Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (2107 page)

Mr. Collins’s letter is expressed as follows:

“To THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE EARL OF LIVERPOOL, ETC., ETC., ETC.

“London, 1825.

“My Lord, — The great object of the foundation of a National Gallery having been achieved, and your lordship having taken an active part in its furtherance and plan, I hope I shall not be considered as taking too great a liberty in respectfully venturing to offer a few remarks upon the opportunity, now in the hands of His Majesty’s Government, of hastening the fulfilment of the prediction of Richardson — that, ‘if ever the Art should again be brought to perfection, it will be in England.’

“The plan I would propose confers a great benefit on the employed, at a very moderate expense to the employer. It is simply, my Lord, to bestow on artists of acknowledged talent those situations connected with the Institution for which, I venture to assert, they are the best qualified, and which legitimately belong to them. My plan by no means proposes the entire support of such artists in indolence, or any emolument that would not leave them still to exercise great exertion for their maintenance. Nor, however desirable such aid might be to the young student, or artists in the decline of power, would it be my object to see it conferred on either.

“The propriety of the constant attendance of respectable and responsible persons, in whose custody the national pictures might be left, would no doubt be highly satisfactory to the public; and artists are best calculated for the situations proposed, because, to them, such attendance would afford an opportunity of pursuing their studies with the greatest possible advantage to their profession; they would also, for that reason, be satisfied with a salary very considerably below what must be given, for the like attendance, to equally responsible persons in any other class of life,

“The consequences of immediate contact with such works as would belong to a National Gallery would not lead the matured artist blindly to copy merely the efforts before him, but would stimulate to the investigation and adoption of those principles which, in their result, have so constantly charmed the world — principles which, added to the intellectual choice of subject admitted to characterise the designs of our modern artists, would most assuredly add fresh influence, in a moral point of view, to the powers of Art.

“In our own times, no better instance of the success of a patient investigation of the works of the old masters can be adduced than that of our countryman, Sir Joshua Reynolds, who, with the most glorious success, added to their technical excellences a sentiment, character, and grace, not always to be found in their works.

“If it be essential, also, to the competency of the person filling the situation already proposed, that he possess judgment to decide on the merits of works of Art, the artist (imitations of whose works are constantly passed by picture-dealers on each other for genuine productions) will be the least likely to mistake copies for originals, in any new purchase His Majesty ‘s Government may think proper to make.

“Literary men, as your Lordship knows, and not booksellers, are employed as officers at the British Museum, as well as in the public libraries abroad, — and why should not painters be the fittest persons for the survey worship of public collections of pictures? It cannot be doubted that they who are most alive to the perception of the beauties and delicacies of fine workmanship, will be the most likely to keep a watchful eye over excellences which are so constantly sacrificed by the injudicious operations of those who are ignorant of the means by which such beauties are generally produced.

“It may be objected, I am aware, to a plan for the furtherance of Art by the study of the ancient masters, that those means have been already afforded with so little success in a neighbouring country; but it must not be forgotten, that
their
failure is entirely to be attributed to a want of the due appreciation of the high qualities of their predecessors, and a consequent rejection of the mode of using a National Gallery which I have ventured to urge. It is an acknowledged fact, that artists of the lowest rank have always been found most ready and eager to disparage the works of the old masters.

“It would, my Lord, on my part, be absurd to deny having, what may be deemed, a selfish view in this appeal to your Lordship; and that it is the interests of my brethren and myself, as well as of the Art, which I may seem anxious to advocate. But, when I know that an annual expense of one thousand pounds would be sufficient to satisfy at least three artists, in the vigour of their professional career, I cannot possibly let this opportunity pass of most earnestly and respectfully entreating the kind consideration of a nobleman who has so constantly evinced the warmest desire to uphold the interests of Modern Art.

“With every sentiment of respect,

“I have the honour to be, my Lord,

“Your Lordship’s most obliged and obedient Servant,

“WILLIAM COLLINS.”

During this summer the painter fixed his residence at the little village of Hendon, taking with him the important pictures for Lord Northwicke, Sir Abraham Hume, and Mr. Morrison, M. P., on which he was then engaged. To the brooks, the meadows, and the woods, surrounding this thoroughly English retirement, his happiest leisure hours were devoted. Sometimes an old friend, a fellow-student, or a patron, visited him; sometimes he repaired to the abode of Mr. Gillman, at Highgate, where its illustrious inmate, Coleridge, then assembled around him the most gifted and remarkable men of the age. Here he first met that original and extraordinary character, Edward Irving, whose preaching was at that time drawing its greatest multitude of hearers, and whose religious opinions had not then assumed the marked and startling form in which they afterwards appeared. From the discussions upon matters of worship constantly occurring between Coleridge and Irving, Mr. Collins, and others of the poet’s guests, gathered such fresh information, and acquired such new ideas, as they never afterwards forgot. Eloquent as he was upon all other subjects, neither in his conversation nor in his writings did the powerful and profound mind of Coleridge ever so thoroughly expose its secret treasures as when he spoke, or wrote, of religion. It was especially in his conversation on this subject that his brilliancy flashed out in all the blaze of inspiration — a brilliancy which wanted but a more popular direction, to shine before the world as widely and enduringly as the brightest poetic reputations kindled even in
his
glorious age.

Having been thus employed during the summer, the painter occupied himself, as usual in the autumn, in visiting his friends. After a sojourn with Mr. Wells, he proceeded to Dover Castle, the residence of his excellent friend, Mr. Jenkinson, a nephew of Lord Liverpool’s, to whom he had been introduced in the present year. From this place, he writes as follows:

“To MRS. WILLIAM COLLINS.

