1 and broader shouldered1 but still quite the old ,gamba4 ,he will be able to tell you that we have cherished your memory with love and reverence1 and are always proud to call ourselves your pupils4 ,i should like to describe to you what ,i am painting now1 but the subject ,i have chosen is such an absolute matter of sentiment1 that your imagination might well paint something quite different1 in comparison with which my picture might subsequently suffer2 ,i would rather wait until ,i can send you a photograph4 ,it is a picture with only four figures1 but life-size4 ,i stand in alarm before the blank canvas4 ,one learns gradually to understand that one really can do nothing4 ,the photographs in the portofolio with my writing on them are yours2 ,i hope they will please you4 ,you must accept them as a little memento of my ,italian hobbledehoy-hood4 ,remember me respectfully to ,madame ,steinle1 to my other friends tante cose4 ,keep me in remembrance4--,your grateful pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,again to ,steinle he writes3-- ,,paris1 ,,rue ,,pigalle #ba4 ,no one could sympathise better than ,i with your melancholy loneliness in the hermitage of ,frankfurt2 in that air an artist breathes with difficulty2 ,i confess ,i should be entirely paralysed by the lack of models and other resources in ,frankfurt2 one all too easily loses sight of the infinite importance of a complete material representation1 which is always the special mark of the artist2 ,i often see with amazement how even quite clever people behave in this respect4 ,it has quite a plausible sound if one says 7such a fellow as ,strauch1 for example71 ,away with materialism6 ,pfui6 ,the great artist is he who has the most ideas6 ,stop1 my little man6 do you not feel what a store of artistic cowardice lies behind your words8 ,ah1 behind so broad a shield you can elude all the difficulties of your work6 ,he who has the most ideas is first only as the greatest poet or even philosopher6 ,he only is an artist who can set his ideas forth4 ,art means the power to do2 undoubtedly the idea is the source1 the achieved is art2 but an idea completely embodied can no more exist without the artist power than a thousand ideas that are only muddled away by agitated incapacity6 ,i gladly let myself go on such matters to you1 for ,i know that we are of one mind regarding them1 and it does one good to pour out one's heart a little for once4 ,i hear1 with particular interest1 that you are painting the little picture of the ,madonna that you composed twenty-three years ago in the diligence when you were travelling to ,italy2 it is a very good thing4 ,i imagine a lovely landscape in the background2 an oleander1 rich in starry bloom2 grey olives and stately cypresses wave in the distance2 soft violets nestle on the bank of the cool water1 and gaze with earnest eyes out of the whispering grass4 ,on the still bosom of the stream sleep white blossoms1 which have flown down when the winds breathed on the limes1 and see1 in a secret nook in the shade of the lovely ,himmelsglocken1 the strawberry bed from which the black-eyed ,john will peep at the treasures4 ,above1 in the branches1 many-coloured birds frolic1 and chase one another1 and flit through the grove1 in harmonious1 song-rich flight4 ,and the ,madonna6 how tenderly and lovingly she looks down upon the two playing children6 ,have ,i described your picture8 ,in order to send it to ,england 7and how delighted ,i should be to see it7 you should1 so much ,i know from personal experience1 cause your picture to reach the ,royal ,academy 7without fail7 on the first of ,april2 ,i believe that influence is no use at all1 for the ,academicians are very autocratic2 ,i will1 however1 obtain all the information in good time4 ,i1 who was even more totally unknown in ,england than you1 have refrained1 by the advice of my friends1 from applying to any person1 and have left my pictures entirely to themselves4 ,now ,i must close this immoderately long letter4 ,it seems not impossible to me that ,i may pass through ,frankfurt next spring1 then we will have a good long gossip together1 won't we8 ,till then1 keep in warm remembrance your ,english pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,it is clear that ,paris lacked the charm which ,italy had for ,leighton4 ,parisians have been compared to the ,greeks with respect to the peculiarly fin and agile manner in which they can exercise their intellects2 and so far ,leighton might have been expected to fit in happily and with enjoyment to himself into their life4 ,but though he felt a great respect and admiration for the genuine artistic sense which the ,french undoubtedly possess as a nation1 ,leighton1 no less as a man than as an artist1 was more ,greek than is any typical ,parisian4 ,he viewed the beauty of nature from a less circumscribed standpoint1 his emotions were excited with a more ingenuous spontaneity and less from a parti-pris attitude than1 as a rule1 are those of the ,french artist4 ,paris was too artificial to appeal strongly to ,leighton's taste4 ,as with the ,greeks1 grace and charm in the form of living as in ,art was a necessity to his well-being2 but he found more natural expression of such grace and charm in the unsophisticated ,italian than among the artificial and more highly finished manners of the ,parisians4 ,we never read of the eager longing to be in ,france that ,leighton's letters show when it was a question of a return to ,italy4 ,also ,paris does not appear to have suited his health4 ,he writes to his mother after living there some weeks3-- #ba ,,rue ,,pigalle1 ,sunday1 #ba4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,i observe in a general way that the climate of ,paris is very exciting to my nerves--infinitely more than ,rome4 ,the life ,i lead is one of unprecedented regularity and absence of any kind of excess1 yet sometimes in the evening1 when ,i have lit my lamp and my fire and sit down to work1 ,i can neither play1 nor read1 nor draw1 nor do anything for five minutes together for sheer restlessness and fidgets4 ,that sleep1 too1 that used to be the corner-stone of my accomplishments and the pillar of my strength1 is not by any means what it was--non sum qualis eram6 ,the ,sartoris have not changed their plans more than five or six dozen times since you saw them4 ,they are now staying in the country with the ,marquise de l',aigle1 ,edward's sister4 ,they will be here at the beginning of ,november and stay three months--ooray6 ,lady ,cowley is1 ,i believe1 not yet come back4 ,i see a great deal of ,herbert ,wilson here4 ,he has with him1 too1 an arch-brick of a friend1 a naval captain whom ,i like most particularly4 ,i am painting his head for practice and for him--he is a fine specimen of an ,english sailor4 ,about learning by heart1 don't you think it will be a great waste of my very little eyesight to read the same thing over and over again until ,i know it8 #ba ,,rue ,,pigalle1 ,october #bf4 ,my health1 to return to the eternal refrain1 is just what it was4 ,i shall find very little difficulty in giving up coffee or tea after dinner1 as ,i never take either2 indeed1 of late ,i have given up wine1 beer1 gin1 and other spirituous liquors as utterly exciting and damnable4 ,nothing makes me sleep as ,i used except going to bed late1 and as ,i am always either sleepy1 tired1 or fidgety in the evening1 ,i very seldom get beyond ten o'clock4 ,carlo ,perugini1 whom ,i saw to-day1 sends tante cose to his cousin4 ,he is a charming boy1 most gentlemanlike1 and has that peculiar childlike simplicity which belongs to none but ,italians4 ,illustration3 ,,sketch ,,in ,,water ,,colour ,,for ,,tableaux ,,vivants1 ,,the ,,echoes ,,of ,,hellas4 ,leighton ,house ,collection ,leighton's friendship with ,brock and the ,french sculptor ,dalou began in these autumn days of #ahee4 ,he also made the acquaintance of ,whistler1 whose etchings he admired greatly4 ,the work of ,jean ,francois ,millet also delighted him no less than that of ,corot4 ,his sister's diary contains the following notes3 ,november #be4--,we arrived at ,paris4 ,our dear1 handsome ,fred was here to meet us4 ,december #a4--;,fred comes to see us daily1 though sometimes only for five minutes4 ,he is pale and coughs a good deal2 it makes us uneasy4 ,he often comes to dinner4 ,presents to us on ,new ,year's day4 ,took me to the ,conservatoire4 ,always generous4 ,we went often to ,mrs4 ,sartoris in the evening4 ,it was in ,paris that ,leighton probably first enjoyed to the full the culture of his instincts for the drama4 ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,sartoris remained in ,paris during the winter and spring1 and ,mr4 ,henry ,greville arrived there on ,february #bhth1 #ahef4 ,extracts from his published diaries give a picture of the milieu in which ,leighton's hours of relaxation from work were spent3-- #bg ,,rue ,,du ,,faubourg ,,st4 ,,honore1 ,saturday1 ,march #a1 #ahef4 ,i left ,london on ,thursday with ,flahault and ,charles1 and after a smooth passage slept at ,boulogne and came on here yesterday4 ,after dining tete-a-tete with the excellent doctor 7the ,hollands dined out71 ,i went to ,adelaide ,sartoris'1 where ,i found ,herbert ,wilson1 ,leighton1 and other young and good-looking artists1 and some ladies whom ,i did not know1 and amongst them ,madame ,kalergi1 a niece of ,nesselrode1 a tall1 large1 white-looking woman1 who has a reputation for cleverness and a great talent on the pianoforte4 ,this morning ,i went to ,leighton's studio1 and saw his drawings1 which are full of genius4 ,thursday1 ,march #f4 ,heard in the morning that ,covent ,garden theatre was burnt at seven yesterday morning1 and went to announce the event to ,mario4 ,in the evening1 with ,adelaide ,sartoris and ,leighton1 to ,ristori's rentree in ,mirrha4 ,she acted more finely than ever1 and ,i was enchanted with her wonderful beauty and classic grace3 her tenderness1 in this part especially1 is indescribable4 ,adelaide ,sartoris had never seen her before1 and was as much delighted as astonished at the performance4 ,the audience was in a frenzy of enthusiasm1 and yet ,i do not believe half the people present understood ,italian4 ,friday1 ,march #bj4 ,i went last night with ,adelaide ,sartoris and ,leighton to see ,ristori in ,alfieri's play of ,rosmunda4 ,in reading it ,i was convinced ,i should be bored by so inflated a rhodomontade1 and that the part of ,rosmunda1 being one of unmitigated fury and violence1 was unsuited to an actress whose chief merit seemed to consist in her power of delineating the gentler passions4 ,i was therefore but little prepared for the wonderful effect she produced upon me and on the audience4 ,the play is horrible and offensive1 but her manner of rendering this odious part is nothing short of sublime4 ,her beauty in the costume of the sixth century is beyond all description1 and the manner in which she varies the phases of the same passions of hatred and vengeance1 and the prodigious power of the whole impersonation1 are marvellous4 ,her acting of the scene in the third act1 when she tells ,ildevaldo that ,amalchilde loves ,romalda1 is about the best thing ,i have seen her do2 and the last act1 in which she murders her rival1 and the way in which she seizes her and drags her up the steps1 is like a whirlwind sweeping everything before it2 too terrible almost to witness1 and prevented my sleeping all night4 ,monday1 ,march #bd4 ,in the evening ,i went 7as ,i generally do7 to ,adelaide ,sartoris'1 where ,i found ,bickerton ,lyons1 ,french1 and ,leighton4 ,this latter is a singularly gifted youth4 ,besides his talent for painting and drawing1 which is already at twenty-five very remarkable1 and likely1 if he lives1 to place him in the highest rank of modern artists1 he appears endowed with an extraordinary facility for anything he attempts to do4 ,he speaks many foreign languages with remarkable fluency1 and almost without accent2 he is possessed of much musical intelligence1 and on matters connected with the art which he has made his particular study and profession his information is very extensive--and1 ,i am told by others1 better able to judge than myself1 that this is the case4 ,with all these qualities1 natural and acquired1 ,i never saw a more amiable or single-hearted youth4 ,wednesday1 ,march #bf4 ,went with the ,sartoris's1 ,montfort1 and ,leighton to the ,palais ,bourbon to see ,morny's pictures--a charming collection4 ,the ,emperor had just sent him two beautiful pieces of ,beauvais tapestry--marvellous specimens of that manufacture2 in return1 ,i suppose1 for his speech of the other day1 with which his ,majesty was highly pleased4 ,wednesday1 ,april #b1 #ahef4 ,in the morning1 with ,adelaide ,sartoris1 ,browning the poet1 ,cartwright1 and ,leighton1 to the ,pourtales ,gallery--a charming collection4 ,the pictures that most pleased me were a ,paul ,veronese1 a ,rembrandt1 and a ,greuze4 ,there is also a fine collection of ,raphael ware--glass and bronzes4 ,pourtales has ordered by will that this collection should remain intact for ten years1 and then to be sold to the highest bidder4 ,wednesday1 ,april #i1 #ahef4 ,last night1 after a dinner given by a ,lady ,monson to ,adelaide ,sartoris1 ,leighton1 and myself1 at ,philippe's1 we adjourned to the first representation of the ,italian translation of ,legouve's play of ,medea--that in which ,rachel refused1 after attending rehearsals1 to act the principal part1 and about which there was a trial4 ,great curiosity was shown about this performance1 and there was a great scramble for places2 and1 although inserts for nearly three weeks1 we were fobbed off with very bad seats in the orchestra4 ,the play had great success1 and that of ,ristori was prodigious1 but not greater than she deserved4 ,the part is most arduous1 full of transitions1 and almost always on the full stretch4 ,her costume was most picturesque1 having been designed by ,schaeffer1 and she looked like a figure on an ,etruscan vase2 and in no play that ,i have yet seen her in does she produce more effect than in certain passages of ,medea4 ,the audience was wound up to a pitch of frantic enthusiasm4 ,i am always astonished at the effect she produces on the mass of the audience1 when ,i know how few there are who really can follow the play4 ,but1 whether by means of her countenance1 voice1 or gestures1 she contrives to make all the nuances of her acting felt by the public4 ,i expect when she comes to ,london she will find a vast difference between this excitable and sympathetic audience and that stupid1 flat collection of would-be fashionables who will promener leurs ennuis at her performances4 ,before his family had arrived in ,paris the subject of the ,orpheus entitled ,the ,triumph of ,music1 to which ,leighton was devoting himself1 was criticised by his father1 which criticism ,leighton answered in the following letter3-- ,i do not think honestly that the choice of a mythological subject like ,orpheus shows the least poverty of invention1 a quality1 ,i take it1 much more manifested in the manner of treatment than in the choice of a moment4 ,about fiddles1 ,i know that the ancients had none2 it is an anachronism which ,i commit with my eyes open1 because ,i believe that the picture will go home to the spectator much more forcibly in that shape4 ,to his mother he writes3-- ,,rue ,,pigalle4 ,i have seen ,scheffer1#ee who is cordiality itself to me2 ,robert ,fleury1 ditto1 and ,i have further made the acquaintance of ,ingres1 who1 though sometimes bearish beyond measure1 was by a piece of luck exceedingly courteous the day ,i was presented to him4 ,he has just finished a beautiful figure of ,nymph1 which ,i was able to admire loudly and sincerely4 ,i have also been to ,troyon1 who was polite4 ,i am fiddling away at the preliminaries of my pictures1 a disjointed and desultory period through which one has to wade to get at one's large canvas4 ,the ,sartoris are of course1 as ever1 my stronghold and comfort4 ,your loving boy1 ,,fred4 ,i have sent the sketch of my ,orpheus to ,ruskin1 and don't yet know his opinion of that particular thing1 but ,i feel about that1 that as a now responsible artist1 it is my duty to do things exactly as ,i feel them and to abide by them1 risking criticisms and cavillings of every kind4 ,i must be myself for better and for worse2 this truth1 which ,i feel strongly myself1 has been corroborated by the opinions of ,fanny ,kemble1 ,mr4 ,sartoris and ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 all at different times1 and quite spontaneously expressed4 ,in haste4--,your dutiful and affectionate son1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,the question naturally arises1 considering the sequence of the history of the ,orpheus picture1 was ,leighton himself when he painted ,the ,triumph of ,music8 ,i have studied his work from the commencement to the close of his artistic career1 and this picture remains the unique example1 in my opinion1 when he was not himself2 the only picture which does not carry out the principle he thought of all importance4 ,it does not evince sincerity of emotion4 ,the feeling and intention of the work when first conceived had been absolutely sincere2 but1 when it came to the performance1 spontaneity had failed4 ,it seems to have been painted when he was overshadowed by an influence which was alien to his real artistic sense1 and is a further proof that ,paris was an entirely unsympathetic atmosphere to him4 ,the picture appears to me to be in feeling unreal1 stagey--not to say1 ridiculous4 ,that ,leighton1 after the first bitterness of his failure was over1 shared somewhat the same view of it is certain2 for shortly after the ,academy ,exhibition of #ahef was over he took it off the stretcher1 rolled it up1 and consigned it to oblivion during his lifetime in the dark recess of a cellar4 ,notes in ,mr4 ,henry ,greville's ,diary1 dated ,april #bdth and ,tuesday1 ,may #fth1 run as follows3-- ,,london1 ,april #bd4 ,went yesterday to ,colnaghi's to see ,leighton's picture of ,romeo and ,juliet1 with which ,i was much pleased4 ,colnaghi tells me it is much admired1 and said1 ,young ,leighton will1 one day1 be a very great man4 ,tuesday1 ,may #f4 ,a letter from ,leighton1 in answer to mine preparing him for the failure of his picture in the ,exhibition1 says3 ,whatever ,i may have felt about my little bankruptcy1 there is no fear of its disabling me for work1 for if ,i am impressionable ,i am also obstinate2 and1 with ,god's will1 ,i will one day stride over the necks of the penny-a-liners1 that they may not have the triumph of having bawled me down before ,i have had time to be heard4 ,in ,april ,leighton's family left ,paris to travel in ,switzerland4 ,the following letters to his mother show the spirit in which ,leighton met his artistic disaster4 ,may #g4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,i received your two kind letters in due time1 and answer them on the second day you fixed1 having in the interval had time to hear about the fate of my picture2 but first let me say1 dear mamma1 that you need never fear my misinterpreting or taking awry any kind advice that your love and solicitude may dictate to you4 ,i am reading as much as ever my eyes will allow--indeed1 you are strangely mistaken in thinking ,i don't see the necessity of reading4 ,i assure you that it is a perpetual mortification to me to feel how little ,i know1 but ,i stand unfortunately at such a disadvantage owing to the weakness of my eyes and my unprecedented absence of mind2 however1 ,i shall do what ,i can1 and hope for the best4 ,dearest ,mamma1 ,i did not expect to write a consolatory note to you to inaugurate your journey1 but ,i am sorry to say that ,i am in that painful position4 ,my picture1 which has been exceedingly badly hung1 so that one can scarcely see half of it 7indeed ,i believe only the figure of ,orpheus71 is an entire failure2 the papers have abused1 the public does not care for it1 in fact it is a fiasco4 ,ruskin 7who likes the ,romeo very much7 is disappointed with ,orpheus1 tho' he says of course a man like me can't do anything that has not great merits1 and that ,i am to attach no importance to the malicious articles written by venal critics4 ,now1 dearest ,mother1 look upon this--you and ,papa1 who takes so affectionate an interest in my welfare--look upon this1 as ,i do1 as a fortunate occurrence2 consider what an edge and a zest ,i get for my future efforts1 and what an incentive ,i have to exert myself to put down the