| Description | 30 Oct 1890
Tours
Dear Mr Fuller Maitland
One's friends sometimes place one in embarrassing positions. There is a prevalent belief outside (and in) the artistic world that young Artists can be greatly helped by 'recommendation' to those who write about them, but there is not a prevalent perception that such a recommendation seems to carry a suggestion to a critic that he shall say something more laudatory than he spontaneously would; and this is an impertinence. After which circumlocution let me say simply this - some friends of mine who are both kind and intelligent take a warm interest in a young Italian singer M[ademoise]lle Gambagi, who is about to sing, or is perhaps already singing, at the Italian opera for which she is engaged to sing several parts. I have not heard her - they tell me she is very talented - and she is I know very struggling and estimable (not all singeresses are the latter) - and they persuade themselves that it may be useful to her that I should 'draw your attention' to her. How well I know the phrase, at Exhibition time! Well, feeling quite sure that you won't understand me, I do what I am asked and will add that it will be a sincere pleasure to me if her performance justifies you in expressing a good opinion of her. And even for this much I ought to apologize.
Believe me
Yours very truly
Fred Leighton
|