in, and in the night the rats ran away with a mutton-chop--could find
no trace of it, not even the satisfaction of seeing the bone....
23rd.--Got up late--painted till five.... Find that, when I have
painted some hours, I get tired and cannot see the colour, but can
see the shape. Memo., ought not to paint too long if I want to do
good....
25th.--Got up early--and got to work late. Fumbled till twelve
o’clock over the hood of the left-hand-corner figure of the knight;
made a liripipe for it. About twelve set to work at a small drawing
of ----;[15] had not finished it by dusk. Am a very swine--shall
never get the painting done in time--am a beast and a sleepy brute.
26th.--Finished the drawing of the hood, and a drawing of a cloak for
one of the men next him, the Chamberlain....
28th.--Got up at eight. Arranged the cardinal’s cape again; began a
drawing of it. Lucy came in about one: made me go out with him. Did
nothing more, but went to Richmond; back with him to tea. Came home
by eleven. Read Shelley, and got to sleep about twelve.
29th.--Got up past nine, worse and worse; it is horrible to reflect.
Finished the cape about one. Went out to see Thomas and my aunt; came
back, and began arranging the hood for Alice Perrers, old Edward’s
mistress: found the hair of the lay figure wanted curling--put it in
paper, and made a fire to heat the tongs, and curled it; then oiled
it. Alas! did nothing afterwards. Went for a walk with Thomas....
4th October.--Got up late; felt low and dejected, never feel happy.
Got to work about twelve. Arranged the white capuchon for the lady
with her back to you; nearly finished it....
5th.--... Went to Thomas to make a sketch of some vine-leaves--found
him at work on his designs of the _Penseroso_ for the Art-Union, but
out of sorts and dejected. About three left off, and went to the
cemetery at Highgate.
6th.--... Went out to see after stuffs, and a portrait of Chaucer
published by C. Knight; could get nothing; tired and dejected....
7th.--... Dined too late to begin anything; went to sleep. Thomas
came in, and we had a walk. He thinks of going to Cambridge, to
become wise and learned in all matters. I am a brute and a sleepy
beast.
8th.--... Began, and painted the white-silk head-cushion with copal
varnish and drying-oil in equal parts; find it dries quick, and does
not sink in on retouching. Went and drank tea with Lucy: engaged Miss
Chamberlayne for Tuesday. Began making a green velvet hat of the time
of Edward III.
9th.--... Have been suffering eight or ten days from indigestion;
live upon mutton-chops and tea and coffee, quite a teetotaler....
12th.--Finished the furred cap; went and bought stuff for a blind,
to have two lights if necessary, to give the appearance, to those
figures which are not in sunlight, of being in the open air.[16]
Lawrence did not come to put it up.
13th.--Finished the green hat. Wrote four letters, and called
on Thomas to see some sketches of his; some fine ideas; one in
particular, a scramble for laurels--grandly satirical. Came back
to the studio, and put up the blind with Lawrence. Afterwards
walked half over London in quest of draperies; bought some crimson
cotton-velvet.
14th.--Got up at half-past seven. Miss Chamberlayne came. Worked till
four, in spite of her talking propensities. Made outlines of the nude
of the two figures of Muses of impassioned and satirical poetry,[17]
and several other central figures. Dined, and called on my Aunt
Brown. Walked down Holborn in quest of stuffs, and found some German
velvet a bargain, 10¾d. a yard: took six yards of it for the gown of
Chaucer. Came back, and am now writing this....
16th.--... With Thomas to the Princess’s Theatre, to see Miss Cushman
and Cooper in _The Stranger_, both nature to the life; and _She
Stoops to Conquer_, a fine _fine_ play. Went and supped with Thomas,
and stopped till half-past one....
19th.--Got up at half-past five; went to Gravesend to see my sweet
child; found her quite well. Came back, and went to bed....
22nd.--Got up at half-past five, got to work by seven. Painted-in the
King’s cloak (study). Workwoman came; set her to make the gown for
Chaucer; myself made ears for the jester’s hood, and began a drawing
of it. In the evening began drawing-in the draperies of Milton on
the canvas.
27th.--Got up at--past seven. Went out to seek for velvet and
brocades: got some velvet to suit, and an old yellow satin dress;
saw some fine old brocade; told the Jew to bring it me to my study,
to bargain some old clothes against it. Came back very tired. Drew a
little at the jester, and in the evening at the draperies of Robert
Burns.
