I thank you many times for the picture, which is a monstrous good
picture, whatever its shortcomings as a portrait may be. On the
authority of the great art critic, Leigh Bierce, I am emboldened to
pronounce some of the work in it equal to Gribayedoff at his best; and
that, according to the g. a. c. aforesaid, is to exhaust eulogium.
But--it isn't altogether the Blanche that I know, as I know her. Maybe
it is the hat--I should prefer you hatless, and so less at the mercy
of capricious fortune. Suppose hats were to "go out"--I tremble to
think of what would happen to that gorgeous superstructure which now
looks so beautiful. O, well, when I come down I shall drag you to the
hateful photographer and get something that looks quite like you--and
has no other value.
And I mean to "see Oakland and die" pretty soon. I have not dared go
when the weather was bad. It promises well now, but I am to have
visitors next Sunday, so must stay at home. God and the weather bureau
willing, you may be bothered with me the Saturday or Sunday after. We
shall see.
I hope your father concurs in my remarks on picture "borders"--I did
not think of him until the remarks had been written, or I should have
assured myself of his practice before venturing to utter my mind o'
the matter. If it were not for him and Gertrude and the _Wave_ I
should snarl again, anent "half-tones," which I abhor. Hume tried to
get me to admire his illustrations, but I would not, so far as the
process is concerned, and bluntly told him he would not get your
father's best work that way.
If you were to visit the Mountain now I should be able to show you a
redwood forest (newly discovered) and a picturesque gulch to match.
The wild flowers are beginning to put up their heads to look for you,
and my collection of Indian antiquities is yearning to have you see
it.
Please convey my thanks to Richard for the picture--the girlscape--and
my best regards to your father and all the others.
Sincerely your friend,
AMBROSE BIERCE.
[Angwin,
February 21, 1893.]