venomous jargon of envious people--next year1 tho' the ,academicians may think that they have cowed me1 ,i shall very probably not exhibit2 but the year after1 ,god willing1 they shall feel the weight of my hand in a way that will surprise them4 ,the more they abuse1 the better ,i'll paint--industry against spite--,i will have a pull for it4 ,dear ,henry ,greville behaves to me like an angel2 he writes every day1 and sends me the ,times regularly4 ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 too1 writes very often4 ,you will be glad to hear that my prospects about models are rather brighter than they were2 ,i have found two or three that will be useful4 ,,paris1 ,sunday4 ,although my letter 7and ,i am afraid a very unpleasant one7 must have reached you as soon as the other was fairly out of the house1 yet ,i write a line in answer to all the kind and considerate things you wrote in the idea ,i might be ill or irritable4 ,i value your kind solicitude1 dear ,mamma1 as much as you can wish1 ,i assure you1 and should indeed be heartily sorry in any way to give you pain or make you in any way unhappy--and talking of that1 dear ,mamma1 ,i sincerely hope you have completely got over your first annoyance about my fiasco1 which1 except of course in a pecuniary point of view1 is in point of fact a fortunate event for my future progress1 in the elan it gives to my application and particularly to my obstinacy4 ,i am very busy now at ,pan and ,venus1 but have not decided what ,i shall do next year4 ,i think it is very characteristic of the critics that they none of them mention ,romeo and ,juliet1 which is1 ,i know1 universally liked4 ,dear ,mamma1 never fear1 your boy will walk over all that--depend upon it4 ,how does ,papa take it8 ,how the girls8--,give to all my best love1 and believe me1 your very devoted son1 ,,fred4 ,tuesday1 #ahef4 ,,dear ,,papa1--,in the hope that ,i should receive to-day ,ruskin's pamphlet on the ,institution1 ,i delayed until now answering your kind letter4 ,it has1 however1 not arrived1 and as there is great uncertainty whether it really is already published or no1 ,i think it better not to keep you longer without news from me4 ,the criticisms in the papers are1 as far as ,i can judge1 partly from the little ,i have read and partly from what my friends tell me1 singularly injudicious1 leaving almost entirely untouched the really vulnerable parts of the picture1 and attacking almost exclusively that which is least objectionable--the execution4 ,ruskin does not much like the picture1 and prefers the ,romeo considerably1 but he will write of course in a serious spirit and like an intelligent man4 ,i have just made the acquaintance of ,robert ,fleury--the best ,french colourist1 in my opinion--and he received me with the greatest kindness and simplicity1 showing all that he had1 and explaining anything that ,i wished to know2 this is a valuable acquaintance which ,i owe to ,montfort4 ,i have made the acquaintance of a highly talented young ,german genre painter of whom ,i had heard in ,frankfurt2 he is my age1 and paints with greater facility1 but my talent is of a higher order ,i think4 ,ary ,scheffer has been very amiable and pleasant to me about my fiasco1 telling me what he went through himself1 and telling me to think nothing of it4 ,i sent to ,wild shortly after you left1 and was able to render him a little service in the way of some ,venetian costumes1 still ,i hesitate to ask him to introduce me to ,paul ,delaroche4 ,we shall see about all that next autumn when ,i come back from ,italy1 when the ,viardots will also introduce me to ,delacroix4 ,pan and ,venus are progressing tout doucement4 ,i have written to ,watts to ask his leave to put my pictures in his studio 7,pan and ,venus7 in ,little ,holland ,house4 ,i read carefully all you said1 dear ,mamma1 about the critics1 c4 c4 ,i honestly think that my ill-luck is in no way attributable to over-hurrying4 ,those things in my picture which were really most open to discussion1 ,i did all with my eyes open and deliberately1 and they were the only ones that the discerning scribblers seem not to have noticed4 ,again1 with regard to the said critics1 ,i think1 dear ,mamma1 you see things en noir4 ,who reports me to have sneered at ----8 ,i did internally1 as ,i do at all snobs4 ,however1 ,i have long since banished the whole subject4 ,if ever ,i attain real excellence1 the public will in the long run find it out2 and if they don't pay me they will at least acknowledge me1 especially when the pre-,raphaelite engouement has calmed a little4 ,in a fortnight ,i shall go to ,england2 by that time ,pan and ,venus will be done1 and ,i think they promise well4 ,i am very anxious to get to ,london4 ,i mean to enjoy it very much--take my fill1 and then go for a short time to ,italy to renew my profession of faith before ,raphael and ,michael ,angelo4 ,i am very glad to hear that you are enjoying yourselves1 and that you remember me in the midst of your jonquils and anemones4 ,,footnotes3 #dh ,watts wrote at the time ,leighton died that he had enjoyed an uninterrupted friendship with him of forty-five years4 ,this was evidently a slight miscalculation4 ,we read in one of ,leighton's letters to his mother from ,rome that ,watts had called on him1 but that he had missed seeing him1 and ,watts certainly spoke to me of this interview on the pavement of ,montagu ,square in #ahee as the first he had had with ,leighton4 #di ,in a letter from his mother1 ,december #bb1 #ahed1 she quotes an extract from the ,morning ,post1 written by a critic who had been visiting the studios in ,rome1 and who alludes to ,leighton's sympathy with ,giotto4 ,it reads to-day as quaint and curiously antiquated as do ,knight's scornful criticisms on the ,elgin ,marbles4 ,mrs4 ,leighton writes3 ,one sentence in your letter has set your dear father on the horns of anxiety4 ,you tell us we are not to expect too much from your pictures1 and remind us 'that the path which leads to success1 c4 c4' ,now1 ,papa fancies that you had underpainted your canvas and were not satisfied with the result1 and that was the cause of your writing less hopefully than usual4 ,we have been wishing much to hear what your progress was2 knowing the subject of each picture1 we should have understood if you had reported progress4 ,in case you are in want of a little encouragement1 ,i must tell you the other day ,papa enters the drawing-room with a radiant face4 ,he held in his hand a piece of paper1 and requesting my attention1 he read me its contents1 which ,i copy for you1 and which ,i found were taken from a column in the ,morning ,post devoted to criticisms on artists and their works chiefly1 ,i believe1 on the ,continent1 but of that ,i am not quite sure4 ',i next called on ,mr4 ,leighton1 who is employed on a canvas of many feet4 ,his subject is'--then follows the description1 after which he adds3 ',mr4 ,leighton will become a great artist if he advances as he has begun4 ,his drawing is admirable1 much better than that of ,english artists generally4 ,some of the figures are ,giottoish in the treatment of the drapery1 which is scarcely pardonable1 because drapery fell flowingly about the human body in ,giotto's time as well as now4 ,why imitate the uncomfortable line of that conventional rag8 ,it is1 however1 unfair to judge of anything beyond drawing and composition in the present state of this picture1 which is an extraordinary work for so young a man4' ,remarks more or less favourable were made on several other artists1 but nothing like what you have just read4 ,do you know this critic8 ,i need not tell you how highly we appreciate this gentleman's sagacity2 but jokes apart1 ,papa was rather puzzled at such a criticism about the drapery of some of the figures1 because you excel in such folds1 so it seems to us odd that you should skimp any of your figures4 ,the same column contains observations on the subject of ',high ,art' and large historical pictures1 or rather comments on those made by young students1 such indeed as ,i have heard you make1 that ,i could almost have fancied the author was answering your remarks4 ,we were rather startled to read in your letter that you find you had better not use the interests of a professional man to facilitate the admission of your picture into the ,exhibition of the ,royal ,academy1 but trust to its merits for that result1 as we are told the ,exhibition in question is1 strictly speaking1 a private affair for the works of the members only and such as they choose to admit1 which explains perhaps the complaints of rejection one has read of from time to time4 ,i hope your picture may be kindly judged and well hung4 #ej ,on a first visit to ,athens ,i was struck by the extraordinary insignificance and want of beauty in the ,levantines of mixed race who crowded the streets2 nowhere seemed there a trace left among the inhabitants of the town of the type of ,greek beauty4 ,when travelling a few days later to ,colonna1 while the train stopped at a station on the lower slopes of ,hymettus1 ,i saw two men hurrying through the adjacent olive groves to catch it4 ,they were dressed in the ,greek costume of the provinces--an embroidered waistcoat cut low leaving the throat bare1 the short white plaited skirt1 and the heavy cloak falling from one shoulder4 ,either of these men might have sat to ,pheidias for the ,theseus4 ,both were more magnificent in form than any statue ever made4 ,doubtless1 in the days of her ancient glory1 ,greece contained a far larger proportion of inhabitants who were beautiful than are to be found now2 nevertheless ,pheidias without a doubt had to exercise his gift of selecting the best1 no less than did ,leighton and ,watts4 #ea ,see ,list of ,illustrations4 #eb ,ibid4 #ec ,ibid4 #ed ,mr4 ,herbert ,wilson4 #ee ,the story is that on ,leighton's expressing his gratitude at receiving a visit from him 7,ary ,scheffer71 he replied1 ,if ,i did not attach considerable importance to your talent1 ,i should not have mounted three flights of stairs to see you4 ,,chapter ,v ,,friends ,leighton's friendships were very salient1 vivid interests to him among the varied occupations of his life4 ,in any complete picture of his personality these must take a prominence only secondary to his passion for ,art and ,beauty1--and for his second home1--the land that had cast such a strange spell and charm over him from the early days of childhood1--to his love for his family1 and his reverent devotion to his master1 ,steinle1 and to ,mrs4 ,sartoris4 ,to these two inspiring friends and teachers he declared he owed what he prized most in life1 namely1 a development of those gifts and qualities which enabled him to be of service to his generation4 ,i have always believed that his ruling passion was ,duty--the keenest possible sense of it1 ,mr4 ,briton ,riviere writes4 ,the influences which were the most precious to ,leighton were assuredly those which enabled him to extend his own influence in the highest and widest direction1 and fulfil exhaustively his duty to his fellow-creatures4 ,every moment of his life was real and earnest to him4 ,every moment had a purpose--ever before him was the urgent imperative necessity he felt of being faithful3 faithful in every detail as in decisive final aims4 ,if an epithet had to be attached to his name1 epitomising ,leighton's salient characteristics1 the most appropriate would surely be ,leighton the faithful4 ,many among those who are dead1--also among the now living1 found in him their best friend4 ,the letters written to him by ,mr4 ,henry ,greville1 and those that ,leighton wrote to ,mr4 ,hanson ,walker are good examples1 among the many that have been preserved1 showing the very prominent place his friends took in ,leighton's life4 ,in the first we trace the tender affection he inspired in the hearts of his intimates1#ef and in the second the ardent manner in which ,leighton would help artists younger than himself1 and how with a parental solicitude he would do his best to forward their true interests4#eg ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,head ,,for ,,lieder ,,ohne ,,worte4 #ahfj ,leighton ,house ,collection ,the following letters from ,mr4 ,henry ,greville were written on ,leighton's return to ,paris1 after he had run over to ,london to place the ,romeo picture which had been in the ,paris ,international ,exhibition with ,colnaghi1 and after ,the ,triumph of ,music had been sent in to the ,academy4 ,,london1 ,april #be4 ,,dear ,,fay1--,you are rather a bad boy not to have given either ,ad4 or me a signe de vie1 but as ,i have not seen her to-day1 she may have heard from you4 ,we both want to do so very much1 so pray write ,,me a line directly4 ,i only do so to-day to say that at my suggestion ,ad4 and ,i rushed off yesterday again to ,colnaghi to find out if the ,queen or ,albert knew of your picture being at his shop2 and if not1 to ask him to let them know it1 if he could do so with propriety4 ,he said he would at once send the picture to ,b4 ,palace1 as he was in the habit of doing other works2 though he did not think that it was likely they would buy another picture of yours1 he admitted that it might be advantageous to you that they should see it4 ,he again praised the picture greatly1 and told us that it was universally admired4 ,my sister prefers it infinitely to ,cimabue in all respects1 but the fact is1 the subject is more attractive to ,english people than the other4 ,i have nothing else to tell you4 ,i am very seedy with an affection of the bronchial tubes1 and very low1 and would give anything to see you1 my dear boy1 but must have patience till the pleasant moment of having you under my roof arrives4 ,you will be glad to hear that my mother is better4 ,i have not seen ,ellesmere1 as he was at the ,review1 but you may depend on my not forgetting your interests4 ,the said ,review was a most glorious spectacle1 and they had a splendid day for it4 ,i am starved to death here1 and ,ad4 and ,i do nothing but grumble4 ,she and ,i dined tete-a-tete last night1 and slept and coughed through the evening with the occasional intermission of talking of you--you old ,fay6 ,to-night ,i am going with her to ,eli1 though ,i ought to be in my bed4 ,theo is ill and can't come1 and ,fanny reads4 ,oh6 that you were to be with us6 ,tell me if you would object to a ,,very slight gold frame to the drawings--merely a line1 because1 as my rooms are all white1 and that everything in them has gilt1 the drawings want a sort of background--which this slight frame would give them4 ,tell me what you think4 ,i don't mean to hang up my ,vintage1 but keep it near me on an easle 7how do you spell it874 ,charley1 being highly coloured1 looks lovely1 and don't want any frame--nasty ,charley6 ,now pray write and tell me all about yourself--and the moddles--and how you are--and how you get on--and what you do4 ,don't drag off to dull parties1 but go to bed early4 ,god bless you4 ,amami1 ne ho gran bisogno4 ,colnaghi said he had heard from one ,cooper a very good report of ,orpheus4 ,h4 ,how have the photographs turned out8 ,i like your portrait less now that you are away--but it can't be helped1 it is better than none1 but it looks so sad4 ,i have hung you and ,ad4 up side by side in sweet companionship in my dressing-room1 so that ,i may see you both the first thing on waking4 ,,london1 ,april #bfth4 ,,dearest ,,bimbo1--,you have made us pass some very anxious hours1 as the telegraph which ,i sent off at seven this morning will have testified1 though it will also have surprised and perhaps alarmed you until you read its contents4 ,the fact is1 ,i thought it odd that we did not hear from you1 yesterday at all events1 as ,i felt sure you would have written immediately on getting our joint note from ,boulogne1 ,wednesday1 and certainly on the following day4 ,however1 ,i felt sanguine that on going to dine at #gi1 ,i should find that ,ad4 had heard from you1 but1 on the contrary1 ,i found her full of anxiety at no letter1 imagining every species of cause for your silence1 which she said was so very unlike you1 that ,i directly caught the same state of worry1 and we determined that ,i should telegraph the first thing this morning to know if you were ill1 or if anything had happened4 ,i never slept all night1 and of course had worked myself1 with her assistance1 into a wretched state of anxiety about you--when at nine your letter arrived1 and a blessed relief it was4 ,i should not probably have been in such a state1 had ,adelaide not been convinced that illness or some catastrophe had prevented your writing1 because1 she said1 your wont was to do so immediately on parting with her1 and she could account for it in no other way4 ,in short1 dear ,fay1 we were very foolish2 but ,i assure you our folly met its own punishment by the anxiety1 and which spoilt our ,eli entirely4 ,poor ,fay6 ,i daresay you little thought that we were tormenting ourselves about you1 and ,i1 for one1 shall try and not do so any more4 ,your letter is like yourself--dear and kind4 ,with regard to the enclosure1 my opinion is that you would not do wisely or handsomely by ,colnaghi to withdraw your picture from his keeping1 unless he wished to get rid of it to make room for the supposed exhibition of drawings2 moreover1 my own opinion is that you would not do well to exhibit at the ,crystal ,palace4 ,i have no faith in that institution1 and ,i think it will be a pity to rob your studio of the ,pan and ,venus for that purpose2 but as ,i do not consider myself a good judge of these matters or competent to advise you1 ,i think ,i should be very much guided by what other artists of the same standing as yourself think and do in the matter1 and before deciding or answering ,mr4 ,magwood1 ,i should write to ,buckner or any one else competent to advise you and ask their opinion4 ,i don't know what ,sister ,adelaide will say1 but ,i have sent her your letter and the enclosure1 and she will probably write to you on the subject4 ,you are too dear and nice about my mother4 ,i fear that before you come she will have left ,london1 and ,i don't think you would like to paint her1 because her sweet face is entirely hidden by the shade she is obliged to wear over her poor eyes2 but you know whether ,i should like her portrait painted by you6 ,but1 dear ,fay1 you are too lavish of your time on others1 and do not think enough of yourself4 ,here ,i was interrupted by a visit from ,adelaide1 overjoyed at hearing all is well with you1 and agreeing entirely with me in re ,c4 ,palace1 ,colnaghi1 c4 ,she says if ,c4 wishes the picture to be removed1 it is for him to express that wish and not you1 that a better order of people go to him than those who frequent the ,c4,p41 that he is well-disposed towards you1 and that it is advisable you should keep him as your friend4 ,we think ,mogford's reference useless1 being a foreigner1 and we are certain that unless ,millais and others of the same class exhibit at the ,c4,p41 you had best have nothing to do with it4 ,i took ,ad4 up to your room1 and she says you will be comfy in it2 and she saw your nice face1 patted it1 and said1 ,dear ,fay1 but it looks so sad6 ,she thinks both drawings will be better for a slight gilt rim1 but ,i won't put it on without your leave4 ,i am so glad you are leading a wholesome life1 and getting the b4 who planted you1 rather than dawdle proudly1 and be without a good moddle4 ,i have nothing to say1 dear ,bimbo1 and you will have had enough of me4 ,i am very bad with an ulcerated throat1 cough1 and inflamed bronchia1 and altogether below par4 ,i have seen hardly anybody since ,i came4 ,adelaide would have been pleased with ,eli1 had she been in a vein where pleasure was possible4 ,pauline sang to perfection the lovely music allotted to her4 ,and now1 dearest ,bimbo1 ,god bless you4 ,write very often1 if only a line1 as it is comfortable to hear that all is well with you--that is always the news ,i most wish to get2 and tell me how the pictures progress1 and your real state of mind about them4--,your old and loving ,babbo1 ,h4 ,i send back ,mogford4 ,penelope ,b4 7,bentinck7 tells me that the great judge1 ,george1 condescends to approve ,romeo mightily66 ,,london1 ,monday1 ,april #bhth4 ,,dear ,,good ,,fay1--,cartwright was wrong about the telegraph1 but as our anxiety was removed by your letter1 ,i did not expect you to send me one4 ,knowing how likely you were to write1 supposing you to be well1 you may imagine that we were not a little anxious at getting no sign of life from you1 in