28th.--Got up at quarter to seven; workwoman came at nine. Worked
at the jester’s head. At ten Master Lawrence came in, and the poor
brute became insolent, and wanted to fight me because I wanted him
to be off again. Had to kick him out at last; and then he came to
the window and abused me--threatened him with the police. Richard
Bromley came to see me on his return from Ireland,[18] for a few
days. The Jew came, and went off sulky, because I would not give him
his price and the old clothes into the bargain. Did little all day
but superintend the workwoman. Went to see the Lucys: came back and
worked at Robert Burns on the canvas.
29th.--... Drew Chaucer and the old King in on the canvas. Am
writing this and going to bed, twenty minutes past ten....
31st.--Sunday. Got up very late; painted at the sideless gown, and
then at the hair and cap of the troubadour in the centre of the
picture. Laid-in the study for it. Called on Mark Anthony,[19]
stopped there till twelve. He told me that Hurlstone[20] had wished
to get me to join the Suffolk Street set, which has been trying to
regenerate.
1st November.--Got up at seven, felt very tired. Walked half over
London: bought a portrait of Lord Byron and some yellow brocade, and
hired some ermine. Came in about three. Finished the hair of the
troubadour--dined, felt very tired; John Marshall came in--stopped
till eleven (one hour’s work.)
2nd.--Got up at seven, and to work by eight. Painted the study of the
ermine cloak of “ye ladie with ye sideless gown”; workwoman all day;
cut out the yellow brocade hood and cape, and muddled away the rest
of the evening (six hours’ work).
3rd.--Got up at quarter to seven, and to work by half-past eight.
Finished yesterday’s work, and painted at a study of the ermine cloak
of ye Black Prince, and at two had to leave off in consequence of
the fog--which, like Foggo, was nogo.[21]
6th.--Got up at seven; have not slept last night. What is the reason
of it? Drank some tea just before going to bed. Hope I shall sleep
to-night. Got to work before nine, finished the hair. Arranged the
lay figure for the figure in the yellow brocade hood, began painting
it; did little before four. At seven went with Lucy to a meeting
of the Shareholders of the Free Exhibition. We both refused to be
on the committee. Martin in consequence is afraid they will turn
him off,--poor Martin, hon. sec.![22] We have written to him to say
that, if they do, we will have nothing more to do with them. Marshall
Claxton and his party want to make Dibdin secretary;[23] what a
set of muffs! What will be the upshot of it I don’t know and don’t
care.--Went to bed at twelve (five hours’ work).
12th.--Got up at seven, and to work by nine--painted at the green
gown till quarter past three.... Went to see Mark Anthony about a
Daguerreotype: think of having some struck off for the figures in the
picture, to save time. Came back, and set to work at a drawing of the
head of Spenser: work from nine till twelve (eight and a-half hours’
work)....
16th.--Got up quarter to seven, and to work by quarter past eight.
Worked at the study of yellow sleeve till half-past ten. Called on
Thomas: came back to dine by five. He is hard at work, knocking
metaphysical art on the head, and bringing each thing sentimental to
a positive state. Lucy called on me; did not get to work again till
nine. Worked at the head of Byron two and a half hours (seven and a
half hours’ work).
17th.--Got up at quarter past seven, and to work by nine. Cogitated
on what I was to do till half-past ten. Drew at the Cardinal and the
two ladies till two. Set to work at seven: painted the first bit on
the canvas: worked till I laid-in the head and neck of Lord Byron
(ten hours’ work)....
22nd.--Got up at half-past seven, felt ill. Went out on business;
wasted my time, and took a walk till twelve. Came back, and worked
a very little--about one and a-half hours--wasted my time, and
dined. Martin has just dropped a note in my letter-box, which seems
to say that they have ejected him from the place of secretary to
the Free Exhibition: if so, we have done with it, and there is no
necessity for me to get this work finished: it has rather cooled my
working-ardour. Worked a little in the evening, about two hours....
26th.--Got up at eight, began work at half-past nine. Worked till
twelve at the head of Shakespeare; did nothing fit to be seen. Went
out--wretched weather. Lucy came back and dined with me. About
half-past six I set to work at drawing heads, but could not work:
drew one: worked little better than two hours. I have been reflecting
seriously about my large composition, that I had better paint the
middle compartment small for next year’s exhibition, and recompose
it for the large one on a grander principle. I have been reflecting
on the subject, and have almost made up my mind to do so. I have sat
up thinking of the new composition, to see if I could make a better
one, so as not to risk sacrificing the present one to no purpose, and
I believe I have succeeded to my satisfaction--(two hours’ work, two
hours’ thought: three wasted).
27th.--Got up I know not at what time. Have been thinking about my
change, and have decided to go and order the small canvas....
29th.--... Thought of a subject as I went along: Wiclif reading his
translation of the Bible to John of Gaunt, Chaucer and Gower present.
