Letter from Gerard Manley Hopkins to Alexander William Mowbray Baillie, discussing his meeting with Baillie's cousin, Mrs. Cunliffe; his impending trip to Wales; his visit to the Junior Water Colours and the British Institution; etc.

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Letter from Gerard Manley Hopkins to Alexander William Mowbray Baillie, discussing his meeting with Baillie's cousin, Mrs. Cunliffe; his impending trip to Wales; his visit to the Junior Water Colours and the British Institution; his adventures in Wales; and his reading and writing. Written: Oak Hill, Hampstead, London, England ; created: 20 July, 14 August 1864

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[side note at top of page:] Bond sends his love.

[at head of page]: I TRUST YOUR HONOUR NOT TO READ the lines scratch ed out below

July 20, 1864 August 14.

Dear Baillie Gerard M. Hopkins Aug. /64

I wrote solely, under stand me, solely, because I know that you are feeling in your bones that I shall not write. I have no time to write, I shall now lose my second, but let that pass; I will prove there is no truth in osteomancy if I die for it.

I have met your cousin Mrs. Cunliffe. I was introduced to her by our friends the Marshalls with whom - I was going to say she is staying, but she is living near them here. I am to meet her at dinner at the Mar shalls. She asked me to call on her: I went once and she was out, and on account of this invitation shall to meet her at dinner shall not

Last edit about 6 years ago by John B Howard
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go again. She seemed a most engaging lady. But then she is your cousin. She COMPREHOOD who I was by my photographeme which you strangely said was not like me.

I am going to Wales, Maentwrog, Merionethshire, on the 1st of Aug ust I think, not the Lakes. If you hear nothing to the contrary direct to Miss Roberts, Pen-y-lan, Maentenrog, Merionethshire, North Wales, after that day. I am adscrib ed third into Alfred Erskine and Bond.

Since writing the above I have been invited by the Marshalls, but un happily the Cunliffes cannot come. I am therefore to call, as before, which shall be today.

I went yesterday to the Junior Water Colours and the British Institution

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(Old Masters.) The latter were charm ing. I had a silent gush before a Gainsborough; 'an' 'opipiatwv ebtaza mnyas of admiration. There was a portrait for a handsome young gentle man by Leonardo (it is most know ing of all to write it Lionardo), a Baptism of Our Lord by Luini, exquisite grace refined almost into effeminacy. There were numbers of Gains boroughs, Sir Joshuas and Romneys. Romney is like them. Five Nelas quezes, a Murillo, a Gurbaran, many Canalettos, which I have now unbared; you cannot deceive your self with you see "the Rotunda, Ranelagh" or Westminster Bridge whatever you may do in Venetian pictures. But I have invented a Canaletto with genius. His name is Guardi. If you see any of his

Last edit about 6 years ago by John B Howard
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things do not pass them by. The colour ing is no warmer than Canaletto's, but the difference is vasty. There were also Carlo Dolces, a Sasso Ferrato, Correggios, Rembrandt's Mill, Vandycks, Wouvermans, Teni erses, Hobbimans, a charming Cuyp, Holbeins, and a fine early lands cape painter we have, Crome of Nor wich. There was a landscape by Sir Joshua Reynolds, curiously. Also Sir Thomas Lawrences, Sir Peter Lelys, and Sir A.W. Calcotts.

Nothing that I could see at the Junior Water Colours worth seeing, excepting Jopling's "Huffy" and a view in the East by Lelbin which is the most intense effect of colour I ever saw in water colours. But I must not bore you with pictures.

I went to call on Mrs. Cunliffe; she was not in but sent me

Last edit about 6 years ago by John B Howard
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a note asking me to lunch with them next day. I went, and was introduced to Miss Lyall and her future husband, Bradley Al ford, brother of the Dean of Can terbury. She is said to have every accomplishment, except sing ing and drawing that, civilization has yet divised for several and separate ladies. To be brief, she is a fair monster. She can repeat a whole canto of Dante which she has read the once through the day before.

Her eyes and stockings are of hea venly blue.

Her t

Brown are her tresses and her studies too.

She is to her brother as Hyperion to a satyr, I mean as Manade de Staël to besenius' Hebrew Lexicon. Seriously she is attractive and un Lyallistic. Mrs. Cunliffe is a

Last edit about 6 years ago by John B Howard
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charming person. I did not see her hus band. I was so amused by their all, I mean Mrs. Cunliffe, Miss Lyall and Mr. Alford, Talking of feeling in their bones, "why, they asked and"ing, etc. etc.

From the top of this page has been written at Pen-y-lan, Maen-twrog, Merionethshire, where I arrived last Monday, Aug ust 1st. I have had adventures. I was lost in storms of rain on the mount ains between Bala and Ffestiniog. It really happened what is the related in novels and allegories, "the dry beds of the morning were not turned into the channels of swollen torrents," etc. At last a river ran across the road and cut me off entirely. I took refuge in a shepherd's hut and slept amongst the Corinthians.

Last edit about 6 years ago by John B Howard
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