return for our daily letters1 and ,i never could have guessed that the ,boulogne letter would only have reached you on ,saturday6 ,however1 all is well that ends well1 but we passed a very disagreeable day and night1 and it was because we did not think you capable of putting off writing that we fussed and worried ourselves about you--foolishly1 dear ,fay1 no doubt4 ,i am very seedy and confined to the house by throat1 bronchia1 unceasing cough1 swelled glands1 bad eyes--and should not inflict myself and ailments upon you1 but that it is a solace and a comfort to causer avec mon petit dernier--a cognomen which smiles ,,upon me--and made me smile4 ,sister ,adelaide tea'd with me last night en tete a tete4 ,fanny was grand1 and would not come in1 though she dropped her sister at my door1 because 7she said7 ,i had not said to her that ,i wished for her6 ,i was so little en train that ,i was not sorry to have only ,adelaide1 and we did more than once say how we wished ,fay was eating the muffin destined for the proud ,fanny4 ,adelaide has just been here1 and brought me your dear letter4 ,i don't see any present prospect of the fire of my affliction being extinguished or allowed to grow dim1 so you may make your mind easy on that score1 excellent ,fay4 ,i feel for your loneliness1 and know what a contrast it must present with the sweet fellowship we have held together so unceasingly for those last two months4 ,the only thing you gain by the loss of your people is more time1 and a later repast4 ,i don't doubt poor ,mamma being unhappy at leaving you1 her true and only ,benjamin1 and for an indefinite time4 ,i can judge by what ,i felt at parting with mon petit dernier1 and with the hope of so soon greeting him again4 ,no1 ,fay1 ,i won't have the ,charley drawing1 and ,i won't have you do anything more for any one but yourself1 knowing as ,i do all the things you have on hand--and a propos of that1 ,i must tell you that ,i have endeavoured to put another iron in the fire in re fresco4 ,i asked ,lady ,abercorn1 who is my dearest friend1 to speak to ,lord ,aberdeen 7her father-in-law7 who is on the ,committee of ,taste1 or whatever it is called1 first about your picture at ,colnaghi's and then of you generally as desirous of painting in fresco1 and as of one whose studies have been that way directed1 in whom ,i take a great interest2 but ,i made her understand that it was no job ,i wanted done1 or that ,i asked any favour1 but merely ,i wished it to be known that ,leighton1 a very rising artist1 would like to be employed in that line1 if an occasion presented itself4 ,lady ,a4 understood me exactly and being very sympathetic immediately conceived an interest for my petit dernier 7,i wish you were my son1 ,fay67 and said if she did not see ,lord ,aberdeen very soon she would write to him4 ,neither ,i nor ,adelaide know where ,windsor and ,newton live1 so you had best write straight to him to send the colours you want4 ,i think ,i must put just a baguette d'or on the drawings1 and when you see them on my walls ,i don't think you will disapprove4 ,with regard to ,cartwright1 ,adelaide says ,jules ,sartoris has got a place called ,tusmore4 ,i should advise him to lose no time in advertising it both in the newspaper and by different agents in town and country4 ,i should think it was a place sure to be let1 from its convenient distance from ,london and other advantages4 ,there is no news here4 ,,london1 ,may #fth4 ,,dearest ,,fay1--,your letter is a relief and a comfort4 ,it is both to me to see you take this disagreeable business so manfully1 so wisely1 and to think that instead of being cast down1 your energies will only be aroused by this stupid and unjust criticism4 ,in this case it may1 then1 well be said1 ,sweet are the uses of adversity4 ,as to all the other papers1 ,i can't pretend to say what they may have written1 but the ,leader is one of no repute1 and1 as ,ruskin said to ,adelaide this morning1 it don't ,,really signify what they write2 in the long run talent and genius must prevail1 as yours will1 dear ,fay1 if it please ,god to grant you1 as ,i fervently pray1 health and strength4 ,she is going to write to you1 and will tell you all ,ruskin said1 and also what she thinks of the ,exhibition in general and your picture in particular1 which1 ,i hear1 is infamously placed--that is1 in so bad a light that only ,orpheus is visible4 ,passing1 ,i must tell you that ,edward 7,sartoris7 came to see me yesterday1 and the first thing he said on entering the room was1 ,well1 ,i don't think ,leighton's picture looks bad4 ,orpheus's drapery is too yellow1 but it don't look amiss at all4 ,this was rather much for him1 eh8 ,he likes ,autumn ,leaves1 and he praised the ,leslie 7which ,adelaide says is all very well1 but slaty74 ,landseer is beautiful--but ,e4 7,edward ,sartoris7 was sous le charme1 having sat next him at dinner at ,marochetti's1 when he told me ,l4 was as much aux petits soins for him as if he had been the loveliest of females4 ,i am so glad about the models1 and if ,i don't hear from you as often shall know why4 ,i am also glad you dine with ,cartwright and ,co41 but how you can dandle a nasty1 doughy1 puffy1 bread-and-butter smelling thing called a baby6 ,pah6 a baby is my horror and aversion4 ,never do it again--not even by your own4 ,i could not have dandled even my ,bimbo without a grimace4 ,well done6 old hideous ----2 if she promise not to act herself1 ,i'll take a box for her next benefit4 ,she is the ame damnee of ,macready1 so that her verdict surprises me4 ,i expect she will begin imitating her1 and have ,medea translated--horrible idea6 ,read ,ellesmere's speech2 it is very pretty1 and the whole debate is interesting1 but ,derby and ,co4 don't cut a good figure at all4 ,i am getting better now1 and dined with my parent yesterday1 but can't go out in daytime for fear of eyes and throat1 the wind is so cold4 ,of course ,i read your letter to ,ad4 7,adelaide ,sartoris74 7,i think you had best now write straight to her1 because as ,i am soon hoping to be out1 and have no one to send so far1 your letters will get to her quicker and more surely by post47 ,you must be very careful1 and take time to weigh well and consider the subjects of your future pictures4 ,i think the ,mermaid might be both interesting and effective well carried out1 and you might also perhaps paint some subject from some one of the ,italian poets--,tasso1 ,ariosto1 ,boccaccio--for your own satisfaction4 ,god bless you6 my dear boy4 ,i am longing to see you again already4 ,tell me how the models answer and how you get on4 ,don't call ,brackley de4 ,they are removed to the ,meurice4 ,if you don't find them1 write to her and offer to go with her 7saying at my suggestion7 to the ,louvre4--,love your old ,babbo1 ,h4 ,later in the summer ,mr4 ,greville wrote3-- #ahef1 ,,hatchford1 ,thursday4 ,,my ,,dear ,,boy1--,i do sympathise with your disgust at the same time that ,i think you have acted very legerement about your pictures1 and1 in fact1 taken no trouble or heed about them4 ,you should have seen to it all yourself before you left ,london1 or have given directions to ,watts1 to which he would have attended1 instead of leaving him in total ignorance as to what you meant or wished1 and which picture or if both were to go4 ,i kept perpetually telling you to see after this business and to be more exact in it1 but you see now the consequence of not attending to things more carefully4 ,you had better write a curt letter to ,greene1 reminding him that you had given written directions 7as you say7 that it was your ,pan that was to be removed1 and that you made no mention of the ,venus 7what has he done with her871 and again asking him 7since he had not replied to the query7 whether he had got the ,romeo4 ,i shan't be in ,london until to-morrow night late1 and as you are to be there on ,monday there will be no use in my going to ,greene1 but ,i can do so on ,saturday if you wish it4 ,i have had an answer from ,ellesmere's secretary1 to whom ,i wrote to go and see if your pictures were well hung1 to say that the ,exhibition only opens in first week of ,september1#eh but that he has a friend who is an influential member of the hanging committee1 and that he will speak to him in favour of yours being put into a good light4 ,i heard from ,adelaide yesterday that she will be in town on ,monday and will dine us4 ,i hoped you would have stayed 7and she too7 all ,tuesday and gone away on ,wednesday morning1 so that we might have spent two evenings together1 and ,i am disappointed4 ,i shall go to ,scotland on ,wednesday1 and am sorry to have settled to do so4 ,i suppose you know ,alfred ,sartoris marries ,miss ,barrington--an alliance which will enchant ,aunt ----1 as the young lady is ,the ,honourable1 and allied to several marquesses and earls4--,addio1 caro1 your ever affectionate ,h4 ,p4,s4--,write again by all means to ,greene asking what has become of the ,venus1 and also whether the ,romeo has or not been sent to ,manchester--whether you employ him or not1 you have a right to know what he has done with your property4 ,write a line to ,queen ,street to-morrow to say at what time you will be there on ,monday that ,i may not be out of the way4 ,rain has come1 but it is still deliciously warm and fine in the intervals4 ,later in the same year ,mr4 ,greville wrote3-- ,,london1 ,august #bf1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,dearest ,,fay1--,i have just got your letter of ,saturday #bcrd from ,frankfort1 and as you state therein that you were to leave that place on ,monday1 and that the letters which ,i sent to ,malet for you could only reach him on that morning1 it is next to certain that they will not have reached you4 ,i requested him1 in the event of your having left ,frankfort1 or in his failing to find you out1 to send them on to the p4 restante at ,venice1 and you will probably find them there together with this letter1 but ,i think it best also to send you the originals for fear of accident1 as it is desirable that you should write to ,mr4 ,harrison yourself4#ei ,in the meanwhile1 ,i have told him that when ,i knew your address ,i would apprize him of it1 and in a few days ,i shall write and say that you are at ,venice2 but ,i don't think he will write to you any more1 but that he will expect to know when you are likely to return4 ,having got so far1 it of course is out of the question that you should think of1 or for a moment be expected to return on purpose1 and ,i think it most likely you will be able to get ,watts to go and look at the picture1 in case the matter should be pressing2 but ,i think it will be best that you offer to return to ,england before you settle at ,paris1 and whenever your present tour 7which ,i told ,mr4 ,harrison was one for artistic purposes7 shall be ended4 ,it will be a great bore having to come back even then1 on purpose4 ,i am sorry you did not get the letters at ,frankfort2 on the whole though1 perhaps they would only have worried you and have made you hesitate as to returning1 and which perhaps you might have thought shorter and less troublesome than having to come back by-and-bye4 ,however1 it is very probable you may get ,watts to do what is necessary1 and that you may be saved the expense and bore of another journey here in the autumn4 ,adelaide and ,i contemplated the possibility of your coming over at once from ,frankfort1 and we both deprecated the idea1 though we privately said how intensely glad we should be to see you--selfish as it might be2 and it was arranged that ,i was to telegraph to her to ,tunbridge where she is gone to-day4 ,thanks1 you dear boy1 for your letter just received4 ,i can understand your pleasure at finding yourself in your old haunts again1 with your old friend and master to whom you owe so much4 ,it is a great comfort to me to find that he likes your drawings1 though ,i never doubted his doing so4 ,i was amused by your account of the ,pimp and ,ballerina1 whose modesty seems to have attracted you more than that of the ,russian ,princess4 ,since writing to you last ,i have done but little4 ,i am come into town this morning expecting to find ,ffrench1 but he has not turned up4 ,i saw ,sister ,a4#fj yesterday on her way through1 but my visit was spoilt by the ---- ,girls and ,cigala1 who 7as he never made love to me7 appears to me merely a bon sabreur and horse fancier4 ,you know my opinion of the young ladies1 who1 par parenthese1 adore you4 ,i am still at ,h4 7,holland7 ,house1 and shall remain there until ,friday1 when ,i come to dine with ,adelaide1 and shall then go to ,hatchford until ,i repair to ,worsley--my sister will be established there before long4 ,yesterday1 ,ellesmere's secretary sent me a letter to say that the gent4 of the hanging committee would take care that ,mr4 ,leighton's pictures were placed in the most favourable position4#fa ,so let us hope for the best4 ,i must tell you that ,vic4 is come home1 and is now opposite to me1 and that she looks admirably well4 ,we have had heaps of people at ,h4 ,house at dinner almost every day4 ,marochetti came yesterday4 ,he is full of the subject of colouring statues1 and has just taken to ,osborne two busts which the ,queen was to present to-day to ,p4 ,albert for his birthday4 ,marochetti traite d'imbeciles all the ,english sculptors who cannot yet take in this undoubted fact4 ,he says ,gibson is the only one who admits it1 but even he will not go ,marochetti's lengths4 ,watts is 7you know7 at ,malvern1 and the doctor thought him decidedly better before he went1 and that he may get into tolerable health4 ,i think he is to be at ,malvern three weeks4 ,john ,leslie's wedding is at this moment proceeding2 he has almost settled to buy ,lady ,c4 ,lascelles' house at ,campden ,hill1 which will be a capital position for his studio1 and another ,sunday lounge for you next year4 ,next year6 7eheu fugaces67 a long time to wait to see you again under my roof1 you very dear boy4 ,i always think this dispersing time so melancholy4 ,i wonder if ,i shall hear from you before ,venice4 ,oh yes1 of course1 you will write wherever you stop4 ,mind and tell me about your studies1 and what you see and do--above all things take care of your health1 and don't catch fever by working in the sun1 c4 ,charles says he can't think where your hat box can be--he is in ecstasies with your old trousers1 which have come out brand new and a capital fit6 ,you would be quite envious if you could see them4 ,good-bye1 best of ,fays4 ,i shall send this letter off and write another in a few days4 ,i will mark outside the dates of my letters 7and ,,pray1 mind and always date yours--you never do7 so that you will know which to open first4 ,god bless you1 you dear good fellow4--,love your fond old1 ,,babbo4 ,,london1 ,thursday1 ,august #bh4 ,,dearest ,,fay1--,one line to say that this afternoon your letter of ,sunday with the enclosed for ,harrison reached me4 ,it is a relief to me that you got the letters1 and ,i think your answer does very well1 but as it had no cover1 and that ,i was obliged to send it in my own name to ,harrison1 ,i added1 what you had better have done1 that if necessary you could easily come over the beginning of ,november1 and ,i rather hope they will accept that offer1 as by that time the ,court will have returned from ,scotland 7perhaps to ,windsor though71 and you might have a chance of being brought into contact with ,albert1 and you would jabber good ,german to him and win his heart1 which may be valuable to you4 ,with regard to ,watts1 he said he should be too happy to do anything for you1 but he wished you to be thrown with ,albert4 ,he 7,watts7 is better and has left ,malvern4 ,i got yesterday the ,manchester ,guardian1 with a sort of preliminary list of the pictures which are to be opened to the private view to-morrow4 ,they were not then all hung1 but they mention the ,romeo as in a conspicuous place--a sombre picture1 but the ,romeo and ,juliet finely conceived--or something to that effect4 ,you shall hear all about it4 ,i have got little ,ffrench till ,saturday1 when ,i go to ,hatchford and he home4 ,i expect ,adelaide to-morrow--we dine with her1 and ,i fear shall have ----1 which will be a potent bore4 ,there is of course no other news4 ,penelope ,bentinck has produced a huge boy1 and is quite well4 ,john ,leslie's marriage went off without any tears1 and he made a very good neat and appropriate4 ,god bless you1 my very dear boy--you are not so fond of me as ,i am of you--be sure of it4 ,take care of yourself1 and write to and love your old ,,babbino4 ,tell me all about your studies1 as they interest me1 and don't forget to put me up to some pretty cheap gilt-moulding for my frame4 ,adelaide was pleased and touched at your seeing about her pictures4 ,fay1 she is devotedly attached to you--you may be sure of it4 ,,hatchford1 ,september #i4 ,,my ,,dearest ,,fay1--,i am going to begin a letter to you which ,i can only send when ,i know where to direct to you1 for after ,venice 7from whence ,i have not heard from you yet7 you have given me no address4 ,i hope to hear that you got all mine sent to that place1 and particularly the one enclosing a copy of ,phipps' letter to me in which he tells me it is the ,queen's wish that you come over here on your return to ,paris4 ,i got your letter from ,meran on ,thursday last1 and ,i sent it off to ,adelaide by that post1 enjoining her to let me have it back by the next1 since which ,i have never had a line from her1 and at last grew so alarmed that ,i wrote to ,anne to ask what had happened1 and that ,i could not but fear ,ad4 had been sent for to ,edward#fb in ,ireland4 ,to this letter ,i got no reply1 and ,i have been in great suspense and anxiety till this morning1 when sure enough my surmise proved correct1 and ,i got a few lines from ,adelaide herself from ,muckross1 whither she arrived on ,saturday1 having left ,warnford the day before1 they having sent for her4 ,she has1 ,i do not doubt1 written to you and told you that she found him neither dead or dying1 but in a low1 bilious fever1 having been in bed a week1 and the doctor not giving much hope of a speedy recovery4 ,she1 however1 intends to move him as soon as it is possible1 but it may be some time first1 and of course their plans are more or less uncertain1 and mine of meeting them in ,london at an end1 as ,i shall be gone to ,worsley before they can be in town4 ,it is1 however1 a mercy that this illness is not even more serious than it is4 ,when ,i heard his account of himself as ,i passed through ,london1 ,i wondered that she was not more alarmed1 but ,i did not tell her how serious the case appeared to me1 and as it has proved2 and when ,i did not hear from her1 ,i immediately guessed what had occurred4 ,she found ,fordwich there1 and says the place appeared a ,paradise1 and now that she is easy about ,edward1 perhaps she won't mind spending the time there instead of ,warnford4 ,only1 the boy was to go to ,eton on the #aath1 and ,i don't know how they will manage that4 ,i have written to ,ad4 to-day1 and have sent her a volume ,i received this morning from ,fanny ,kemble4 ,the letter would interest you1 but is too bulky to send4 ,she speaks of you in a way that pleases me and would gratify your vanity in every respect1 and describes you as one of the most interesting people she ever met1 and hopes that your art may be an unceasing source of fame1 profit1 and delight to you4 ,i will keep the letter and show it to you when ,i have the happiness of seeing you1 my dear ,fay4 ,when ,sarah leaves her she is to begin reading in the ,west1 and ,i suspect that will answer better to her than the girl's society6 ,dear ,fay1 my sister writes to me that she and ,brackley went into ,manchester to see your pictures4 ,i will transcribe what she says3 ,they are pretty well placed1 but the ',romeo' is so dark a picture it is difficult to see1 and the lighting of the gallery has something of the defect of that at ,b4 ,house4 ,the ',pan' and ',venus' seem to me to be very good pictures4 ,b4 considers them improper4 ,i like the ',pan' the best4 ,there are not many good pictures in the ,exhibition4 ,to this ,i replied that ,i was much diverted by ,brackley's prudishness1 but that if such personages were to be painted1 it was not possible to clothe them in crinoline or in green gauze drawers such as ,bomba imposed upon his ,ballerina4 ,it makes me so sick1 all that cant about impropriety1 but there is so much of it as to make the sale of nude figures very improbable1 and therefore ,i hope you