| Description | Thursday
Dear Signor
You will be surprised by the superscription of this note. The fact is that on the conclusion of my labours at the R.A. (which were pushed thro' with a good deal of energy) I felt much done up and determined to rush off for a momentary sniff of bracing sea air, & so I came here (by way of Ely & Norwich for I always throw in a little beautiful architecture when I take a holiday) and suppose I shall feel the benefit of it when I return - an hour hence. Meanwhile I won't delay writing to you on the subject of your last two letters. I deferred doing so, of course, till I should be able to tell you what the feeling of members was about your pictures. It is as I fully expected that they distinctly desire to have them, a feeling which I entirely share. They think and I think that the straong light of our rooms will reveal to you one or two things that a few touches will set right, for instance a perhaps rather abrupt red on the cheek of your dear little 'Pickles' and a yellow on the foreleg of the old horse - not because that yellow is not often very strong in such cases but because it is a little out of key (I think) - but these are trifles indeed. I & and those of us who most warmly admire & honour you would rather, no doubt, we see works in which the lighter qualities of your artistic personality are brought into prominence but we rejoice to see you at all amongst your colleagues on our walls. One thing struck me & gave me great pleasure; the great care and love with which you have elaborated the accessories in the picture of your old gray horse show amongst other things that you have been able to work long & engagingly. The result of that improvement in your strength in which we all so truly rejoice. I must pack my portmanteau so for the present goodbye my dear Signor
Yours always affec
Fred Leighton |