1214. Benjamin Robert Haydon to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 7, 77–79.
London
April 18. 1843
When a woman says I wont—she is getting better– I foresee health & spirits—in your I wont be called Napoleonette—all I can reply is that you shall not—and if your dignity be offended, I make the requisite & necessary apology–
I saw Mrs S. C. Hall [1] who is a delightful woman yesterday week, & we both agreed about your Poetry[;] she said she understood every word, & I said the same and we both held forth on your Genius—wont that put you in a superb humour?—did I not say pas Fortune—instead of Point de Fortune [2] —you will find in the course of Time, that my French, Italian[,] Greek, Latin, & Spanish, is pretty much on a par[.] I have no organ of language, & never get on except by association—or hearing one spoken–
In consequence of Wilkie’s life, [3] I have taken up my own—his letters to me are infinitely more natural than his slavish trash to the great– It’s a grate thing, said Wilkie, to be acquainted with the grate on pleasant terms—but it is a grate thing to know them on any terms!!! Ah Wilkie,—Murray wont give me the Book & I am too poor to buy it, I wish you could at your Library borrow it & lend it to me—is it possible?
My dearest Friend?—I have added 10 more pages to my life, and 2 letters of his– I shall go on arranging away things, from my journals under each year—in going through a Journal if there be nothing to conceal– I shall send one down for you to have an idea of what it is full of[—]Sketches & Thoughts– Who do you think would treat for my life & correspondence would Bentley– [4] I do not want to leave it to be done by others—after such omissions & ignorances as Wilkie[’]s displays– Good Night–
April 19– 1843
I have just got Alexander the Great’s head in—killing a Lion[.] [5] It will be a fine contrast, the Lion with something of Alexander, & Alexander with more of the Lion[—]fierce—handsome—flushed—conscious of Victory—his Eyes burning, as he catches the glare of the Royal Animal–
After great anxiety, which to take to, as both are forlorn hopes, as to sale—I thought I had better go through Alexander & go on with the Fresco, over my chimney, when I could be certain of a Month[’]s quiet—which cannot be commanded now[.] My ammunition is all ready—but the longer it remains the less danger—though my Angel in Fresco, done at once without care of time—has stood & will stand now as long as the Wall– [6]
You must know I have an immortal Urn, which has made tea for so many immortals—I have Had their names let in in a silver plate—now I hope it will last another 25 years—& therefore I am resolved to have your name in the other plate when that is let in—so if you will let me send the Urn down, that you may make tea or have it made, from the Immortal,—I will send for it again—& so will begin for the other batch—with B. Barrett–
I[’]ll send Iron & all—& it must go through the regular progress—of heating, boiling & making tea as if you drank tea with me— Is it not a beautiful bit of original thinking– When Geniuses like you & I, begin to correspond there will be no end to our inventions!–
If the paper scents of color, dont be shocked[.] I must go to work again so good bye till the evening–
9 O Clock–
My dear & oldest Friend William Hamilton (Ægyptiaca Hamilton) [7] called & thinks the head of Alexander excellent[.] I believe he is right—.
I finished my Cartoon[s] 15 of March[;] I then revised both, which occupied a fortnight, I did trifles, necessary, but I had nothing to concentrate my mind on & it fretted—to day I flew at Alexander & have been happy all day–
Does the Athenæum contain any remarks on Wilkie’s life? [8] —if so—will you lend it?– In my correspondence he unravelled himself & then you see the Man—in his correspondence with the great you did not see the Man he was acting–
He was always acting after the blow the Academy gave him 1810 [9] —& he died worth [£]30,000. in consequence[.]
I have never been acting & shall die in a Whig Union– [10]
Are you writing any thing?—you surely must be—do tell me—& What?
You defend Wordsworth gloriously but I regret it—not your defence but his acceptance– [11]
Good night my dearest Friend–
Ever yours
B R Haydon
Mary begs her respects– Will you get the Miniatures carefully ready?– She is flattered you are pleased[.]
Miss B Barrett
Address: Miss B. Barrett / 50– Wimpole St.
Publication: EBB-BRH, pp. 78–80.
Manuscript: University of Vermont.
1. Anna Maria Hall (née Fielding, 1800–81) had edited the 1837 edition of Findens’ Tableaux.
2. He refers to his comments on Josephine in letter 1209.
3. The Life of Sir David Wilkie, by Allan Cunningham, had just been published in three volumes.
4. Richard Bentley (1794–1871) had been in partnership with Henry Colburn 1829–32, but was now in business on his own; he was the publisher of Bentley’s Miscellany, of which Dickens was editor 1836–39.
5. This work, first mentioned in letter 1045, was completed in December 1843 and exhibited in 1844.
6. Haydon’s first experiment with fresco was attempted on the wall of his rooms (see letter 854, note 2).
7. William Richard Hamilton (1777–1859), antiquarian and diplomat, Minister at the Court of Naples 1822–25, superintended the removal and shipment of the Elgin Marbles. He published Ægyptiaca, or Some Account of the Antient and Modern State of Egypt in 1809; it unlocked the mystery of the inscriptions on the Rosetta Stone, now in the British Museum.
8. The book was reviewed in the 15, 22, and 29 April issues of The Athenæum (nos. 807–809, pp. 357–359, 386–389 and 411–412).
9. In 1810, Wilkie had been pressed to withdraw his picture of “The Man With the Girl’s Cap” from exhibition at the Academy, on the grounds that “it was considered not equal” to his other productions. After protesting “that the disgrace of withdrawing a picture was probably greater than the harm which exhibiting it could do,” he was persuaded “that the prevailing opinion among [his] friends in the Council was, that it would be prudent to withdraw it” and consented to do so (Cunningham’s Life of Sir David Wilkie, I, 287–288).
10. i.e., the poor-house.
11. Of the Laureateship; see Haydon’s earlier comments in letter 1208.
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