will turn your thoughts entirely to well-covered limbs1 and paint no more ,venuses for some time to come4 ,i trust you will devote all your energies to the ,romeo1 ,dalilah and ,syren1 and if you have any spare time1 that you will do our ,friar ,lawrence4 ,i forget if ,i told you that ,miss ,kaye saw your portrait of yourself1 and says it is quite a libel on your physiognomy4 ,why did you make yourself so pinched and sad-looking1 ,fay8 ,september #ab4--,your letter from ,venice of #eth reached me this morning4 ,i feel sure you will not have got my long letter directed there on the #eth and enclosing ,phipps' answer1 so ,i had better transcribe it3 ,it would be very desirable that ,mr4 ,l4 should run over from ,paris when there to see exactly what is the damage done to his picture1 and ,i will have nothing done to it in the meantime1 but care shall be taken that the injury shall not be increased4 ,mr4 ,l4 does not state in his letter where an answer would reach him1 and if you are in communication with him perhaps you would have the kindness to mention to him what ,her ,majesty's wishes on this subject are4 ,so1 you see1 my dear boy1 you must come1 and perhaps it may not be time so wasted1 as ,i shall try and find out when the ,queen comes back from ,scotland1 so that if possible you may time your arrival accordingly4 ,the ,p4 of ,wales is going to see the manufactories at ,manchester1 and they are going to ask him to ,worsley1 ,i believe4 ,only fancy those brutes at ,warnford never sending me ,adelaide's letter written to me the morning of her hastening off to ,ireland a week ago until to-day6 ,too bad4 ,she wrote in great distress of mind and evidently hardly expected to find ,edward#fc alive1 as she did not believe the telegraph which said he was better1 thinking that if it were so they would not have sent for her4 ,you dear boy1 ,i am so glad you enjoy your ,venice--which is all very pretty no doubt1 but ,i hate stinks and fleas--and they abound there4 ,i hate wobbling in a boat and walking in dirty alleys1 so ,i don't envy you at all4 ,have you fallen in with either of the new married couples1 ,wilson or ,leslie8 ,fay1 it is well you should come and see me1 for ,i don't think there is much chance of my going to ,paris4 ,the ,hollands are going to ,naples1 as the wall of their house at ,paris has been damaged by the pulling down of the next house and has to be rebuilt1 and ,i shall have no money to pay for lodging and food4 ,there are long lists of the pictures the ,queen and others are to send to the great ,manchester ,exhibition next year--,i think twenty at least from the ,royal ,galleries1 and ,ellesmere sends eight or ten4 ,i see that ,eastlake is at ,rome1 so you may fall in with him there4 ,i conclude my next letter must be directed there4 ,you should recollect to give your address d'avance4 ,the second post has just brought me the enclosed1 which1 as she says she don't write to you1 ,i send 7though it will cost a fortune71 knowing that it will gladden your eyes to see her hand4 ,she loves you dearly as ,i do1 ,fay6 ,your ,meran letters are very pretty1 and ,i wish ,i could see that place4 ,good-bye1 and ,god bless you4 ,we have lovely weather--not one bad day since ,i have been here4 ,go and see the ,villa ,salviate4 ,what have you done with ,steinle--what heard of ,gamba8 ,love4--,your old loving father1 ,h4 ,enclosed is one from ,mrs4 ,sartoris to ,mr4 ,greville1 which he sends on to ,leighton4 ,,muckross1 ,,killarney4 ,many thanks4 ,i got a letter too this morning1 which ,i send you with your own--let me have mine back4 ,e4 7,edward ,sartoris7 is certainly a little better1 thank ,god--still in bed though4 ,he hopes perhaps to get off next ,saturday--this appears to me nothing short of impossible--,monday ,i should think the very soonest for such a move4 ,this place is divinely beautiful1 ,i see1 but ,i go out very little1 and what with the shock ,i received before starting1 and the fatigue of my rapid journey1 and the anxiety about him1 ,i feel incapable of receiving any impression from the place4 ,i seem to acknowledge its beauty1 but ,i cannot get even a momentary enjoyment out of it at present4 ,the hosts are very kind4 ,herbert always was an excellent fellow4 ,i cannot write to ,fay1 for with all the delay caused by his letter having had to follow me here1 my answer would no longer catch him at ,venice1 and ,i do not know where he next pitches his tent4 ,dear boy6 he seems very happy--,god bless him and keep him so6 ,,muckross1 ,tuesday1 #ith4 ,,hatchford1 ,september #bb4 ,,dearest ,,fay1--,the enclosed reached me to-day having first been sent to ,ebury ,street4#fd ,i think it best to send it to you that you may reflect on what you will do1 though it seems to me that with the exception of the ,cimabue you have no picture you could send to this ,exhibition4 ,if you wish to be represented by that work1 ,i conclude you would have to ask permission of the ,queen to send it there1 and this should be done through ,the ,honourable ,colonel ,phipps1 or ,mr4 ,harrison1 his secretary4 ,this permission would of course be granted at once4 ,when ,charles told me in my bed this morning that a letter had come for you from ,manchester1 ,i fondly hoped it was to announce sale of one or other of your pictures6 ,i wrote yesterday1 and have nothing more to say to-day but that ,i am better1 though still seedy4 ,we have got the equinoctial gales with rain4 ,i fancy we1 ,france and ,england1 are going to recall our missions from ,naples1 if ,bomba don't give in1 and send squadrons of ships4 ,but what then8 ,i don't suppose we mean to bombard the town4 ,but he will do just enough to give us a pretence for holding our hand1 and matters will then resume their ordinary course1 and the ,k4 of the two ,sicilies be governed just as it was before4 ,our position is a very ticklish one in this affair4 ,i long to hear whether you saw ,pasta--and anything more than the waddle1 the red face and beard4 ,mind and answer my questions4 ,i should tell you that amongst your papers that came from ,manchester they sent ,p4 ,albert's letter to ,ellesmere1 and the long prospectus too1 but there is no use in forwarding it to you--this will already cost a fortune1 but ,i think it best to send it4 ,when is it you expect to be here8 ,how long do you stay at home8--,addio1 carissimo1 ,h4,g4 ,,london1 ,september #bi4 ,,my ,,dearest ,,fay1--,here ,i am1 sleeping in ,london on my way to ,worsley to-morrow morning1 and ,i have got my ,mere ,augusta occupying your room2 the first female ,i have ever housed or fed1 and it will be a rehearsal for ,sister ,ad4 ,i have just missed her1 as she went to the station as ,i left it1 but ,i found a letter from her just returned from putting the boy to school2 it is a bore that ,i missed her1 as ,i shall not see her for an age4 ,edward has been committing all sorts of follies and is again confined to his room1 but is better4 ,he ought to come to ,london and consult a clever man1 or he will be very ill1 as he was once before4 ,what a fellow you are never to say a word about ,pasta to me6 ,of course ,mrs4 ,siddons had a magnificent eye and brow--who said she had not8--and was a glorious actress1 but ,i should always have preferred ,reston4 ,what did ,pasta say of her8 ,you are wrong about ,p4 not being powerful--she was tremendous2 her voice was one of immense power--almost coarse at times1 but prodigious1 and her gestes sublime from grace and strength4 ,dear ,fay1 ,i have measured the frame2 it is twelve inches wide and fourteen long4 ,now do find me a pretty cheap croute4 ,i have seen no one in ,london but ,lady ,shelburne1 who said there was no news4 ,she disapproves1 like me1 of the policy with regard to ,naples1 and ,i think we shall find by-and-by a great reaction la dessus4 ,by-the-bye1 when at ,rome go and hear the opera ,verdi has been composing for that place on the story of ,adrienne1 and tell me all about it4 ,he wrote formerly such pretty melodies1 and is a clever fellow4 ,i don't know what ,adelaide will do about going to ,germany1 but ,i hope give it up1 as for many reasons it appears to me at this moment to be a foolish scheme4 ,good-night1 you dear boy4 ,i can't frank this1 as it is late1 and ,i don't know how1 so you must pay this time4 ,write soon1 and answer my letters4 ,i don't quite understand what it is you are doing in ,italy except amuse yourself4 ,is there any other ----8 ,how long will it be before ,i see you8--,addio1 caro caro1 tanto tanto1 ,h4 ,on the death of ,lady ,ellesmere1 his sister1 in answer to ,leighton's letter of sympathy ,mr4 ,greville writes-- ,,hatchford1 ,wednesday4 ,,my ,,dearest ,,fay1--,in my affliction1 ,i have one consolation--and it is such events as these that prove it--,i am rich in friends1 more so1 much more than ,i deserve--and amongst them there is no one whose unselfish love ,i prize more than yours4 ,dear ,fay1 ,i know you feel for me1 and ,i am grateful4 ,god bless you for it4--,your affectionate ,h4 ,a short note to his father from ,leighton announces the death of this dear friend in ,december #ahgb4 ,,athenaeum ,,club1 ,,pall ,,mall1 ,s4,w41 ,friday4 ,,my ,,dear ,,papa1--,i lost last night one of my oldest and dearest friends--,henry ,greville2 he died without much suffering1 and looks this morning calm and beautiful in his rest4 ,you know what ,i lose in him4--,your affectionate son1 ,,fred4 ,among many letters of the kind1 preciously preserved by those who owe much to ,leighton1 the following notes1 addressed to his young friend ,johnny 7,mr4 ,john ,hanson ,walker71 may be found interesting as exemplifying the trouble which ,leighton would take in helping young artists1 and with what kindness1 sincerity1 and delicacy he tendered his advice and assistance4 ,none of these letters are dated4 ,,the ,,athenaeum4 ,,my ,,dear ,,johnny1--,i write one line in haste to say how sorry ,i am to hear that your health has been unsatisfactory of late4 ,i earnestly trust you won't disregard your doctor's advice1 and that you will1 at any sacrifice1 do something to recover strength1 even though a long sea voyage were necessary4 ,health is the first thing4 ,talk it over with ,miss ,nan2 if her love is as sincere as you believe1 and ,i don't for a moment doubt it1 she will give you the same advice4 ,for myself1 ,i begin to think my studio will never be ready4 ,i have not done a stroke of work4 ,i hope at the end of next week ,i shall be at it again4 ,in ,october ,i am off to ,rome4--,yours sincerely1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 #b ,,holland ,,park ,,road1 ,,addison ,,road1 ,,kensington4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,athenaeum ,,club1 ,,pall ,,mall1 ,s4,w4 ,supposing a proper price were given1 should you care to copy 7for a man of position7 a portrait by ,sir ,william ,beechey and one or two by ,sir ,thomas ,lawrence8 ,i am not asking you to do it for a moment1 ,i merely want to know whether you would care to do the work2 if so1 please let me know what you would ask4 ,i have seen ,mr4 ,greville to-day1 and he begs me to tell you that the ,countess ,grey will be glad if you can undertake for her1 for the sum of ,l#aj1 a copy of a portrait of ,lady ,charlotte ,greville4 ,the picture is now with the ,countess of ,ellesmere1 ,mr4 ,greville's sister1 and shall be sent to you wherever you wish1 if you will let me know at once4 ,is it to go to ,great ,castle ,street8 ,lady ,ellesmere will be extremely obliged if you will not keep the picture a moment longer than you absolutely require it to make a good copy2 the portrait is that of her mother1 and she is extremely loth to part with it1 even for a time4 ,please send me a line in answer to this1 and believe me always4 ,thursday4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the picture will be duly sent to you4 ,i have another matter for your consideration3 ,mr4 ,greville wants to know if you can think of any good picture 7,sir ,joshua or ,gainsborough would be best7 that would make a good companion to the one he has already bought of you2 if you could suggest anything suitable1 he would give you the commission4 ,i am very glad you should have encouragement1 but ,i trust you will not flag in your zeal about more important studies4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i send you the money from ,mr4 ,greville for the portrait of his mother4 ,i am very glad you should have this new commission1 but you must thank him1 not me1 for it was entirely his idea and desire4 ,he is indeed one of the kindest and best men possible4 ,i look on him myself as a second father4 ,to save time1 ,i shall make arrangements for you to work in my studio on the #d first days of ,january1 if you can manage it4 ,i shall be out of town1 and you will have the place all to yourself4 ,i wish you a happy ,xmas and ,new ,year1 and remain4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,warnford ,,court1 ,,bishops ,,waltham4 ,you will forgive me1 ,i am sure1 for not writing to you to thank you for your letter1 received some weeks back2 but the fact is ,i have been so very busy as to make writing a matter of very great difficulty4 ,i heard from your father not long ago that you have been very fortunate in getting capital commissions for portraits where you have been staying4 ,i am very glad indeed to hear it1 and trust sincerely that you feel you are progressing as steadily in proficiency as in prosperity4 ,to the commissions you have had in the country1 ,i have one to add here4 ,mr4 ,henry ,greville wishes you to paint for him a copy of a head of a relation of his--,i believe1 of poor ,lady ,ellesmere1 his sister1 whose recent death has been such a terrible grief to him4 ,you will1 ,i am sure1 be glad to undertake this painting1 even though it may not in itself be very interesting4 ,the size is a sort of oval kit-cat1 not large4 ,he proposes to offer you ten pounds for it4 ,how is ,miss ,nan8 ,i hope you have good accounts of her1 and that all goes smoothly between you4 ,i send this to ,bath to be forwarded1 as ,i don't know your present whereabouts4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,dear ,,johnny1--,i am just off to ,paris1 and write one line in hot haste to thank you for yours1 and to say that ,i am delighted to hear you are conscious of progress4 ,come back as soon as you can conveniently1 please1 because ,mr4 ,greville has borrowed ,lady ,ellesmere's portrait for you to copy1 and wants to return it as soon as possible to the ,duke of ,devonshire4 ,come and see me when you return1 and believe me1 with kind regards to ,miss ,nan1--,yours always1 ,f4,l4 99 99 99 99 99 #b ,,holland ,,park ,,road1 ,,kensington1 ,w4 ,i want very much1 before they have quite disappeared1 to get for myself and for a friend a couple of old-fashioned country bumpkins' smocks2 you know the sort of thing4 ,do you chance to know any one in any of the villages about ,bath who could pick up a couple8 ,i should like a brown one 7,,not a white ,sunday one7 and a green one1 and that they should not be washed--well worn1 untidy things4 ,if you saw your way to getting me such garments1 ,i should be very grateful1 but don't trouble about it4 99 99 99 99 99 ,if you have leisure to think of anything but ,miss ,nan just at present1 will you do me a favour8 ,will you get for me a peasant's wide-awake1 in shape like the one ,i painted in your portrait1 only really old and soiled and stained2 bought1 in fact1 if possible1 off a bumpkin's head8 ,can you do this for me1 and either send it or bring it if you are about to return shortly8 ,i will pay you when we meet4 ,when is the wedding to be8 or is it already over8 ,i wish you all happiness and prosperity1 and remain with kind remembrances to ,miss 7or ,mrs47 ,nan1--,yours truly1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,i hope you can read this2 my hands are so cold ,i can scarcely hold the pen4 99 99 99 99 99 ,mr4 ,greville has very kindly desired me to give you another commission1 this time a larger one4 ,he wants you to copy from my large picture the group of women carrying flowers1 the size of the original4#fe ,he offers you ,l#be for it4 ,if you are disposed1 as ,i have no doubt you will be1 ,i would1 if ,i were you1 write him a line of thanks for the kind interest he shows in you4 ,in great haste4 99 99 99 99 99 ,one line in a great hurry to say that ,i am delighted to hear that you have got in to the life school at the ,royal ,academy1 and to thank you for the photo41 which is capital4 ,i have not touched my ,venus since you went away4 ,i have been a good deal out of town myself1 and have spent most of my time in finishing the two large decorative figures1 which have now gone home4 ,i am sorry you did not see them4 ,come as soon as you can to begin ,mr4 ,greville's picture4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i leave town ,saturday next1 and shall not see you till ,saturday the #fth ,july1 so ,i write a line to say that you will set to work by yourself2 the maid will light you a fire and give you the key of the studio4 ,i have written direct to ,gatwell to order the canvas1 or it would not have been ready in time4 ,you are to paint the group full size4 ,trace it to get it quite accurate4 ,put the head of the centre figure1 the woman in yellow1 about four inches or four and a half inches from the top of the canvas2 that will give you all the rest4 ,leave out the little child sitting4 ,go slap at the colour1 vigorously but ,,not quick4 ,the slower you work1 if you work with energy1 the sooner you get through1 and the better the result4 ,i hope you are enjoying yourself4 99 99 99 99 99 ,illustration3 ,,portrait ,,of ,,mrs4 ,,hanson ,,walker ,by permission of ,mr4 ,hanson ,walker ,although ,i certainly think it is a pity to exhibit too soon1 nevertheless ,i think that your particular situation just now does justify you in doing so1 as long as you confine yourself to the ,suffolk ,street ,gallery4 ,i sincerely hope you may sell your pictures4 ,with kind regards to ,mrs4 ,nan and love to my god-child1 ,i am1 in haste1 yours always1 ,f4,l4 99 99 99 99 99 ,i can't quite make out the price as written in your note1 so to avoid mistakes ,i send blank cheque1 which pray fill in yourself4 ,just off--good-bye4 99 99 99 99 99 #bfth ,december4 ,i have got your note and enclose little cheque4 ,this is as it should be4 ,it is absurd that because ,i am an old friend1 you should be a loser by me in time and pocket4 ,with a merry ,xmas and ,new ,year to you and ,nan1 ,i remain1 in haste1 yours sincerely1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 99 99 99 99 99 #b ,,holland ,,park ,,road1 ,monday4 ,many thanks for your letter4 ,i have had absolutely no time to answer sooner1 and now can only do so most briefly4 ,i am extremely glad to hear of the success of your labours at ,dorchester1 and think you are very right to take for yourself and ,mrs4 ,nan a refreshing little holiday on the hills4 ,i will begin the portrait next week1#ff when you return1 at which time also ,i hope to show you some under-painted work which ,i think may interest you4 ,i shall certainly call and see your screen4 ,it will no doubt be a very useful bit of property to you4 ,remember me very kindly to your wife4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,my ,,dear ,,johnny1--,i am much obliged to you for your letter1 telling me of your doings in the country4 ,i think you will do wisely in going to the ,isle of ,wight to paint landscape2 the danger of copying the old masters too exclusively1 as you have been forced to do lately1 is that one is apt to fall into mannerism by trying to see ,nature with the eyes of others2 painting landscape direct from ,nature is the best possible corrective against this tendency4 ,i shall be glad to see you and what you have done on your return1 if you are here before the #bjth or #bbnd ,august2 if not1 we shall meet in ,october1 when ,i return from the ,east4 ,i am working away at my picture1 which will be under-painted before ,i leave ,england4 ,i wish you joy of your summer trip1 and remain1 yours very truly1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 99 99 99 99 99 #fth ,september4 ,i have just got your letter1 and scribble a line in haste 7for ,i am very busy7 to say that you are wholly at liberty to do whatever you choose with ,nan's picture1 and that ,i am glad for your sake that people like it4 ,i am also much pleased to hear that you have an interesting portrait on the easel1 in which you see progress and improvement in the matter of breadth and light and subordination