| Description | <2 Holland Park Road
Kensington>
Nov 8th
My dear Hodgson
I write to ask you a question to which I wish you to answer with complete frankness as to an old friend. The more I work at the Daphnephoria (I have been hard at it since my return) the more the task seems to grow before me and the more certainly I see that my only chance of finishing it really worthily and completely by next April is to throw up all idea of doing the statue, not to speak of any other smaller matters. Having said this my duty seems so plain - viz. to give up the modelling - that you will perhaps wonder that I trouble you with the question at all; if I do it is on the following grounds to which I don't wish you to attach more weight than they merit. In the first place it is a good many months since I have even seen my clay and to leave it another six months entirely untouched is with such a material always rather a risky thing - then I have had to pay for a second studio already for 18 months - (this is of course a small matter) and lastly if I do not exhibit the Daphnephoria this season I shall certainly finish by the end of June at latest so that you will get it home earlier than you otherwise would - take this for what it is worth and don't stretch your inclinations too much out of old friendship - but just write a line and say "give up the statue" or "postpone the exhibition of the picture" - and your dictum shall be final. - Anyhow however please be kind enough to order your frame - it may be a longish job and I shall soon want it. - I suppose Fred will design it to suit the canvas; this would be the best plan. It will be needless to remind him that it had better be in four pieces and put together here. With kindest remembrances to Mrs Hodgson.
I am
always sincerely yours
Fred Leighton |