“Dover Castle, October 7th, 1825.

“* * * I received your letter soon after my arrival at this place, and a great comfort I found it. You cannot tell me too much of your dear self and the sweet child. It really seems a year since we parted; and, notwithstanding the longing desire I feel to return, I fear I cannot accomplish the pleasing task until Thursday, or Friday, in the next week. Mr. Jenkinson will not hear of my leaving, and I have engaged to go to Walmer Castle for a day or two.

“This place affords so many hints for future subjects, and is so far from London, that I feel anxious to take advantage, now, of all it affords. Almost all my time is spent out of doors; and I think I derive much benefit from the sea air, and the delightful situation of this romantic Castle. The view from the living-rooms is magnificent, and the attentions of my host extremely gratifying.

“Yesterday, I dined at the house of the Archbishop of Canterbury — who has seven daughters, all unmarried — and a very pleasant party we had. This evening I have returned from dining with Mr. Hutchins, with whom Miss Wilkie has journeyed to Dover; and, I am happy to say, she gives a very good account of her brother, who is at Genoa. * * *

“* * * Before I left Mr. Wells, he wished me to put a price on my picture, which I improved much while at his house; having spent all the time not devoted to exercise upon it. I proposed one hundred and twenty-five guineas as the price; which Mr. Wells thought too little, and offered a cheque for a hundred, in addition to the forty-five already received; which I would not take: and so the matter rests. * * *

“* * * I am glad to find my mother has been with you, and I hope you will let her know my plans: tell her I would write to her, did I not know- she would hear as much from you as I could put into a letter to her. Surely Hendon must be beautiful, if you have such weather now as we have at Dover. * * *

“Yours affectionately,

“WILLIAM COLLINS.”

During this autumn, the painter received, at Sir Robert Peel’s table, the first intimation of that gentleman’s wish to possess a new work by his hand which should be the most important that he had ever painted. The size of the picture, the subject, and amount of remuneration were left entirely to the painter’s discretion. Of the manner in which this liberal and flattering commission was executed, and of the circumstances attending its completion, due notice will be taken, at the period when the picture was publicly exhibited — the year 1827.

The Coast Scene, ordered for His Majesty, in 1824, was now completed: it was entitled “ Prawn Fishers at Hastings,” and was never exhibited. A boy with a little child on his back, and a girl, holding up her apron to receive the Prawns which one of the “Fishers,” is giving to her, occupy the beach in the left-hand foreground. Further out, in the middle distance, and finely relieved against the sky, are three other Prawn Fishers, pursuing their occupation among the pools of “tide-water.” The flat rocks covered with sea-weed, on which these figures are standing, extend down to the right-hand foreground, and are painted with amazing power, finish, and fidelity to Nature. High cliffs rise in the left distance; while the calm ocean occupies the right. The sky, with its various combinations of light, large, and streaky clouds, blown about by the wind into different directions, and exquisite forms, is treated with an airy grace and delicacy, which the artist never, perhaps, surpassed in any of his efforts of this class. The figures in the picture are forcible and natural — the tone of colour is pure and masterly, throughout: it is, in every respect, worthy of the place in the noble collection of works of Art at Windsor Castle, which it still occupies.

After having received the congratulations of every one who saw this work during its progress, Mr. Collins had the final satisfaction of hearing its Royal possessor express his satisfaction at his new acquisition, in a personal interview, at Windsor; whither the painter had been summoned, to superintend the hanging of his picture in the proper light. The notorious ease and affability of the King’s manners, when he was brought into contact with men of genius of any class, was as apparent in his frank and kind reception of Mr. Collins, as in all other instances. His shrewd and sensible remarks on painting; the warmth and interest with which he spoke of the prospects of national Art; and the hearty and discriminating praise he bestowed upon his new picture, were occurrences of the interview, to which the painter ever afterwards reverted, with equal gratitude and delight. But once did the King make a mistake in the course of the conversation on Art; and that was in relation to the precise bearing of the Coast, as represented in the picture. Mr. Collins ventured to set him right on this point; and the propriety of the correction was acknowledged with the most perfect good-humour. Indeed, the constant anxiety of this cultivated and high-spirited monarch, to profit on matters connected with Literature and the Arts, by the advice and opinions of professors of each science, was an interesting and remarkable trait in his character. On some occasions his patience was put to the test, in this manner of acquiring knowledge; and on none more frequently than when consulting on matters of Art, with his architect. Sir Jeffrey Wyattville; whose odd bluntness and hastiness, contrasted amusingly with the polish and temper of his Royal master. At the time when alterations were taking place in the Tower at Windsor the King gave some directions, not at all in harmony with Sir Jeffrey’s taste: accordingly he put the King’s plan on paper, but coolly followed his own, in reducing it to execution. When the work was completed His Majesty saw it, and immediately expressed his pleasure at seeing that his directions had been so well followed. Most men would have let the matter rest here: but Sir Jeffrey was determined not to hide his light under a bushel; and taking up the Royal plan that he had rejected, observed triumphantly as he showed it to the King; “If I had done as your Majesty desired, this would have been the effect!” — The King smiled at his architect’s determination to keep to his own opinions and to gain all the credit for them; and quietly replied, as he laid down his despised plan:- “Well, Wyattville, I suppose I must acknowledge that you know best!”