of half tints2 nothing is more important in painting2 ,i think that after accuracy and refinement of form1 it is the quality you should most strive for4 ,i am myself tolerably well1 but not by any means brilliantly4 ,i have got to work at a few small heads1 which you will see before long4 ,in haste1 with love to ,nan and the children4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,lynton1 ,saturday4 ,i have just received your note1 and hear with sincere regret that you have not been prospering lately in your affairs4 ,i am in great difficulty as to what ,i can do for you in the matter of the ,curatorship4 ,if it were only a question of testifying to your character1 zeal1 industry1 c4 c41 ,i should have real pleasure in giving you that testimony in the highest and fullest degree4 ,but1 my dear ,johnny1 if ,i am not very much mistaken1 the ,curator is expected to be able when required to advise and direct the pupils1 and ,i cannot in candour conceal from you that your age and experience do not appear to me yet to qualify you for that part of the duties4 ,if it were not so1 why does the candidate send in some of his works for inspection8 ,you must not be angry with me1 ,johnny2 you know ,i have always spoken the plain truth to you1 and am always ready and desirous to help you when it is in my power4 ,i should be only too glad to think of your obtaining some post that should relieve you from all immediate pecuniary care4 ,give my love to your wife and children1 and believe me always1 yours most sincerely1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,p4,s4--,i shall be back on ,wednesday or ,thursday4 99 99 99 99 99 ,sunday4 ,in case any alteration should have been made in the arrangements of the ,schools during my absence1 and that teaching is not expected as part of the duties of a curator1 ,i send you a letter to the ,council1 as ,i should be sorry you lost any fair chance by my absence4 ,you heard from me no doubt yesterday4 99 99 99 99 99 ,care of ,,mrs4 ,,walker1 ,,nealinmore1 ,,glen ,,columbkille1 ,,co4 ,,donegal4 #aeth4 ,i have got your note1 in regard to which ,i feel some little embarrassment4 ,i am1 as you know1 always pleased when it is in my power to be of any use to you1 and ,i should therefore wish to help you in this matter concerning which you write4 ,i own1 however1 to having some hesitation in asking this favour of ,mr4 ,hodgson1 because ,i fear that the granting of it would be a source of a good deal of inconvenience to him1 and he might1 out of his old friendship1 be put in an awkward position2 he would be equally loth to say yes or no4 ,the picture hangs in his dining-room1 and cannot possibly be moved4 ,the copy would be a lengthy affair1 for there is an enormous amount of work in the group you speak of1 and you would have1 therefore1 to be established for a long time in a room which is in daily use by the family4 ,i do not at all say that he might not grant the favour you ask1 but ,i own ,i feel that ,i cannot1 discreetly1 ask it of him4 ,i am sure you will not misinterpret my declining1 and ,i shall be very sincerely glad if you yourself succeed in your direct appeal4 ,i trust you and yours are thriving1 and that you have not suffered lately from your leg4 ,this is a wild1 wind-swept corner of ,ireland in which ,i am staying1 and abounding in matter for studying1 especially rock forms1 but the inconstancy of the weather puts sketching almost out of the question4 ,this is a matter of comparative indifference to me1 as ,i came here purposely for rest1 and not for work4 ,give my love to ,nan and the chicks4--,sincerely yours1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 99 99 99 99 99 ,do you know of any one who would do a life-size copy of a portrait of the ,queen in robes for the sum of ,l#ajj8 ,i have been asked to inquire4 ,it is1 ,i believe1 for ,chelsea ,hospital4 ,in former days it might have been worth your while2 now it no longer is1 it would not pay you2 but you perhaps know of some less prosperous artist who would undertake it1 and who would do it well--for of course that is expected4 99 99 99 99 99 #b ,,holland ,,park ,,road1 ,,kensington1 ,w4 7,postmark1 ,mar4 #i4 #hb47 ,i am absolutely ashamed to rob you1 but you offer me the drawing so kindly that ,i can't possibly refuse it2 ,i am delighted with it1 only you must let me give you a little drawing some day in return4 ,with very best thanks4 ,illustration3 ,,study ,,of ,,group ,,for ,,ceiling ,,in ,,music ,,room ,executed for ,mr4 ,marquand1 ,new ,york1 #ahhf ,leighton ,house ,collection ,illustration3 ,,first ,,sketch ,,of ,,group ,,for ,,mr4 ,,marquand',s ,,ceiling ,,in ,,music ,,room1 ,,new ,,york ,leighton ,house ,collection ,the following letter was written when ,mr4 ,hanson ,walker was in ,america4 ,in it ,leighton refers to the ceiling he painted for ,mr4 ,marquand 7see ,list of ,illustrations73-- #b ,,holland ,,park ,,road1 ,,kensington1 ,w41 #abth ,february #ahhg4 ,,dear ,,johnnie1--,i was very glad to get your letter giving so very satisfactory an account of yourself and your doings4 ,i had already heard of your prosperity in a general way from ,nan1 who came to see me before starting1 but who told me also how lonely you felt4 ,it must have been a great joy to you to see her again1 and it will be a still greater when you see the 7fourteen87 youngsters about you once more2 you will1 like everybody who crosses the water1 bring back a very pleasant recollection of ,american kindness and hospitality1 and1 ,i am glad to think1 also a good pocketful of money4 ,i hope it will bring you luck here4 ,i am glad that ,mr4 ,marquand has made you welcome to his house1 which ,i understand is very beautiful4 ,i know his ,vandyke well2 it belonged to an acquaintance of mine1 ,lord ,methuen1 who has a number of beautiful things at ,corsham4 ,it is one of the finest ,i know1 and stands quite in the front rank of ,vandykes4 ,the ,turner also ,i know1 a rare favourite of mine4 ,but of the ,rembrandt ,i know nothing4 ,i am glad1 too1 you thought my ceiling looked well4 ,i hope he has introduced a little gold in the rafters to bind the paintings to the ceiling itself4 ,give my love to ,nan1 and believe me1 with all good wishes1 sincerely yours1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,please remember me to the ,marquands and to your friends the ,osbornes4 ,,footnotes3 #ef ,owing to the kindness of ,mr4 ,greville's niece and executor1 ,alice1 ,countess of ,strafford1 ,i am able to quote extracts from his letters to ,leighton in this ,life4 ,unfortunately the letters from ,leighton to ,mr4 ,greville cannot be found1 though1 as we know1 many were written4 ,during his first visit to ,algiers in #aheg1 ,leighton wrote to his mother3 ,the fact is that as besides corresponding with you ,i write often to ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 and still oftener to ,henry ,greville1 and having continually much the same to tell all of you1 ,i often cannot remember to whom ,i have written what4 #eg ,it was when visiting his family at ,bath that he first saw ,hanson ,walker1 the ,johnny of the letters and of the pictures4 ,leighton was much taken with the picturesque beauty of the boy's head1 and made various studies from it4 ,a pencil study he made from his head 7see ,list of ,illustrations7 he used as a study for his picture ,lieder ohne ,worte4 ,having discovered that his sitter had a natural taste for drawing1 ,leighton advised ,johnny's father to let him become an artist4 ,this led to the boy being sent to learn drawing at the ,school of ,art in ,bath4 ,when ,leighton returned to ,london after it had been decided that ,johnny was to study drawing1 the young student received one day to his surprise a large case4 ,on opening it he found to his delight a cast from the antique1 a drawing-board1 paper1 charcoal1 chalks1 in fact1 all the utensils wanted by a beginner wishing to work seriously at ,art4 ,never to the end of his life did ,leighton's interest in his pupil flag4 ,never was he too busy to do a kindness to him or his4 ,perhaps the early and somewhat romantic marriage which ,johnny made with a lady for whom ,leighton felt from the earliest days of the wedded life a very sincere regard1 and the charming children who soon made a pretty cluster round their parents1 and were always a delight to ,leighton1 cemented the friendly interest4 ,the head of ,nan 7,mrs4 ,hanson ,walker--see ,list of ,illustrations71 painted as a wedding present to ,johnny1 is one among the happiest of ,leighton's portraits4 ,it is broad in treatment1 and fair and very pure in colour1 and as a likeness was considered perfect4 #eh ,yearly ,exhibition at ,manchester4 #ei ,this correspondence refers to the ,cimabue's ,madonna at ,buckingham ,palace4 ,small holes in the canvas having appeared1 the authorities were anxious that ,leighton should inspect the picture1 and take steps to prevent further mischief4 #fj ,mrs4 ,sartoris4 #fa ,in the ,yearly ,exhibition at ,manchester1 where ,leighton sent the ,romeo1 ,pan1 and the ,venus4 #fb ,mr4 ,edward ,sartoris4 #fc ,mr4 ,edward ,sartoris4 #fd ,papers relating to the great ,manchester ,exhibition held in #aheg4 #fe ,a ,syracusan ,bride4 #ff ,the portrait of ,mrs4 ,hanson ,walker1 which ,leighton painted as a wedding present for his young friend4 ,,chapter ,,vi ,,steinle ,,and ,,italy ,,again--,,first ,,impressions ,,of ,,the ,,east1 #ahef-aheh ,in ,mr4 ,henry ,greville's diary we find the following entry3-- ,thursday1 ,july #bdth1 #ahef4 ,went on ,monday to ,hatchford with ,leighton1 and passed all ,tuesday with him and ,mrs4 ,sartoris on ,st4 ,george's ,hills4 ,the day was enchanting1 and the ,hills in their greatest beauty4 ,before leaving ,london in #ahef ,leighton wrote to his mother3-- ,,london1 ,wednesday1 #ahef4 ,as my stay in ,london is drawing to a close1 and nobody writes to me1 ,i must write to somebody4 ,i am happy to say 7for ,i know it will interest you7 that my ,pan and ,venus are admired as much as ,i could wish1 so that ,i am not without hopes of selling one of them at ,manchester4 ,gibson was quite delighted with them2 ,i am1 however1 bound to say he knows nothing about it4 ,the sketches of my ,orpheus ,i have sold to ,white for ,l#be1 which comes unkimmon handy1 as this place is ruinous4 ,i have made the acquaintance of ,rossetti1 one of the originators of the pre-,raphaelite movement4 ,he is apparently a remarkably agreeable and interesting man4 ,hunt also ,i like much4 ,my plans are these3 on ,monday next ,i leave ,london1 and shall spend a small week between the ,cartwrights and 7perhaps7 the ,grotes1 after which on or before the #abth ,i shall be with you in ,bath1 where ,i shall remain until the #afth1 on which day ,i shall come up by the early train to town1 where ,i shall meet ,h4 ,greville1 stay long enough to get my passport in order1 and then be off double quick to ,italy4 ,i am longing to get to work again2 ,i am doing nothing whatever except ,henry's dog1 which takes up what little time ,i have4 ,will you tell ,papa that ,i went to the shop he recommended1 and got a splendid ,shakespeare ready bound in eight volumes for three guineas6 ,from ,bath he wrote to ,steinle3-- ,translation4 #i ,,circus1 ,,bath1 ,august #b1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,in about ten days ,i expect1 on my way to ,italy1 whither ,i go on a short student journey1 to pass through ,frankfurt or ,cologne1 according as you are in one or the other1 exclusively in order to take my dear master once more by the hand2 and if you are at the moment in ,frankfurt1 ,i might even spend two or three days in the old ,bokaga1 and even draw a composition as in the old times4 ,do1 dear friend1 send me a line by return of post in order that ,i may make arrangements4 ,the rest verbally--,i have sadly forgotten my ,german4 ,hoping to meet very soon1 dear master4--,think of your pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,translation4 ,,bath4 #i ,,circus 7later74 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,master1--,i have just received your dear lines1 and hasten to say that nothing could be more delightful to me than to travel with you again1 if only for a few days4 ,i had intended to go via ,milan for the sake of quickness1 but ,i will go direct through the ,tyrol to ,venice4 ,if all goes well1 ,i will arrive in ,frankfurt on the #bcrd of this month2 does that fit in with your plans8 ,how delighted ,i am to see you again1 my good ,master6 ,to our speedy meeting6--,your grateful pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,leighton had felt his failure keenly1 though1 with his usual consideration1 he had tried to lessen the disadvantages of it in writing to his mother4 ,the friend who enjoyed constant intercourse with him at the ,bagni de ,lucca in #ahed wrote at the time of his death3 ,leighton longed for and desired success2 but only in so far as he deserved it4 ,when he was sharply checked in his upward career1 he accepted the rebuke with humility1 for he was a modest man4 ,mrs4 ,browning writes to ,mrs4 ,jameson1 ,may #f1 #ahif1 from ,paris3 ,leighton has been cut up unmercifully by the critics1 but bears on1 ,robert says1 not without courage4 ,that you should say his picture looked well1 was comfort in the general gloom4 ,though those critics who were spokesmen for the envious among the artists seemed to revel in ,leighton's disaster1 he had many friends who took perhaps a too favourable view of the unfortunate picture4 ,but neither excess of abusive ridicule1 nor a too favourable view taken by intimate friends1 could unduly influence ,leighton himself--,leighton the actualist4 ,he had a firm faith that in the actual it is man's lot to find the true and the really helpful4 ,these words of his master1 ,steinle's1 written to him in #ahec1 doubtless recurred to him1 and he felt he must return to the ,eternal ,city to be reinspired after his fall3-- ,i would rather remember that you will receive these lines in the ,eternal ,city1 that you are with our friend ,rico1 and that you are settling to work with renewed vitality and a pocketful of studies4 ,in ,cornelius1 besides much that is stubborn1 you will find so much that is admirable1 and so much truly artistic greatness1 that you will soon love him1 for he is also of a truly childlike disposition1 and much too good for ,berlin1 for which reason he has left the place4 ,you lucky men who have crossed the ,tiber--the ,vatican of ,st4 ,peter1 the ,courts of ,st4 ,onofrio1 the ,villa ,pamfili--where in the world is there anything like them8 ,where is there a town in which every stone has greater1 more splendid things to tell us of every period8 ,where is there a place where the artist could soar higher than in ,rome8 ,forget that you are practically in an island1 and study your ,rome2 it is invaluable for one's whole life1 which is otherwise so commonplace and so small4 ,your youth and courage--the sparrow among the beans 7,triton among the minnows7--need not be injured thereby2 but1 dear friend1 you must become a man1 and there is nothing great in the world that has been achieved except by taking pains4 ,addio1 carissimo2 greet ,rico and the friends most heartily4 ,my wife reciprocates your friendly greetings1 and ,i remain1 your devoted friend1 ,,steinle4 ,he travelled there via ,frankfort to see ,steinle1 with whom he went to ,meran1 thence to ,venice and ,florence1 then on to ,rome4 ,,frankfurt1 ,,brauseler ,,hof1 ,august #bd4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,being at last in ,frankfurt1 and having seen ,steinle and his works1 and1 en revanche1 shown him mine1 ,i sit down to write to you4 ,you will1 ,i am sure1 be glad to hear that he was much pleased with my drawings1 that he liked the compositions1 and what is more1 gave me good advice about them4 ,he also suggested to me to paint the little ,venus rising out of the sea 7from ,anacreon71 of which ,i have already made a sketch4 ,my studies he seemed to think excellent2 ,i gave him three of them2 ,i was so charmed to see his dear face again1 looking just the same as he always did1 and when he showed me what he had been doing1 ,i fairly set up the pipes4 ,he took me in the afternoon to the ,guaitas1 who have a series of drawings by him from ,clemens ,brentano's poems2 they are perfectly exquisite2 the richness and variety of his imagination is something marvellous4 ,mr4 ,guaita1 who is about to have them photographed for his friends1 has kindly promised me a copy4 ,to-morrow morning ,i am off for the ,lake of ,constance1 whence through the ,finstermuenz to ,meran1 where ,i and ,steinle part1 though not till ,i have stayed there two or three days4 ,to-day ,i shall go to ,mr4 ,bolton and to ,madame ,beving to deliver your letter4 ,altogether ,frankfurt has improved in appearance2 it looks much more like a capital than it did formerly2 new shops have sprung up1 old ones are improved1 and the whole town looks gay and busy2 all this does not prevent it from being highly antipathetic to me1 which is1 ,i daresay1 in some measure attributable to the hideous jargon that one hears wherever one turns4 ,i have seen ,gogel and ,koch1 who were both very civil1 the former asking me to dine with him1 which1 however1 ,i could not do1 being already engaged to ,steinle4 ,and you1 dearest ,mamma1 how are you8 and ,papa and the girls8 ,tell me all about them--write ,venice p4 restante4 ,god bless you1 dear ,mamma4 ,remember the boy4 ,i have had such a letter from ,henry 7,mr4 ,henry ,greville72 there never was anything like the tenderness of it--you would have been just enchanted4 ,,venice1 ,september #f4 ,i believe ,i told you in my last letter that ,i was going to spend a few days at ,meran with ,steinle4 ,now when ,i got there ,i found the place so beautiful and so healthy1 and so rich in subjects for my pencil1 that ,i stayed a week1 and this accounts for my being rather behindhand with this letter4 ,steinle and ,i had rooms at a sort of hydropathic boarding-house1 with splendid accommodation for bathing in the coldest possible mountain water1 a convenience of which ,i availed myself daily to my great enjoyment4 ,i lived comme les poules4 ,i was up at daybreak and a good bit before the sun 7who takes a long time before he gets his nose into a valley7 and went to bed very shortly after sunset2 ,i worked and walked and ate and slept1 that was my simple bill of fare4 ,my good ,steinle and myself got on1 as of course1 capitally4 ,he is most affectionate and kind1 and ,i have derived a good deal of artistic advantage from his intercourse even in that short time4 ,by-the-bye1 before ,i left ,frankfurt ,i received through ,h4 ,greville a letter from ,mr4 ,harrison1 secretary to ,col4 ,phipps1 asking me to go to the ,palace to look at the canvas of the ,cimabue1 which appeared to be defective in some parts2 though what on earth can be the matter with it ,i don't know2 at the same time ,i got another saying1 that as ,i was not in ,england1 there would be no necessity for me to make a special journey to ,england on that account1 and merely wishing to know when ,i expected to return4 ,i sent an appropriate answer1 which ,i submitted to ,henry ,greville1 and now am waiting for further instructions from ,harrison here in ,venice4 ,writing of his delight in being again in ,italy he adds3-- ,how ,i revelled in the first really ,italian bit1 the lake of ,lugano6 ,what an exquisite little picture it is with its villas and terraces1 its cypresses and its oleanders1 and the little town itself too6 stretching its cool arcades along the blue margin of the water2 a lovely drive along the lake took me to that of ,como1 and from thence ,i went by rail to ,milan2 stayed a day1 went to the ,scala1 performance so bad ,i was obliged to leave the house1 and now ,i am for a week in ,venice gliding along in lazy gondolas1 winking up at grey palaces and glittering domes4 ,i suppose you won't leave ,italy this time without seeing ,venice once more1 and feeding your eyes again on ,titian and ,bonifazio1 ,veronese and ,tintoretto4 ,by-the-bye1 ,i am doing a sketch from a superb ,bonifazio in the ,academy here2 yesterday ,i painted hard for six hours1 so you see it is not all boats1 and now ,i must close4 ,i will write to you again from ,florence1 and ,i hope with a better pen4 ,god bless you1 ,mammy1 give my love to all from your loving boy4 ,to his father ,leighton writes3-- ,,florence1 ,,hotel ,,du ,,nord1 #beth ,september #ahef4 ,about my pictures#fg ,i have heard 7for ,henry makes the ,ellesmeres keep him au courant1 which of course is