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ED; E748| 44
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[To William Hayley]
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[4th May 1804]
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Dear Sir,
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I thank you sincerely for Falconer, an admirable poet, and
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the admirable prints to it by Fittler. Whether you intended it
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or not, they have given me some excellent hints in engraving; his
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manner of working is what I shall endeavour to adopt in many
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points. I have seen the elder Mr. Walker. He knew and admired
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without any preface my print of Romney, and when his daughter
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came in he gave the print into her hand without a word, and she
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immediately said, "Ah! Romney! younger than I have known him,
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but very like indeed." Mr. Walker showed me Romney's
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first attempt at oil painting; it is a copy from a Dutch
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picture--Dutch boor smoking; on the back is written, "This was
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the first attempt at oil painting by G. Romney." He shew'd me
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also the last performance of Romney. It is of Mr. Walker and
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family, the draperies put in by somebody else. It is a very
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excellent picture, but unfinished. The figures as large as life,
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half length, Mr. W., three sons, and, I believe, two daughters,
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with maps, instruments, &c. Mr. Walker also shew'd me a
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portrait of himself (W.), whole length, on a canvas about two
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feet by one and a half; it is the first portrait Romney ever
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painted. But above all, a picture of Lear and Cordelia,
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when he awakes and knows her,--an incomparable production, which
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Mr. W. bought for five shillings at a broker's shop; it is about
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five feet by four, and exquisite for expression; indeed, it is
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most pathetic; the heads of Lear and Cordelia can never be
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surpassed, and Kent and the other attendant are admirable; the
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picture is very highly finished. Other things I saw of Romney's
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first works: two copies, perhaps from Borgognone, of battles; and
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Mr. Walker promises to collect all he can of information for you.
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I much admired his mild and gentle benevolent manners; it seems
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as if all Romney's intimate friends were truly amiable and
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feeling like himself.
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I have also seen Alderman Boydel, who has promised to get
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the number and prices of all Romney's prints as you desired. He
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has sent a Catalogue of all his Collection, and a Scheme of his
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Lottery; esires his compliments to you; says he laments your
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absence from London, as your advice would be acceptable at all
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times, but especially at the present. He is very thin and
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decay'd, and but the shadow of what he was; so he is now a
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Shadow's Shadow; but how can we expect a very stout man at
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eighty-five, which age he tells me he has now reached? You
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would have been pleas'd to see his eyes light up at the mention
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of your name.
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Mr. Flaxman agrees with me that somewhat more than outline
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is necessary to the execution of Romney's designs, because his
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merit is eminent in the art of massing his lights and shades. I
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should propose to etch them in a rapid but firm manner, somewhat,
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perhaps, as I did the Head of Euler; the price I receive
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for engraving Flaxman's outlines of Homer is five
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guineas each. I send the Domenichino, which is very neatly done.
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His merit was but little in light and shade; outline was his
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element, and yet these outlines give but a faint idea of the
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finished prints from his works, several of the best of which I
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have. I send also the French monuments, and inclose with them a
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catalogue of Bell's Gallery, and another of the Exhibition, which
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I have not yet seen. I mentioned the pictures from
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Sterne to Mr. Walker; he says that there were several; one, a
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garden scene, with Uncle Toby and Obadiah planting in the garden;
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but that of Lefevre's Death he speaks of as incomparable, but
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cannot tell where it now is, as they were scattered abroad, being
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disposed of by means of a raffle. He supposes it is in
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Westmoreland; promises to make every inquiry about it. Accept,
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also, of my thanks for Cowper's third volume, which I got, as you
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directed, of Mr. Johnson. I have seen Mr. Rose; he looks, tho'
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not so well as I have seen him, yet tolerably, considering the
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terrible storm he has been thro'! He says that the last session
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was a severe labour; indeed it must be so to a man just out of so
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dreadful a fever. I also thank you for your very beautiful
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little poem on the King's recovery; it is one of the prettiest
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things I ever read, and I hope the King will live to fulfil the
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prophecy and die in peace; but at present, poor man, I understand
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he is poorly indeed, and times threaten worse than ever. I must
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now express my sorrow and my hopes for our good Miss Poole, and
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so take my leave for the present, with the joint love of my good
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woman, who is still stiff-knee'd but well in other respects.
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I am, dear Sir,
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Yours most sincerely,
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WILLIAM BLAKE
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[From the Gilchrist Life]
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