LETTER XVII.

TO MADOX BROWN, HAMPSTEAD.

Holman Hunt’s “moonlight” was for the picture of _The Light of the World_. Rossetti’s “Giotto’s Dante” was the water-colour of _Giotto painting the Portrait of Dante_, sold to Mr. John Seddon. I am not sure as to the commissions offered by McCracken of Belfast, and Miller of Liverpool; it does not appear to me that my brother, towards this date, actually pocketed any such sum as £150. The _Dante and Beatrice_ must be the picture (intended but not executed) for which he had lately painted the background at Sevenoaks. Brown’s “School-nights” were at the so-called North London School for Drawing and Modelling. Bateman was a Decorative Artist, Edward Latrobe Bateman, who had gone out to Australia with Woolner, to seek his fortune.

Blackfriars Bridge. [1 March 1853.]

My dear Brown,

I have not seen you for an age. Can you not come down--to give you a long date--on Saturday evening? I will ask Seddon if you like, but shall not do so till I hear from you. I have just come from Hunt’s, who is dreadfully fagged, sitting up all night to paint his moonlight. Now do come. I think you have never seen my Giotto’s Dante here, which I shall not have much longer. Not that I have made any direct use of it as yet, nor am likely to do so just now, as I have got a £150 commission from McC[racken], and am in a fair way to get one from Miller of Liverpool--perhaps a better one. However, I _may_ nail him for the _Dante and Beatrice_.

I hope I shall see you. I have allowed for all obstacles--both my engagements and your school-nights--and the date is a very long one.

Meanwhile I am Yours most sincerely, DANTE G. ROSSETTI.

I saw the Howitts last night, who have heard of Bateman’s arrival at Melbourne, though not through him; but still nothing of Woolner. Have you heard anything through young W[oolner]?

P.P.S.--Please let me know in your answer (as soon as possible) whether you ever named to McC[racken] anything regarding the _prices_ which I took for those sketches now exhibiting. Ruskin has written him some extravagant praises (though with obtuse accompaniments) upon one of them--I cannot make out which--and McC[racken] seems excited, wanting it, and not knowing (or making believe not to know) that it is sold. I therefore want to be sure whether he is actually acquainted with the price I had; as, in answering him, were I to propose to do him a similar one, I should not think of undertaking it at anything like a similar price, and want to know whether it is necessary to specify that those sketches were sold to _friends_.