very convenient for me7 that they are pretty well hung1 but that the ,romeo is not seen very well owing to a defect in the lighting of the room4 ,lady ,e4 said the ,pan and ,venus seemed to be very well painted1 or something1 but ,lord ,brackley thought them improper6 ,henry1 of course1 was furious at their prudishness4 ,i don't for the life of me know where to have them sent to1 nor can ,i know for the next three weeks about1 as ,i must write to consult ,henry and get his answer and then write to you1 but surely there is time4 ,you have1 of course1 received the letter in which ,i tell you that ,i must go to ,england at the beginning of ,november to see about my picture1 but you need not be afraid about my having to do it over again2 that would be a good joke2 no artist ever yet was responsible prospectively for what might happen to his picture2 but it will be a frightful bore in the expense line coming back from ,italy fairly swept out as ,i shall be4 ,were you so kind as to pay the rent for me as ,i asked you8 ,translation4 ,,florence1 #bhth ,september4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,well may you say that the ,meran post is tardy1 for ,i only received your dear letter of the #acth three days ago4 ,meanwhile you have probably long since received mine1 in which ,i thanked you heartily for the beautiful coat received in ,venice4 ,i have already stayed here in ,florence eight days1 and though ,i have not worked very arduously1 ,i have yet thoroughly enjoyed myself1 and also1 ,i hope1 learned something from the lovely things that ,i am seeing again here2 meanwhile there remains much for me to see in the two days that ,i have still to stay1 amongst others the ,capella of ,benozzo ,gozzoli in the ,palazzo ,riccardi1 a work which ,i love excessively4 ,to see the old ,florentine school again is a thing which always enchants me anew1 for one can never be sated with seeing the noble sweetness1 the childlike simplicity1 allied with high manly feeling1 which breathes in it4 ,but ,i speak to you of plain things which you know far better than ,i4 ,i am quite eager to see the new drawings at ,fabiola1 and ,i am much excited about those at ,cologne2 but the gods alone know when ,i shall see them4 ,on ,wednesday ,i go to ,rome1 where ,i hope to see ,rico2 if only ,i could take you with me1 dear master6 ,meanwhile ,i beg you to remember me most kindly to ,madame ,steinle1 and yourself believe in the love of your grateful pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,p4,s4--,my stay in ,rome will 7alas67 only be very short1 for ,i am unexpectedly obliged to go soon to ,london1 confound it6--instead of a month1 ten days6 ,povero me6 ,illustration3 ,,ca' ,d',,oro1 ,,venice4 ,,water ,,colour4 #ahef ,,florence1 #aath ,october #ahef4 ,,dearest ,,mammy1--,i wonder whether you are coming to ,florence1 and1 if so1 how long you are going to stay4 ,i suppose you will go to the ,hotel du ,nord as in old times--,i go there invariably1 and write now from my own particular room4 ,i wrote to you last from ,venice1 where ,i spent ten days in a very satisfactory manner between work and flanerie of an artistic description--indeed ,i flaned this time with more advantage than hitherto1 for ,i went more closely than ,i had yet done into the architecture of ,venice1 studying the different masters1 their different styles and relative merit2 ,i need not say that ,i found this extremely interesting4 ,fred ,cockerell1 a young architect friend of mine1 was there with ,villers ,lister1 another very nice boy1 a ,london acquaintance of mine4 ,we were a great deal together1 and they accompanied me to ,padua1 where ,i left them doing ,giotto1 which ,i would most willingly have done myself if ,i had not been hard pressed for time4 ,in the painting line ,i only made one sketch1 a ,bonifazio of the first water1 which will figure very satisfactorily on my studio wall2 it took me a good deal of time1 and is on the whole1 ,i think1 very fair4 ,in ,florence ,i have had one or two great disappointments which have rather diminished my enjoyment of this loveliest place4 ,i expected confidently to find both ,browning and his wife and ,lyons4 ,neither of them are here1 the former not having yet returned from the ,north1 and the latter having been called home to see his father1 who is very ailing4 ,i have seen the ,fenzis1 who received me with their wonted cordiality1 and am going to-day to call on the ,maquays4 ,i am here too short a time to work1 beyond a pencil sketch or two1 and am off for dear old ,rome on ,friday morning as ever is4 ,i shall stay there till ,i find a studio1 which ,i hope won't be long1 and shall then rush off to ,cervara in the mountains to paint4 ,good-bye1 ,mammikins4 ,give my best love to all1 and believe me your loving boy1 ,,fred4 ,in ,rome ,leighton received the following from his friend ,mr4 ,cartwright3-- ,,aynhoe1 ,september #bf1 #ahef4 ,,my ,,dear ,,leighton1--,truly was ,i delighted with your letter1 so that in spite of my nature to ,i gulped my huff1 though ,i was like to choke2 but self-interest is a wonderful smoothener1 and as ,i want you to do something for me ,i mean to behave myself4 ,leighton1 by the squints which you shot over my park from your outspread umbrella1 by those you are hereafter to shoot1 by ,tokay cup and venison hash--by anything you like1 ,i want you to belumber yourself with some ripe stone pinecones1 and a hundred cork acorns4 ,i have found a true legitimate stone pine about forty to fifty feet high on my property1 and as for the cork trees you have seen the one in my garden1 and therefore1 ,i do not see why ,i should not have a lot in the park4 ,they can only be raised from acorns4 ,now1 if you could take steps to get me these things--,god6 ,i don't know what ,i would not do for you1 and how would we enjoy it in years to come to watch the growth of our trees4 ,it is a national object4 ,you may have some difficulty in getting the acorns and cones2 ,pantaleone or ,erhardt might perhaps mention to you some gardener who would procure them4 ,you know probably the trees would get to be called ,l4 pines and ,leighton oaks1 which is one way to immortality if ,orpheus and ,eurydices won't help you4 ,i wrote to ,mason about the pines2 by all means make him answer1 the exertion will do him good1 he wants exercise1 and therefore don't get on with his work4 ,my ,god6 when ,i came in at twelve to-day he was not up6 ,how ,i envy you at ,rome when ,i think of it2 how would ,i enjoy being there1 and yet ,i can't help thinking of ----'s death at the same time4 ,remember me to little ,cornhill and every ,roman who remembers me4 ,write ,poste ,restante1 ,paris4 ,i go there1 ,i believe1 next week1 but where ,i shall be the winter ----8 ,forster is in the ,westminster--be d----d to it for stale wine that it is4 ,as for ,mason1 make him write1 and believe me1 yours affectionately1 ,w4,c4,c4 ,,rome1 ,october #ad1 #ahef4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,i have delayed writing to you for a few days in the hope of finding a letter from you in answer to my last2 however1 as the posts here are frightfully irregular1 and ,i think it very possible your answer may have been lost1 ,i wait no longer4 ,i enclose two little criticisms on my ,romeo and ,venus1 which will ,i think please ,papa and you1 and which were sent me through ,mrs4 ,sartoris by ,henry ,greville4#fh ,there is1 however1 not the remotest chance of my selling them at ,manchester1 and ,i am considering where to show them next4 ,i am trying here in ,rome 7where ,i shall stay till the end of ,october7 to make up by rigid economy for the expense inevitably incurred by living at inns all the way here4 ,i can't tell you what a delight it was to me to see this dear old place again4 ,everything is so unaltered since ,i left it1 that ,i felt on returning exactly as if ,i was coming home from a drive instead of a lengthened absence4 ,the frescoes which ,i knew so well were as new to me again from their colossal grandeur1 and ,i wished ,i could spend a month or so exclusively copying in the ,sixtina4 ,my picture1 though not well seen1 is not particularly badly hung1 but it can only be seen from a distance1 so that the expressions are almost entirely lost2 it does not look so well as in my studio4 ,the ,pre-,raphaelites are very striking1 full of talent and industry1 but unpleasant to the eye4 ,meanwhile they have the day4 ,colnaghi told me that he thought he could sell ,romeo if ,i made the price four hundred1 and said ,i could do it without derogating1 as it went through his1 a dealer's1 hands4 ,i consulted ,henry and ,mrs4 ,s41 who strongly advised me to follow his advice4 ,i have done so4 ,may it bring me luck4 ,if the remarks you quote1 dear ,mamma1 are meant to apply to my relation with ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 ,i can only say1 that as ,i have derived from her more moral improvement and refinement 7you know it71 and from her circle more intellectual advantage than from all my other acquaintances put together twice over1 ,i can't join with ,mrs4 ,whatshername in apprehending a great number of inconveniences4 ,in a later letter ,leighton announces the sale of the ,romeo picture3-- ,the ,romeo1 which had the best place in the ,exhibition1 has been sold for ,l#djj1 which to me represents ,l#cfj after deduction of percentage4 ,they have in a most slovenly way sold my picture for pounds though marked guineas1 they want to know if ,i claimed the difference2 as they have behaved without sufficient egard about other things also1 ,i have directed the secretary in ,england to say that ,i should like the error to be rectified1 though ,i do not wish the sale to be cancelled on that account if it be too late4 ,i don't want to miss the money of course1 but ,i have no idea of such negligence on their part4 ,you see1 dear ,mamma1 that my little pension to ,lud has become1 for this year at least1 so easy that ,i have scarcely any merit left4 #ai ,,queen ,,street1 ,,mayfair4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,having arrived in ,london1 and been to the ,palace to see my picture1 ,i hasten both to tell you the result of my inspection and to answer your very kind letter to ,paris which1 like an ass that ,i am1 ,i have neglected to bring with me4 ,the damage to my picture is trifling and easily remediable1 having arisen in no way from the precarious nature of paint or varnish1 but from a faulty canvas1 and probable rough usage in moving4 ,i shall set all right in a few days2 the holes or raw places are in the sky1 and luckily not near the faces4 ,i have not yet seen ,colonel ,phipps1 and am waiting for further instructions2 the ,court ,i shall of course not see1 as it is at ,windsor4 ,i don't remember whether ,i told you that ,i got an invitation from ,manchester to exhibit next spring1 and having nothing to send but ,cimabue1 have respectfully applied to the ,queen through ,colonel ,phipps to obtain it of her for that occasion4 ,i am truly sorry not to see you all but as you say1 ,i can't afford it2 indeed1 ,i write now partly to ask ,papa to send me some money1 the ,l#ej he gave me in the middle of ,august when ,i started are not only gone1 but scarcely took me back to ,paris1 and but for ,petre1 whom ,i met coming back from ,naples1 and who lent me a trifle with most friendly alacrity1 ,i should have been frightfully pinched2 the first part of my journey being all travelling1 and hotel life was very dear4 ,in ,rome1 however1 ,i lived for nothing1 and sailed from ,civita ,vecchia to ,marseilles before the mast1 a thing ,i will never do again if ,i can help it1 but which enabled me just to get home to ,paris within a few francs of the ,l#ej4 ,meanwhile ,i have no hesitation in saying that ,i never spent three months more profitably or more agreeably4 ,i suppose ,papa kindly paid my last quarter as ,i asked him1 but not having received your letter ,i don't in reality know4 ,p4 ,delaroche is dead1 ,i am sorry to say4 ,going through ,paris ,i went to see ,rob4 ,fleury1 who with characteristic kindness put me up to several dodges in picture-restoring with a reference to ,cimabue--invaluable information4 ,after doing what was required to the ,buckingham ,palace picture1 ,leighton returned to ,paris1 where he wrote the following to ,steinle3-- ,translation4 #ba ,,rue ,,pigalle1 #ast ,december4 ,,dear ,,friend ,,and ,,master1--,i read with real distress the sad news of your severe loss1 but sincere and deep as is my sympathy1 ,i pass on in silence1 for in such an hour of trial there is but one comfort for you1 and that not from man4 ,i should no doubt have come back to you from ,rome in the beginning of ,october1 but ,i had to go to ,england1 where ,i spent three weeks1 and am consequently now just established again in ,paris4 ,my ,italian journey afforded me in every way the greatest pleasure and edification1 and ,i seem now for the first to have grasped the greatness of the ,campagna and the giant loftiness of ,michael ,angelo2 still the dear old town1 now as ever1 is quite unchanged4 ,the good ,cornelius is so cheerful and friendly that it is a real pleasure2 he has finished some works which have much beauty in the design1 but1 quite in confidence1 they are nevertheless a trifle solite cose1 and much too weakly drawn3 from a man who makes claims to style1 one expects something more of solidity4 ,cornelius is a richly and powerfully endowed man1 but he does the young generation no good2 if young people would only look at work of ,michael ,angelo's6 ,i except the sculptor ,willig1 he is a famous fellow1 and also an agreeable man4 ,i was glad to meet ,gamba again1 but unfortunately ,i did not see any work of his4 ,dear ,friend1 in spite of all my efforts ,i could nowhere find the right garment for your composition1 and learnt only after a long search what is properly the official dress2 ,i learnt at last from the custodian of the ,sixtina1 who inquired from the head ,ceremoniere1 that the cardinal in these days wears the ,cappa ,magna pavonazza1 not the red4#fi ,the costume therefore is3 purple undergarment1 lace shirt 7rochetto71 cappa magna of violet cloth 7those in the ,charwache will wear no silk71 black shoes1 four-cornered hood1 and gloves with the ring2 ,i enclose a drawing of the real confessional in ,st4 ,peter's ,church2 ,i hope it may be of use to you4 ,dear master1 how can you possibly excuse yourself for closing your letter with a word of true and wise advice6 ,you know that ,i owe to you1 and to no one else1 the whole of my serious education1 and am proud of it4 ,if you do not get the work at ,cologne1 it will be a downright infamy and a dirtiness without parallel2 but ,i hope for the best4 ,how ,i should like to see your ,marriage at ,cana4 ,keep in remembrance your loving pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,translation4 ,saturday1 #ith ,may #aheg4 ,,my ,,dear ,,friend ,,and ,,master1--,your letter1 just received1 has given me intense pleasure4 ,your constant and affectionate remembrance of a pupil who is under so many obligations to you1 rejoices my heart4 ,on this occasion1 however1 your letter was particularly welcome1 because ,i had already begun to worry myself a little about your long silence1 and was almost afraid you might imagine that ,i had not exerted myself sufficiently in the matter of your cardinal4 ,but first of all ,i offer my best congratulations on the completion of the ,cologne affair1 and on the splendid field which is offered to you also in ,muenster4 ,at last you have work which is worthy of your abilities and your efforts1 and will give them scope4 ,with such employment ,i must not regret that ,i shall not have the pleasure of seeing you again in ,paris4 ,that ,i have not seen the ,marriage of ,cana is1 ,i candidly confess1 a source of regret to me2 ,i know the design of the composition1 and should have liked extremely to have seen how it has turned out4 ,when shall ,i see one of your works again8 ,what shall ,i tell you about myself1 my dear friend8 ,i am getting on with my pictures1 and have now got them all three into a fairly forward state of under-painting2 completion1 however1 will only be reached in the course of next winter1 for ,i intend to execute them with minute care4 ,i have simplified my method of painting1 and foresworn all tricks4 ,i endeavour to advance from the beginning as much as possible1 and equally try to mix the right tint1 and slowly and carefully to put it on the right spot1 and always with the model before me2 what does not exactly suit has to be adapted2 one can derive benefit from every head4 ,schwind says that he cannot work from models1 they worry him6 a splendid teacher for his pupils6 nature worries every one at first1 but one must so discipline oneself that1 instead of checking and hindering1 she shall illuminate and help1 and solve all doubts4 ,has ,schwind1 with his splendid and varied gifts1 ever been able to model a head with a brush8 ,those who place the brush behind the pencil1 under the pretence that form is before all things1 make a very great mistake4 ,form is certainly ,,all important2 one cannot study it enough2 but the greater part of form falls within the province of the tabooed brush4 ,the everlasting hobby of contour 7which belongs to the drawing material7 is first the place where the form comes in2 what1 however1 reveals true knowledge of form1 is a powerful1 organic1 refined finish of modelling1 full of feeling and knowledge--and that is the affair of the brush 7,pinsel74 ,you see ,i have again begun discoursing1 my dear ,master2 you must excuse all this silly talk1 and ascribe it to the pleasure ,i feel whenever ,i enjoy intercourse with you1 even if only by letter4 ,how much we have already talked over together6 ,and now adieu1 dear ,friend4 ,rest assured that you have not wasted your affection on an ungrateful man1 and keep always in remembrance--,your faithful pupil1 ,,leighton4 ,please remember me most kindly to your wife4 ,i do not know of any work of mine that has appeared in an illustrated paper--,louie has been dreaming4 ,three interesting letters to ,steinle belong to the following year4 ,in the second ,leighton states that he is about to start for ,algiers4 ,after his arrival there he writes to his mother describing the place4 ,notwithstanding the difficulty he found in drawing the natives of ,algiers1 owing to their shyness and to their prejudices1 ,leighton succeeded while there in making drawings which rank among his very best2 in fact1 in certain qualities no others he ever drew can be said to equal them4 ,to quote ,mr4 ,pepys ,cockerell 7,nineteenth ,century1 ,november #ahif73-- ,i do not believe that more perfect drawings1 better defined or more entirely realised1 than these studies of heads of ,moors1 camels1 c41 were ever executed by the hand of man4 ,unfortunately the paper ,leighton used was of the kind which becomes injured by time4 ,the brown stains which now disfigure the sheets and the faint tone of the pencilling make it impossible to reproduce these drawings with any worthy result1 but some of the original sketches can be seen in the ,leighton ,house ,collection4 ,translation4 ,,rome1 #aa ,,via ,,della ,,purificazione1 ,march #c1 #aheg4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,master1--,heartiest thanks for your kind lines of the #crd of last month4 ,i hear with the greatest interest that your cartoon is now finished1 and that you expect to get to the wall next year4 ,how ,i envy you this great work6 ,i cannot deny that ,i rejoice a little1 secretly1 that you are tied down to buon fresco1 for ,i have a passion 7unfortunately an altogether unsatisfied one7 for this material4 ,you may be quite sure that if it is in any way possible for me1 ,i shall make a little excursion to ,cologne in order to offer my humble assistance2 nothing could be more delightful to me4 ,some works of yours have just come to ,rome2 illustrations to a prayer-book1 engraved 7,i believe7 by ,keller4 ,when did you make these charming drawings8 ,the one with the blossoming staff and the little ,madonna is quite specially sympathetic to me4 ,the things are1 however1 engraved without feeling or delicacy4 ,with what you say about the advantage of growing older ,i quite agree1 and ,i am in a certain respect anxious for the time when ,i shall find my niveau1 and shall be able to work with more peace and equanimity4 ,i have been for some time in a very painful position--,i feel so humbly my incapacity even from afar off to approach the entrancing beauty of nature1 