Arranged it in my mind. Called on Lucy; saw Martin, in a precious
stew about the Free Exhibition. Dined, came home: made a slight
sketch of it (three hours’ work).
30th.--Got up at quarter to eight. Went out to see about the Museum
for consulting authorities; called on Mark Anthony; went to the
reading-room of Museum; saw Lewis’s _Life of Wiclif_, Southey’s _Book
of the Church_. Met Lucy there in search of documents for his Landing
of Puritans in New Plymouth.[24] Came home, dined, and sketched a
little at the subject (three hours’ work).
1st December.--Got up at eight; went out to the print-shops and to
the National Gallery. Then to the Museum; read Godwin’s _Life of
Chaucer_....
2nd.--Got up at half-past seven. Went out to the British Museum; got
there by ten; made a drawing of a Gothic alphabet; read Knight’s
Chaucer. Dined, called on my aunt Brown. Set to work by eight, worked
till twelve, the sketch....
3rd.--Got up at eight. Went to the Museum by half-past nine; finished
the alphabet, and consulted Pugin on Furniture. In the evening worked
at the composition till half-past twelve (five hours--six hours
Museum).
4th.--Went to Highgate and to Gravesend, to see my sweet child.
5th.--Slept at Gravesend, and drew a little head of my beautiful
babe; it is to-day eighteen months since the death of my poor dear
wife. These are thoughts that I must banish; it unnerves me. I have
dedicated the day to my child and the memory of her mother. Yesterday
I brought her fuchsia down from her grave, and have given it to Mrs.
Lucy to take care of for the winter. I left Gravesend by the five
o’clock boat, and have come back, intending perhaps to do some work
(two hours).
9th.--Got up at eight. The night before I had finished the drawing
of the sketch. About ten I began to draw a tracing of the sketch, to
make it in oil; muddled and worked and muddled till half-past three.
Went out, half inclined to work no more. Came back, dined. Mr. and
Mrs. Lucy came in to see me; good excuse; I went home with them, and
stopped till one!...
11th.--Got up about eight. Set to painting by ten; painted till
half-past three at the figures of Wiclif, Chaucer, and Gower, and
that side of it.... Did little good (eight hours’ work).
12th, Sunday.--Got up at eight, set to work before ten. Painted till
three at the figure of John of Gaunt, etc.; went out and dined, and
spent the evening with Lucy (three hours’ work).
13th.--... Called on Lucy. Buss[25] has been bothering him about the
Free Exhibition. Went with him to Rowney’s: came back, dined, and
set to work about six. Wasted one and a half hours cleaning a damned
pipe. Worked till eleven (five hours’ work)....
16th.--... Set to work about twelve; worked till three, chalking-in
the figures on the canvas. Went out for a model, unsuccessful; got
Smith coming to-morrow. Set to work about quarter past six; left
off for want of chalk. Am writing this, and going to write damned
letters for money, etc. Can do no more work for want of chalk: have
been as far as Oxford Street, but can get none. Drew a little at the
ornamental part of the design (four hours).
27th.--Came up to London [from Gravesend]; did nothing all day.
Called on the Lucys in the evening. On coming home to my studio at
past twelve, found a drunken man groaning in one of the workshops
with a candle amid the shavings. Fetched a policeman and the master;
got him safe out.
28th.--Tried to work: did nothing all day but arrange the lay figure
for Wiclif, and superintend the making of a gown for Chaucer; I am
sadly idle!...
1848--1st January.--Came back to London and dined at Lucy’s. In the
evening Thomas came in, and we settled to illustrate Pope’s _Essay
on Man_ between us; I proposed the subject.[26] Came to bed by one....
3rd.--... Worked till eleven at the outline of the painting;
afterwards fiddled at a piece of poetry till quarter to one (eight
hours’ work)....
10th.--Got up at half-past eight and to work by half-past nine; drew
my two hands in the glass for Gower’s.... I afterwards drew a little
at one of my hands for Wiclif, when that devil Miss Chamberlayne
called. Walked round Regent’s Park, dined. Thomas came in, and with
Lucy we went to Dickinson’s Academy, Maddox Street: saw Foley there,
and Paris and Salter[27] (five hours’ work)....
12th.--Breakfasted in bed; drew all day at the canvas. Lucy came
in to go to Dickinson’s with me: found I was making my figures of
Chaucer and Gower too short--quite took me aback. Went and began a
pencil drawing at Dickinson’s. Walked home with Lucy, came back;
bought a bottle of whisky to drown care with (eight hours’ work).
15th.--I went to Greenwich,[28] to collect rents, and to Gravesend.