that ,i have not the courage to embark upon any large work4 ,for some time ,i have scarcely composed at all2 partly1 it is true1 because ,i have no time1 but partly also because ,i do not feel myself in a position to embody an idea properly4 ,i know that such a condition is morbid1 and hope to extricate myself from it in time4 ,it arises also partly from the fact that my individuality is not yet sufficiently developed2 ,i see it coming1 but it takes a very long time4 ,i know already1 on the smallest computation1 what ,i want1 but ,i do not know how ,i am to accomplish it4 ,i went recently to see ,cornelius1 who is always genial and charming4 ,he is drawing on one of the ,redelli for the ,campo ,santo4 ,rich and spirited in invention and arrangement1 the form in details1 however1 is very badly drawn--heads that are unpermissible2 he treats ,god's nature quite cavalierly4 ,i saw at his house a composition by a certain ,woeredle 7or some such name7 of ,vienna1 a pupil of ,fuehrich1 the subject taken from the ,apocalypse3 ,there shall be wonders4 ,above1 the ,saviour1 in the usual attitude1 with the usual flowing garment2 to the right and left1 ,mary and ,john1 in their respective usual attitudes2 at their feet four angels blowing trumpets1 by ,cornelius2 in the background a number of comets2 lying about in the middle and foreground1 a quantity of figures1 which have been collected from different works of ,cornelius'1 strike convulsive attitudes on the floor2 for the rest1 the whole is constructed with appalling academic execution and lifelessness4 ,cornelius seemed to think it quite right2 ,i consider it difficult1 with reverence and love1 to complete the head of one girl2 for that reason ,i am not fond of going to him1 for although personally he is extremely sympathetic to me1 ,i cannot help feeling that ,i do not fit in with him1 and am obliged to dissemble4 ,but you must be quite weary of this chattering letter1 dear ,master2 ,i will close4 ,remember me most kindly to your wife and children1 and rely always upon the friendship of your grateful pupil1 ,,leighton4 ,translation4 ,thursday1 ,september #c1 #aheg4 ,,dear ,,friend ,,and ,,master1--,i was1 as usual1 most delighted to receive your cordial letter of #bast ,august2 ,i am touched by your constant friendship1 but also somewhat ashamed that you should treat your much indebted pupil almost as an equal and counsellor4 ,i have the greatest desire to see your second cartoon1 but ,i am very much afraid that this year it will be quite impossible1 for ,i am going on a journey in quite the opposite direction2 ,i am shortly going to ,africa1 partly to make some landscape studies1 but also to make acquaintance with that very interesting race1 but not in order to become a painter of ,bedouins4 ,it was my intention1 as ,i am starting immediately1 not to write till ,i came back1 in order that ,i might have something to tell you2 however1 the following has suddenly made me change my mind2 the fat1 affected1 tailor-like1 civil-spoken little ,jew visited me recently and told me you want to make inquiries about wall painting1 and that ,i might tell you1 if ,i was writing1 that ,conture has just gone away4 ,this impelled me to write immediately4 ,will you forgive me1 for old friendship's sake1 if ,i put in a word here1 to which you need not give the smallest attention8 ,i want to protest vehemently1 dear ,master1 against all oil-painting on walls2 and that1 not because fresco painting has sufficed for the greatest works of the greatest masters1 but on account of the positive disadvantages of oils4 ,how1 in effect1 do the two materials stand to one another8 ,fresco is certainly the one material for monuments4 ,first1 because it is the most suitable for a broad1 massy1 imposing form1 for in no material can one pursue form so completely without losing colour2 secondly1 because by no other method can one attain such masterly1 earnest1 quiet1 virile effect in colour2 thirdly1 however1 and principally1 because fresco is visible from all points alike1 this advantage is immeasurable for architectural art4 ,what1 on the other hand1 are the advantages of oil8 ,only one occurs to me and that is quite illusory1 i4e4 you have a wider range of colour2 but all the colours that an oil palette has in advance of fresco are1 for fresco1 superfluous if not pernicious4 ,superfluous1 because the broken1 fine grey tones which have such an infinite charm in easel pictures1 and which counteract the otherwise too great brilliance of the material1 are quite superfluous in a painting where all tones are dull and solid4 ,pernicious1 where they would be applicable1 because they might mar the majestic peace of the work4 ,and then it should be remembered that the limited scale of the fresco palette1 so far as it extends1 is unsurpassable for glow and atmosphere and strength4 ,titian's frescoes at ,padua in the ,tenola ,st4 ,antonio rival his oil-paintings in colour4 ,m4 ,angelo's ,madonna in the ,last ,judgment might 7for colour7 be by ,tintoretto1 and many figures on this glorious wall are as glowing as ,titian's6 ,as regards the disadvantages of oil-painting1 ,i can only say that they often blister in the shadows1 and that one can only see them from one point of view4 ,i know very well that fresco is exposed to damp1 but one can1 indeed one must1 have one's wall examined before one begins to work1 and if it is well dried and drained there is no danger2 at the worst1 one can cover one's wall with sheets of lead2 it has been discovered that this was often done in ,pompeii4 ,or one can also 7there are instances7 paint upon a specially prepared canvas away from the wall4 ,but you know all this better than ,i4 ,have you forgiven me1 dear ,friend8 ,i could not forbear from saying this1 and rely upon your indulgence4 ,do not allow ,schloesser to mislead you about my work4 ,i daub on steadily1 but am by a very long way not contented4 ,i send these lines to ,frankfurt in the hope that they will be forwarded to you4 ,i shall stay some weeks in ,algiers--can ,i do anything for you8 in that case send me a line4 ,till the #ast ,october a letter will find me2 address1 ,poste ,restante1 ,algiers4 ,all good luck be with you on your holidays1 and may you gain the desired strength4 ,keep in remembrance your loving pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 #ba ,,rue ,,pigalle4 ,,algiers1 ,friday1 #ahth4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,i arrived here only last ,monday1 as the little delay about the money made me lose the boat by which ,i intended to sail2 having1 however1 nothing in my studio that was dry enough or otherwise fit to work on1 ,i left ,paris all the same and visited ,avignon1 ,nimes1 and ,arles1 most interesting towns which ,i had long desired to see4 ,avignon reminded me so vividly of certain parts of ,rome that it was all ,i could do not to take a place for ,civita ,vecchia and succumb to my longing desire to see ,italy once more4 ,i have not the least idea 7especially in this hot weather7 how to describe to you this strange and picturesque town in which ,i have taken up my temporary quarters2 everything where the ,african element has been preserved is so entirely new1 so unlike anything that you have seen1 that ,i see no chance of putting before your mind any living image of the thing4 ,before going further ,i may as well tell you1 dearest ,mammy1 that although it is very hot ,i am perfectly well and have an enormous appetite4 ,i walk from six to eight hours every day1 and bathe regularly in the sea4 ,algiers occupies one horn of a most beautiful bay1 thickly studded with villas and farms1 and reminding one greatly of ,italy4 ,the aspect of the town1 however1 shows you at once1 and from a great distance1 that you are in no ,european land4 ,you must know that oriental houses have no roofs1 but are surmounted by terraces1 that they have no windows1 the rooms being lit from the inner court1 and that they are painted three times a year of the purest white1 so that on approaching ,algiers1 rising as it does steeply up the hillside1 it looks from the sea and under an ,african sun like a pyramid of alabaster or marble1 or1 as some poet or other has said of it1 like a swan about to spread her wings4 ,the effect of this whiteness glittering out from the green and purple hills and hanging over a dark-blue sea is really most beautiful2 unfortunately1 however1 the whole of the lower part of the town that runs along the port has been so completely ,europeanized that1 but for a rather pretty mosque on the waterside1 you might fancy you were at ,havre or any other ,french seaport town4 ,as soon1 however1 as you get up into the ,arab town1 your illusions are not only restored but enhanced1 for assuredly nothing could be more perfectly picturesque and striking than the steep1 tortuous streets that climb up to the ,casbah1 or fortress1 at the top of the town4 ,the upper storeys of the houses jut out into the street in such a manner that they constantly meet1 forming an archway underneath1 and yet the streets are never dark1 from the dazzling whiteness of all the walls1 which reflect the light in every direction and gild and brighten the darkest corners4 ,fancy1 in the midst of all this gleaming white1 the gorgeous effect produced by the varied colours of oriental costumes and complexion3 the copper-coloured ,arabs1 the sallow ,jews1 the ebony negroes2 and then the frequent display of every kind of fruit--crimson tomatoes and purple aubergines1 emerald and golden melons1 glowing oranges1 luminous green grapes1 and to relieve the blaze of ardent colour1 the tender ivory tones of the tuberose1 and the soft milk-white jessamine4 ,i don't think a colourist could have a more precious lesson than seeing this place2 you see in half-an-hour a sufficient number of fine harmonies to set you up for a year4 ,not less striking than the display of colour is the variety of types and costumes4 ,arabs of the desert1 with their lofty bearing and ample drapery1 the tattered1 brawny ,kabyles1 the richly dressed ,jewesses1 the negresses1 dressed in long indigo-coloured draperies1 and with bracelets of horn round their ankles2 in fact1 you cannot imagine a greater medley than is presented by a street in the ,arab quarter of the town4 ,it has this drawback1 that in the midst of such an embarras de richesses1 ,i don't know how ,i shall ever be able to work2 as yet ,i have not seen a pencil even1 indeed ,i have not been off my feet since ,i arrived1 and my head is in a perfect muddle4 ,i spend next week in the interior of the country1 and when ,i come back ,i shall have a fortnight in which ,i hope to do something4 ,getting anybody to sit here is exceedingly difficult1 and costs mints4 ,the price of living here is the same as ,paris1 but anything at all extra is very dear2 a horse or a cab to get to some place beyond a walk is very expensive1 and my consumption of drink 7lemonade1 coffee1 c41 for pure water is not wholesome here7 from six in the morning till bedtime is something incredible4 ,good-bye1 dearest ,mother1 ,i will write a longer letter next time4 ,i have no news from ,india4 ,best love to all1 from your most affectionate boy4 ,if you hear from ,lina1 mind you let me know1 as ,i am most anxious for news4 ,i am so sorry the ink is so pale4 ,i have written over half the letter1 but it is not much use2 next time ,i will have darker ink4 ,illustration3 ,,sketch ,,in ,,oils4 ,,algiers4 #ahie ,,algiers1 ,monday #bi1 #aheg4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,poor ,lina1#gj what a state of wretched suspense and terror she must live in6 what a frightful crisis it is6 ,god grant all may end well4 ,have you heard lately8 ,pray let me know whatever you can2 at this distance ,i can get only the most salient facts1 and am most eager to hear some more circumstantial account of the progress of affairs4 ,poor ,sutherland1 ,i often think of his kind grey eyes and manly carriage2 what a harassing1 anxious life he must lead6 ,before ,i go any further ,i must ensure saying a thing that ,i have been intending to tell for some time past1 and which has always been driven out of my head by the more immediate subject of my letter4 ,i am by no means certain that ,i have not already mentioned it2 ,i wish to be quite certain4 ,the fact is that as besides corresponding with you ,i write often to ,mrs4 ,sartoris1 and still oftener to ,henry ,greville1 and have continually much the same to tell all of you1 ,i often cannot remember to whom ,i have written what1 and ,i am therefore uncertain whether ,i told you that ,romeo and ,juliet and ,pan and ,venus are by this time exciting 7let us hope7 the admiration of the citizens of ,america at the town of ,philadelphia4 ,it costs me nothing at all either to send or to fetch1 and the percentage is ten per cent4 ,i sent them off the end of last month1 just before leaving ,paris for ,africa4 ,tom ,taylor is on the committee1 and ,i think the speculation may turn out good1 particularly if ,mrs4 ,kemble1 who is in ,america now1 takes an interest in them4 ,putting aside all question of anxiety and sorrow1 ,i am delighted with my visit to ,algiers4 ,i feel that1 though ,i have as yet been unable to touch a pencil1 ,i have already taken a great deal of new stuff1 and if ,i were to leave ,africa with an empty sketch-book1 ,i should still return to my easel improved in knowledge of form and combination of colours4 ,still it is a great mortification to me to see such fine types around me without any means of getting them to sit1 an operation to which they have an insuperable objection2 if it were not vexatious1 it would be quite amusing to see how they slink away when they perceive you are trying to sketch them4 ,of course1 one of my great desires was to see if possible a ,moorish interieur2 and in this1 though it is difficult to achieve1 ,i have been very fortunate1 through the instrumentality of a young native1 with whom ,i became accidentally acquainted4 ,i have made the acquaintance of one ,achmet1 son of ,ali ,pasha1 a decayed native gentleman1 now holding office in the ,french customs1 but once very well to do in the world4 ,i have been twice to his house1 which ,i may as well describe to you1 as it is a type of all ,moorish houses in this part of the world4 ,the whole of the centre of the building is taken up by a little cortile1 open to the sky and surrounded by two storeys of arcades of a graceful shape1 on to which the rooms open as in ,greek houses4 ,these arcades are painted pure white1 and are relieved by fillets of coloured porcelain tiles that have a most original and charming effect2 the first-floor gallery is closed in by a breast-high balustrade1 elegantly carved and painted blue or green2 the top of the house is invariably an open terrace1 adorned with flowers and shrubs4 ,the rooms1 ,i said1 open on the corridors and have no windows 7except little peeping holes7 on to the street2 they are consequently always wrapped in a sort of clear1 cool1 reflected twilight that is inexpressibly delightful and soothing in hot1 glaring weather4 ,each room takes up one side of the house1 and is therefore a long narrow strip2 immediately opposite the door is an alcove1 containing a raised1 handsomely cushioned and carpeted divan1 and ornamented invariably with three florid gilt looking-glasses4 ,at the foot of the raised divan is another lower one for those who like low seats2 other such divans run along the wall1 and a few highly wrought1 embossed chests and other oriental articles of furniture complete the decoration of the room4 ,in such a room ,achmet ,oulid received us1 putting before us delicious hot coffee in tiny cups with filagree stands1 a delightful kind of peach jam1 and the pipe of peace4 ,you would have laughed to see your son lolling on a ,turkey carpet and puffing away at a long pipe4 ,our host has the dearest little daughter1 ten years old1 whom by a great stretch of courtesy we were allowed to see4 ,by-the-bye1 nearly all ,arab children are lovely1 and look great darlings in their ,turkish dress4 ,my paper is coming to an end and the boat does not wait1 so ,i close4 ,i shall write you another letter before ,i leave this and tell you more of what ,i have done and seen4 ,good-bye1 dearest ,mammy4 ,illustration3 ,,sketch ,,in ,,oils4 ,,algiers4 #ahie ,leighton refers to this visit in a letter to ,mrs4 ,mark ,pattison 7#ahgi71 who was about to write an account of his art4 ,this visit made a deep impression on me2 ,i have loved ',the ,east1' as it is called1 ever since4 ,by-the-bye1 ,i drew here my 7almost7 only large water-colour drawing ',a ,negro ,festival' 7the picture ,leighton always referred to as ',the ,niggers'71 which was thought very well of by my friends4 ,to his sister in ,india he wrote3-- ,since ,i last wrote ,i have spent a month or six weeks in ,algeria1 and have opened an acquaintance with the ,east which ,i hope to keep up1 not only from the pleasure but from the instruction ,i have derived from even a short visit4 ,my next journey1 however1 will be to the old1 original cradle of ,western ,art--to ,egypt1 which country1 as ,i shall visit it under widely different circumstances from what you did1 poor dear1 and ,i trust in much better health1 will of course strike me in a very different manner4 ,there are many things in the ,arab quarter in ,algiers which will probably stand comparison with ,cairo1 but besides that1 ,egypt has far more physiognomy as a country than the coast of ,algeria4 ,i am anxious to study the ,egyptian type1 which is truly grand and wonderful4 ,however1 these are plans for a tolerably remote day1 as ,i shall spend my next winter in my dear1 dear old ,rome1 to which ,i am attached beyond measure2 indeed1 ,italy altogether has a hold on my heart that no other country ever can have 7except1 of course1 my own72 and although1 as ,i just now said1 ,i was most delighted with ,africa1 and have not a moment to look back to that was not agreeable1 yet there is an intimate little corner in my affections into which it could never penetrate4 ,if ,i am as faithful to my wife as ,i am to the places ,i love1 ,i shall do very well4 ,what the first impression of an ,eastern country is1 you already know by experience as far as the mere aspect goes1 but to understand my sensations you must translate your own into a far brighter key4 ,in my case everything was for me3 a decent passage1 a glorious day1 a light heart1 and a firm determination to enjoy myself2 to this add that more rapid apprehension of what is beautiful which belongs to an artist's eye1 and is the natural consequence of the constant exercise and cultivation of that faculty4 ,i saw in ,algiers many things that interested me1 very much du point de vue moeurs fetes1 with strange music on queer instruments1 odd dances1 odder singing4 ,the music of the ,moors is altogether very strange2 it is monotonous in the extreme1 fitful1 and sometimes apparently without any kind of shape1 and yet there is something very characteristic and almost attaching about it4 ,this applies only to instrumental music1 for as for the voice1 they seem to consider it only as a shriller instrument1 using always at full pitch1 with neck outstretched and eyes half shut1 always from the throat and always higher than they can go4 ,it is very strange that a nation which attained once so high a pitch of civilisation1 should either never have known or have entirely forgotten that the human voice is capable of inflection1 and what an all-powerful vehicle it may be made of every passionate sentiment or soothing influence4 ,however1 much the same thing is noticeable in the peasants near ,rome1 whose songs consist 7within a definite shape7 of long-sustained chest notes that are peculiar in the extreme1 and though often harsh seem to be wonderfully in harmony with the long unbroken lines of the ,campagna4 ,a propos of chanting1 ,i saw a very striking thing one day in ,algiers1 in the shape of a ,rhapsodist1 who recited1 with an uncouth instrumental accompaniment1 a long string of strophes describing 7,i am told7 the life and deeds of some hero2 it was exactly what a recital of the ,homeric poems must have been amongst the early ,greeks4 ,the ,homer stood up in the midst of a motley and most picturesque group of breathless listeners1 and chanted1 with a sort of animated monotony1 verses of about two lines each1 heightening the colour of his tale by gesticulations4 ,after each strophe the music struck in1 consisting of two queerly shaped tambours and a shrill flute4 ,after the performance1 or rather1 during the pauses1 money was collected in the tambourines4 ,homer 7if he ever lived7 no doubt did the same4 ,on his return to ,paris ,leighton wrote to ,steinle3-- ,translation4 ,,paris1 ,october #bb1 #aheg4 ,,my ,,very ,,dear ,,friend1--,since ,i know your industry better than any one else1 and also know that at this moment you are quite particularly busy1 ,i cannot be surprised that you have not answered my letter of last month2 however1 some warm expressions slipped from me in that letter which you may perhaps have taken amiss2 lest this should be indeed the case1 ,i hasten1 my dear ,master1 to make you an ample apology and to beg you not to take amiss what ,i may have said too hastily2 but if it is not so1 do send me a short note that my doubt may be solved2 for it is an excessively painful idea to me that a single word from my mouth should have displeased you4 ,i have just come back from ,africa1 where ,i have spent some weeks with extreme pleasure1 and1 ,i believe1 not without great benefit2 indeed1 ,i might say that an artist cannot perfect his sense of form so well anywhere as in the ,east2 the types of characteristic stamp which meet one's eye at every step are a wonder to see1 and of the simple grandeur of the costumes one can form no previous conception--one sees real ,michael ,angelos running about the streets4 ,i have done little or almost nothing1 for one cannot possibly induce the ,arabs to sit2 however1 ,i believe ,i have learnt a great deal by my observations2 ,i have already made a resolution to become acquainted with the ,egyptian race in the near future4 ,but now ,i must see to it that ,i produce something this winter1 for time goes bye with giant strides1 and will not be called back again4 ,and you1 my dear friend8 what are you working at now8 ,how ,i should like to see your second cartoon6 but unfortunately that is one of the impossibilities4 ,what has happened about the church you were to paint8 ,has anything been settled8 ,once more ,i beg you to write me a few lines to assure me that you are not angry at my indiscretion4 ,please remember me most kindly to your wife4 ,and keep in kindly remembrance1 your grateful pupil1 ,,leighton4 ,and again3-- ,translation4 ,,paris1 #ba ,,rue ,,pigalle1 ,november #b1 #aheg4 ,,dear ,,friend ,,and ,,master1--,all my best thanks for your kind letter1 and for the enclosed photograph of your splendid cartoon2 there is no need for me to tell you how greatly this has rejoiced and delighted me2 by now you know that beforehand regarding every work of ,steinle's 7,steinleischen ,arbeit71 and in no work more than in this do ,i recognise the fulness and the brilliance of your fancy2 meanwhile 7as is only human7 my joy is a trifle damped by the overwhelming desire to know the complete composition1 and then to see the original itself4 ,how glad ,i am that at last you have a worthy task6 ,it was a great relief to me to find that you did not take amiss what ,i wrote about wall painting1 and that you quite understood that ,i could only become so wrathful regarding a matter which interests me in the highest degree4 ,i wish with all my heart that you may discover something which will fill all requirements1 while at the same time1 as a bigoted frescoist1 ,i shake my head a little at your heresy4 ,you will certainly find me dreadfully stiff-necked1 dear ,friend6 ,that is because lately ,i have seen fresco painting much nearer1 and have compared it with oil painting directly beside it2 ,i cannot deny that in colour ,i find it immeasurably more frank and stronger than its oil-neighbour1 which appears muddy and dull next it4 ,true1 ,cennini mentions wall painting1 but only supplementarily1 and after he has written at length of buon peseo4 ,i certainly fall into his views again6 ,now1 adieu1 my dear friend2 once more all my best thanks2 you may rely upon it1 that the very first thing of mine that is photographed shall immediately find its way to you at ,frankfurt2 meantime1 ,i candidly confess to you that ,i am quite terribly dissatisfied with my performances1 and could only submit a hasty work to you4 ,think often of your most devoted pupil1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 7,written below by ,steinle7 ,answered1 #dth ,june #aheh4 ,the following letters1 dated #cjth ,november #aheg1 ,paris1 refer to ,mrs4 ,orr's narrow escape from ,aurungabad1 owing to the fidelity of ,sheik ,boran ,bukh1 in the time of the ,mutiny4 ,it is a good example of the ease with which ,leighton threw himself into the atmosphere of a situation4 ,it reads like the writing of an ,oriental6 ,,most ,,valued ,,friend1--,the report of your gallant and generous conduct towards my sister and the companions of her flight has reached my ears1 not only by private letters but also through several of the first ,english newspapers4 ,from one end of this country to another1 ,englishmen have read the account of your loyal bearing1 and from one end of the country to the other there has been but one voice to praise and to admire it2 for uprightness and fidelity are precious in the eyes of all ,englishmen1 and honour and courage are to them as the breath of life2 but my feelings towards you are naturally doubly warm and grateful1 for to your care and vigilance ,i owe the safety of a most precious and valued life1 that of a beloved sister4 ,it is to express to you this gratitude that ,i now write1 and also to beg you to accept as a small token of my regard a shawl which ,i send together with this letter1 and which will be as a sign to cement our new friendship4 ,wear it in remembrance of that perilous night at ,aurungabad1 and in wearing it remember that on that night your fidelity won for you many new friends1 and amongst the truest and most sincere count the brother of ,mrs4 ,orr1 ,,fred ,,leighton4 ,to ,,frederick ,,leighton1 ,esq41 c4 c4 ,,aurungabad1 #acth ,july #aheh4 ,,most ,,respected ,,sir1--,i beg to return you my humble and hearty thanks for your kindness in having sent me a revolving pistol1 which was highly admired by all who saw it4 ,i cannot be sufficiently thankful to your invaluable kindness4 ,i shall not part with it till death1 but keep it as a remembrance of your high estimation of me your unworthy servant1 and ever pray for your and family's welfare and happiness4 ,i feel very uneasy in not hearing from ,captain ,orr since he left us2 ,i beg you will kindly let me know how he is getting on1 as ,i hear that he is not altogether very well4 ,i was very anxious to accompany him1 and he agreed to take me1 but on second consideration he changed his mind4 ,i hope some day or other to be able to see you and family by ,god's grace4 ,i conclude1 sir1 with my humble respects and good wishes to self and family4 ,hoping all's well4--,i am1 ,sir1 your most obedient and grateful servant1 ,,sheik ,,boran ,,bukh1 ,silladar4 ,thursday4 ,,dear ,,papa1--,in accordance with your request1 yesterday received1 ,i enclose an envelope for ,b4,b41 on which perhaps you will be so good as to add his rank1 whatever that may be--,i believe ,subahdar4 ,i am glad the letter is right1 and knowing your great epistolary facilities1 ,i don't feel as sorry as ,i ought to have interfered with your design4 ,i don't think it will fall heavily on you4 ,i have a great favour to ask of you2 and ,i feel sure you won't grudge it me1 as it concerns a man whose house is a second home to me3 ,cartwright--indefatigable as he is1 he keeps constantly on the alert for any vacancy in ,parliament1 and is in frequent communication with ,hayter on the subject4 ,now the representation of ,scarborough has just become vacant1 and ,i should take it as the greatest kindness if you would write to that great friend of yours in that town 7a banker--whose name ,i1 if ,i were to sit on my head1 ,i could not remember2 but you know71 mentioning ,cartwright as a great friend and most appropriate man4 ,he 7your friend7 is sure to be very influential amongst the townsfolk4 ,i should wish you to say this3 state who ,cartwright is1 his family1 place 7,aynhoe ,park1 ,brackley71 his relations with ,hayter the ,whipper-in 7that he may not appear tombe des nues71 and the following creed3 ,pledge himself to ,reform ,bill with extension of franchise2 considers the ,educational question amongst the most important of the day2 wants a thorough inquiry into ,india and ,indian affairs 7government71 and is prepared to support ,lord ,palmerston's administration4 ,all this is very important to mention1 because all his relations are hot ,tories4 ,also1 in case your friend should accept the suggestion and want to communicate at once ,cartwright1 give his 7,c4's7 direction in ,paris1 ,no4 #e ,rue ,roquepine4 ,will you do this for me8 ,please give dear ,mamma a wigging for expressing no pleasure at the prospect ,i hinted at of running over to ,bath for a day or two in the winter2 tell her if she does not behave better ,i won't come4 ,i would write at greater length1 but my model is waiting1 and ,i have no time4--,with anticipated thanks1 your affectionate son1 ,,fred4 ,it was in the year #aheg that ,leighton painted the beautiful figure of ,salome1 the ,daughter of ,herodias1 which apparently was never exhibited in any exhibition of his works till that of #ahig4 ,a sketch 7see ,list of ,illustrations7 made for the picture is in the ,leighton ,house ,collection1 also other drawings of dancing figures sketched in ,algiers4 ,illustration3 ,,study ,,for ,,salome1 ,,the ,,daughter ,,of ,,herodias4 #aheg ,leighton ,house ,collection ,to his mother he wrote in the beginning of #aheh3-- ,,monday1 ,jan4 #aheh4 ,,dearest ,,mamma1--,many thanks for your nice long letter1 which ,i had been anxiously expecting not only for news of yourself but to hear what tidings had reached you from ,india4 ,i am so glad dear ,lina continues tolerably well considering her position4 ,i can fully understand how dreadfully anxious poor ,sutherland must have been the whole time about her4 ,i mean to write to her myself without delay4 ,will you please let me have her present direction1 as ,i don't know it8 ,how kind ,sutherland is to have remembered at such a moment about my tigerskin6 ,what an excellent and thoughtful creature he must be6 ,the extract from ,brig4 ,stuart's despatch is most gratifying and satisfactory1 but ,i want to see it in print2 where is it published8 can't you somehow get it and let me have it8 ,i have the greatest desire to possess it in that shape4 ,what a nice letter ,booran ,buckh's is4 ,i am afraid that about the regiment returning to ,aurungabad is a hope not very likely to be realised4 ,there is still a frightful deal to do in ,oude4 ,sir ,colin wants men sadly1 and cavalry is particularly precious4 ,mario's etrenne cost me a pound1 it was the least ,i could do4 ,let me reassure you1 dear ,mamma1 about my behaviour to that amiable creature4 ,i have been at his house often since1 and am sure he is not in the least hurt2 as for his thinking ,i was proud about his being an actor1 that is so out of the question that ,i could not help laughing when ,i read the passage in your letter4 ,in the first place1 he would never dream of suspecting me of such a piece of vulgarity1 and in the next1 actor or no1 he still is ,count ,candia1 and therefore more than my equal in rank4 ,i hope ,i may be with you somewhere about the #fth or #gth ,february1 and should stay till the #ajth or #aath4 ,it would be humbug to say that ,i should not rather find you alone than in a whirlpool of funereal gaieties2 but1 however1 ,i am at your disposal2 do with me as you wish4 ,i have been suffering very much of late from tooth and face ache4 ,i am rather better now1 thanks to1 or in spite of1 homoeopathy4 ,lady ,cowley ,i have never found in yet4 ,the ,embassy parties have not begun yet4 ,i go out almost every evening1 but only in a circle of four or five houses4 ,i can't stay at home1 my eyes are too weak to do anything1 ,i am sorry to say2 ,i have not opened a book this winter4 ,the ,hollands are going to ,naples1 to my great regret2 they were very kind2 poor ,lady ,holland has only just recovered from a very serious illness4 ,you tell me to bring over my ,algerine sketches1 but ,i have very little to show1 a few scratches only of types2 my two principal studies are in oils2 ,i can't well take those over4 ,i am working away at my pictures as well as the pitch-dark weather allows 7which is very badly72 however1 ,i hope they may turn out well4 ,the silent ,sartoris said to-day he thought my ,juliet picture safe to succeed4 ,good-bye1 dear ,mamma2 best love to all from your most affect4 boy1 ,,fred4 ,,end ,,of ,,vol4 ,i ,printed by ,,ballantyne1 ,,hanson ,,co4 ,edinburgh ,london ,illustration3 ,,blind ,,scholar ,,and ,,daughter ,no4 #a4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,nello',s ,,shop3 ,,suppose ,,you ,,let ,,me ,,look ,,at ,,myself ,no4 #b4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,the ,,first ,,key ,no4 #e4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,the ,,peasants' ,,fair ,no4 #f4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,the ,,dying ,,message ,no4 #g4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,florentine ,,joke ,no4 #h4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,the ,,escaped ,,prisoner ,no4 #i4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,niccolo ,,at ,,work ,no4 #aj4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,you ,,didn',t ,,think ,no4 #aa4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,father1 ,i ,,will ,,be ,,guided ,no4 #ac4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,the ,,visible ,,madonna ,no4 #ae4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,dangerous ,,colleagues ,no4 #af4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,monna ,,brigida ,no4 #ag4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,but ,,you ,,will ,,help ,no4 #ah4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,drifting ,no4 #bj4 ,romola ,illustration3 ,,will ,,his ,,eyes ,,open8 ,no4 #ba4 ,romola ,,footnotes3 #fg ,romeo1 ,pan1 and ,venus1 being then exhibited at the yearly autumn ,exhibition at ,manchester4 #fh #cfh4 ,from ,keats' ,ode to ,pan1 in the ',endymion'3 ,f4 ,leighton4--,flesh painting is the grand test4 ,with the majority of artists the attempt results in a something very much resembling tinted marble4 ,not so ,mr4 ,leighton4 ,this enchanting creation of his mind glows with the rich warm hues of life2 and the sweeping outline which gives such beauty to the female form is preserved with subdued definiteness4 ,the background is a fine piece of mellow autumnal tinting4 ,the ,royal ,institution4--,in the second room will be found one of the very best1 if not the best picture in the exhibition1 ,no4 #ahc1 ',reconciliation of the ,montagues and ,capulets1' by ,f4 ,leighton4 ,whatever its other merits or faults may be1 it tells the sad story clearly and forcibly4 ,the scene is 'the tomb of all the ,capulets1' and the moment chosen by the artist is when the heads of the rival houses1 standing by the dead bodies of those in whom all their hopes had been centred1 agree to lay by their ancient feuds1 and clasp their hands in sign of future friendship4 ',capulet--,o brother ,montague1 give me thy hand3 ,this is my daughter's jointure1 for no more ,can ,i demand4 ,montague--,but ,i can give thee more3 ,for ,i will raise her statue in pure gold3 ,that while ,verona by that name is known ,there shall no figure at such rate be set1 ,as that of true and faithful ,juliet4' ,in the foreground are the bodies of the lovers1 placed on a bier4 ,juliet has thrown herself upon the body of ,romeo1 her hands clasped around his neck1 and her cheek touching his4 ,in that position1 typical of her undying love1 the fatal potion has done its work4 ,lady ,capulet1 in a paroxysm of maternal grief1 has thrown herself on her knees at the foot of the bier2 behind her is the ,friar4 ,opposite the spectator are old ,capulet and ,montague1 their aged forms bowed with grief1 in the act of reconciliation4 ,these are the principal figures4 ,the ,prince1 attendants1 c41 fill up1 without crowding1 the picture4 ,the gloom of the ancient monument is capitally rendered1 the colouring is harmonious1 and the disposition of the figures careful and dramatic4 ,the artist has admirably discriminated the characters of the two aged noblemen4 ,readers of ,shakespeare will not need to be reminded of the distinction which the dramatist has made between the two4 ,montague appears only in the first and last acts1 but displays great resolution1 accompanied by a noble moderation1 in the brawl commenced by the retainers of each of the houses4 ,the language put into his mouth is noble and poetical1 especially in concluding his account of the black and portentous humour which had overtaken his son4 ',but he1 his own affection's counsellor1 ,is to himself1--,i will not say--how true1-- ,but to himself so secret and so close1 ,so far from sounding and discovery ,as is the bud1 bit with an envious worm1 ,ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air1 ,or dedicate his beauty to the sun4' ,no such language as this is ever given to old ,capulet4 ,on the contrary1 he is fussy1 shallow1 and pretentious4 ,even the ,nurse snubs him4 ,in the first act he rushes out frantically calling for his sword1 to which ,lady ,capulet replies-- ',a crutch1 a crutch6--why call you for a sword8' ,and the ,nurse on another occasion says-- ',go1 go1 you cot quean1 go1 ,get you to bed2 faith you will be sick to-morrow ,for this night's watching4' ,the artist has finely distinguished the two men2 there is no mistaking them4 ,on the other hand1 if we may 'hint a fall' or two1 we should say1 that the faces of the lovers are too livid and corpse-like4 ,they are but newly dead1 and the artist would have been truer to nature and increased the beauty of his picture if he had allowed some of the beauty of life to linger around them4 ,the attitude of the ,friar1 too1 with elevated arms and appalled look1 is not in harmony with the grand composure of his demeanour at all other times1 the noble motives from which he had acted1 and that sanctity of character which induces the ,prince to say to him1 after his explanatory speech-- ',we still have known thee for a holy man4' ,with all drawbacks1 however1 this is a noble picture2 and if our readers will turn to the scene in the play and refresh their memories before going to the ,institution1 they will1 we think1 agree with us in ranking it as a successful ,shakesperian illustration--high praise1 but deserved4 #fi ,among the drawings sold by the ,fine ,art ,society in #ahig was a very striking and interesting sketch in water-colour by ,steinle4 ,the subject was a peasant confessing to a ,cardinal4 ,may be it was the sketch for this picture for which ,steinle asked ,leighton to help him respecting the cardinal's costume4 #gj ,mrs4 ,s4 ,orr was in ,india1 the ,mutiny taking place at that time4 99 99 99 99 99 ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ ,typographical errors corrected in text3 ,page xviii3 ,spagniola replaced with ,spagnola ,page #fc3 ,middelburg replaced with ,middelburgh ,page #fi3 antlered replaced with anthered ,page #acf3 ,spagniola replaced with ,spagnola ,page #aec3 volorous replaced with valorous ,page #afj3 ,kuppelwiesser replaced with ,kuppelwieser ,page #aij3 ,sclosser replaced with ,schlosser ,page #baj3 magnificent intellectual capacity1 and unerring and instantaneous spring upon the point to unravel4 replaced with magnificent intellectual capacity1 and an unerring and instantaneous spring upon the point to unravel4 7see ,reminiscences of ,g4,f4 ,watts by ,mrs4 ,russell ,barringtong1 page #aic47 ,page #aih3 antlered replaced with anthered ,page #bbf3 ,spagnolli replaced with ,spagnola ,page #bfa3 bran new replaced with brand new ,page #bgb3 ,he offers you ,l#be for if replaced with ,he offers you ,l#be for it ,page #bgc3 your sincerely replaced with yours sincerely ,page #bia3 ,pigale replaced with ,pigalle ,footnote #aj3 ,sain-,damien replaced with ,saint-,damien2 l'envalussait replaced with l'envahissait2 and1 remplet replaced with remplit ,footnote #cf3 ,caranco replaced with ,carcano 7see ,adelaide ,sartoris' book ,a ,week in a ,french ,country-,house page xxx47 ,note that the names ,i',anson and ,ffrench are legitimate surnames4 ,frankfort a_/,m4 is the abbreviation for ,frankfurt am ,main1 7in ,english ',frankfort on the ,main'7 a city on the ,main ,river1 ,germany4 ---------------------------------------- ------------------------ 99 99 99 99 99