16th.--Gravesend still. Made a little study of Lucy in sunshine[29]
(one and a half hours’ work).
17th.--Came back by the half-past eight boat: went to see John
Bromley,[30] and to make a sketch of the hand of his little girl for
the female in this painting.... Came back and set to work drawing at
the figure of Wiclif. Went to Maddox Street; came back again at ten,
and worked till past eleven (five and a half hours’ work).
18th.--Got up at half-past eight. Set to work by ten at drawing-in a
hand and the sleeves of Wiclif. _Began Painting._ Laid-in the head
and feet of Wiclif. Turned my canvases of the Poets round to the
wall, so as to be able to admit persons if necessary.
19th.--... Called on Mark Anthony: saw his large _Village Festival_
in progress; called on Lucy (five hours’ work).
21st.--Breakfasted in bed; got up at ten, and to work by eleven.
Drew-in the head of Chaucer from myself in two looking-glasses;
altered that of Gower, and reduced one of Chaucer’s hands.
22nd.--... Painted-in the sleeves and upper part of Chaucer’s gown
(_à premier coup_): shall not want to retouch it much, I expect;
worked till four.
26th.--Wednesday. Got up at half-past eight: went out for a walk;
found it too cold. Went and bespoke Miss Ashley, and came back. Miss
Ashley came by eleven: stopped till four, let the fire out three
times, and talked all day; will never do.--In the evening I worked
at the head of the female, drawing it in in water-colour; could not
succeed (four hours’ work)....
31st.--... Went to Suffolk Street, to hear Professor Ansted tell us
that the colour of the air is blue, and that of mist grey, etc. etc.;
this they call geology! (two hours’ work).
1st February.--... I afterwards set about composing the furniture for
my painting; did not do much (two hours’ work). Got a note from Helen
Bromley, enclosing one for Miss Ensgrubber[31] to her, to ask my poor
wife’s address. Oh dear! hers has been for upwards of nineteen months
the cemetery of Highgate; mine, this rascally barn of a studio. To
think that we once had a home together! in Paris how different, and
even in Rome how different! Bless you, my poor child!
2nd.--Got up at eight, worked from ten till four at composing the
chair of John of Gaunt....
3rd.--Going to set to work for about three hours at the chair. Did
little good; what a muff I am! (three hours’ work).
4th.--Breakfasted in bed; set to work about ten. Recomposed the
chair, and composed the lectern, and began painting it. Worked till
half-past four. Walked round the Park. Set to work again at seven,
when Thomas and John Marshall came in, and I did no more work.
Thomas accused Marshall of having spoken about our London University
project,[32] at the College. Marshall denied it, but said that he had
heard that another body of artists had proposed the same thing about
a year ago. Thomas stopped till eleven, and we drank two glasses of
grog each (six hours’ work).
5th.--Breakfasted in bed; set to work about half-past nine. Worked at
the lectern: altered it, painted at it till four. Dined etc. A wet
day; did not go out. Began work again at seven till eight, and from
nine till half-past eleven, painting at the lectern--what snobbish
work! (nine hours’ work). Forgot to go to Highgate--alas my poor
wife!...
7th.--Got up at quarter to eight; breakfasted, and went to Highgate.
Had iron stakes put to the standard roses. Called on Lucy; went to
London University, to see about Capbell’s bust of Potter.[33] John
Marshall, on behalf of the Committee, commissioned me to make a
drawing of it, for [which] I am to receive five guineas. Dined; set
to at my accounts. Thomas called in to know if I would accompany him
to-morrow to a meeting of the Freemasons of the Church, to hear a
lecture on Beauty by a Baronet M.P. He for the first time explained
to me his views on beauty, and the explanation thereof. Wonderful
fellow! I hardly know what to make of him, his talents are so
wonderful and varied. Stopped till half-past eleven.
8th.--Got up at half-past eight. Went to the British Institution;
saw a wonderful piece of light by Inskip,[34] a beautiful marine by
Danby (calm after a storm with a heavy ground-swell). I stopped one
half-hour looking at this picture. Lance, Frost, Copley Fielding,
etc. Afterwards I went to the University, and began the drawing
of the bust; came back after two and a-half hours’ work, dined.
Sam Bamford[35] called in, then Thomas; when we went to hear a
most absurd lecture by a Bart.--beside whom was seated the Duke of
Northumberland; after which some antiquarian controversy....
17th.--Breakfasted in bed; Miss Ashley called in. Composed the
chair of John of Gaunt, and began it. In the evening went to hear
Leslie’s[36] first lecture on painting: twaddle (six hours’ work)....
21st.--Got up at half-past seven, walked over the Park. Set to
work about ten, painting at the arch. Got a letter from my Uncle
Madox,[37] asking me to go and speak to him in the City on business.
Left off about two; went to the City. Found he wanted to sell his
one-eighth of the Tan Yard, and, if I would sell mine, he would get
me £700 for it, £200 more than I thought it worth: no unpleasant
news. Decided to sell it in order to buy a house....
25th.--Got up late. Rainy morning, did not go out. Set to work by
ten. French Revolution[38] proclaimed. Worked at the balustrade, and
laid-in the pavement.... In the evening I went to see the papers, and
to hear Professor Ansted lecture on geology. Afterwards went again to
get a sight of the papers, and went at eleven at night to see Lucy.
Found him in great excitement about Paris; Fenton[39] his pupil, in a
sad state about it. We all three have associations with Paris. Came
back, and got to bed by one (seven hours’ work).
26th.--Got up at half-past seven, went out before nine. Called
to see Thomas, and talk over the revolution. Came back to work.
Maitland[40] came in by half-past ten; worked at laying-in the legs
of John of Gaunt till half-past one; laid them in with light yellow
and cadmium. Afterwards I could do nothing more, but went to see the
newspaper. Called on Marshall and Lucy; and Thomas came and took me
to an artists’ conversazione at the Bricklayers’ Arms: saw Scharf,
Collingwood Smith, and Oliver there.[41] Had some more information
about the Free Exhibition. Art-Union has joined, and members must
be proposed and seconded. Went in and had supper with Thomas (three
hours’ work)....
28th.--... Composed one of the figures for the spandrils over again;
a young girl (instead of a child) to impersonate the Protestant
Faith. Determined to make the figures fill up the whole of the
spandrils without tracery-work. After dinner composed the other
figure, of the Romish Faith; a figure holding a chained-up bible
and a torch, with a hood (like the penitents at Catholic funerals)
showing only the eyes, with burning fagots and a wheel of fortune for
accessories.[42]...
8th March.--Got up at quarter past seven. Finished the cloak; began
the woman’s head-dress. My aunt Brown called in. Walked out to the
Strand and Trafalgar Square, to the scene of the riots. Came back by
nine. Thomas called in. Began one of the flowers on the spandrils
(nine hours).
9th.--... Set to work at making lions and fleurs-de-lys, of paper,
for the jupon of John of Gaunt till twelve (eight hours’ work).
10th.--Got up at seven; set to work sewing on the arms on to his
coat. Did nothing (when Smith came), all day, but paint the two
crimson-damask sleeves, and badly too.--Set to work again about nine
at the Gothic flower (eight hours’ work, three preparation).
11th.--... Arranged the lay figure I had made of the child; took up
much time; did nothing more....
17th.--Got up at quarter past seven, to work by quarter to nine.
Painted at the ivy till quarter past two, and from half-past three
till six at the damask back of the chair. Arranged the lay figure for
John of Gaunt. From half-past seven till ten painted-in the ground
afresh for the jupon; yellow for the blue, and white for the red;
nothing like a good coating of white to get bright sunny colour:
(nine hours’ work, two and a-half arranging)....
22nd.--Rose at seven, to work by nine. Painted-in the Page with the
books, all but the sleeves. Head very successful; rubbed out the
legs. From seven till nine at moulding of frame, from half-past ten
till two, modelling ornaments for ditto (ten, and three preparing)....
24th.--Got up at quarter past seven, to work by nine. Painted the
head and one hand of John of Gaunt; my eyes so dim and weak I could
hardly go on with it.[43] Painted till half-past two. Went out to
the City: came back, painted the cap of John of Gaunt....
25th.--Got up at seven, to work by nine. Painted till twelve at
the head of fair Page. Maitland came. Painted the hose of John of
Gaunt; did not do, rubbed it out again. Had interruptions. Elliott,
Thomas, and Rossetti called;[44] the latter my first pupil. Curious
enough--he wrote to ask me to give him lessons, from his opinion of
_my high talents_; knew every work I had exhibited and all about
[them]. Will see what we can make of him. Worked from ten till twelve
at correcting the arms of Wiclif (nine hours)....
27th.--Got up at eight; to work half-past nine; till six painted the
water behind the pages, etc., and the heads of the two boys, with
part of the railing: heads in shadow very difficult. Dined and walked
out, and wrote two notes. Set to work by nine, designing ornamental
work for the spandrils, and also the figure of Catholicism, much to
my satisfaction, till eleven o’clock. Writing this, and mean to work
one hour more at the spandrils (eleven hours’ work)....