Complete Works of Wilkie Collins (2143 page)

“Boulogne,” was a design drawn from the painter’s portfolio of French coast studies, in 1829. The composition looks seaward from the Beach, not displaying the town of Boulogne, but including part of the harbour; occupied, as are also portions of the shore beyond, by picturesque fishing-boats. The figures disposed about the boats, and examining fish in the foreground, are painted with great depth and vigour; their solidity being enhanced by the pearly, delicate colour, and light aerial composition of the sky above. The picture was purchased by Mr. Hogarth.

The materials for the coast scene of “Seaford,” were gathered from sketches made during Mr. Collins’s stay there, in 1841. It is perhaps as strikingly original a work of its class, as he ever produced. A vast tract of beach, visible from high sand hills in the foreground, sweeps circularly through the middle distance of the picture: over this, and the clear green sea beyond it, fall the soft fleeting shadows — painted with wonderful lightness, transparency, and Nature — of large clouds which are rolling through the sky above; and which are seen floating in sunny, delicate masses, over the light cliffs that bound the far horizon. Seated under the shelter of one of the high sand banks in the foreground, is a beautiful group of three children, brightly and powerfully painted, and represented engaged in making a boat. The effect of this picture, whether seen from a close or a distant position, is powerfully vivid and original. Its perfect aerial perspective, its tender clearness of atmosphere, its bright purity of tone, unite to give it that complete naturalness of aspect which at once delights the eye, and conceals from it the Art by which that delight is produced. The picture was purchased by Mr. Sheepshanks.

“The Patriarch,” was an effort by the painter, in a branch of Art hitherto untried by him. It was a life-size study of the head, and part of the body of an old man; treated upon those principles of portraiture, which had so much impressed him in the works of the old masters. Painted upon this plan, the figure is designed with great vigour and singleness of effect: the tone of colour throughout the picture is deep, powerful, and subdued; and eloquently reminds the spectator of the high qualities of the school of Art that it follows. The oriental robe in which “The Patriarch” is dressed, was painted from one brought by Sir David Wilkie from the Holy Land, and presented to Mr. Collins by his sister. The picture is in the possession of the painter’s family.

Some reference to my father’s health and employments, during and after the production of the above pictures, will be found in the following extracts from his Journal of 1844:

“May 8th, 1844. — From the 2nd of November, until the 4th of April, engaged more or less pretty regularly, upon various pictures; four of which I sent to the Exhibition of this year; viz., ‘The Catechist;’ ‘Seaford — Sussex;’ ‘Boulogne;’ and ‘A Patriarch.’ During this period, my health and strength have been by no means good. I trust I may in some measure attribute occasional discontents, to the defective state of my bodily health; otherwise I must be a most unthankful being; for the mercies of a condescending Providence have during this period, as well as during my whole life, been such as to call forth one stream of gratitude and holy fear.

“After the pictures were sent to the Royal Academy, I abstained from work; and spent a week with my kind friend Doctor Norris, in Corpus Christi College. Since my return, I have painted occasionally on my pictures, in their places at the Royal Academy; and attended the private view and the dinner, the day following: all of which, I find, have been too much for my strength. On Sunday, 5th instant, had a quiet day; heard an humbling but consoling sermon from Archdeacon Manning; passing the rest of the day in perfect quietness, the house being without visitors. May 10th. — Went to Woolwich, to see some transparencies, painted by Stothard, for the fˆete in Hyde-park, in 1814, upon the visit of the foreign potentates to this country; dined afterwards at Mr. Jones Loyd’s. 12th. — Very unwell — too ill to go to church; the society and excitement of the past month, have sadly affected me. May I be more able, from henceforth, to study to be quiet. 13th. — My dear boy Charles has; this day, gone to be confirmed by the Bishop of London. God be with him, on this, to us both, most important day; and renew a right spirit in me and my child; and have mercy upon us all, for Jesus Christ’s sake.”

* * * * * *

“June 4th. — Began a small picture of ‘The Morning Bath,’ as a commencement of regular work for the season. Ill-health and broken days must now be made up for. Dined at C — -’s. Sat next to a gentleman, who seemed well informed on the
‘wholesomes.’
He told me that a very clever medical man, assured him that cancer in the nose, was not unusually the consequence of taking snuff. He had been a snuff-taker till that moment, when he left it off entirely from his fears of the consequence. I have occasionally given way to this useless habit, but will never return to it again. On my other side sat H — -, who took some highly-seasoned omelet. I asked how he could venture on such stuff; he said he could not resist it, although he knew how much he should suffer from it. He took a great deal of wine, to overcome the effects of the omelet; and assured me he should be ill for four days after such a dinner; and that he always suffered in the same way, after dining with C — -! How absurd such weakness appears; and yet how common it is! I was comparatively careful, avoiding all stimulating dishes and taking very little wine; and yet I was fevered at night. Dr. Bullar is quite right in persisting in the necessity of my giving up wine altogether; and avoiding dining out, as well as the stimulus of company and hot rooms — ’studying to be quiet,’ being, as he says, in my case, absolutely necessary, in my present state of health. 5th. — In my painting-room, hoping to be circumspect — -.”

The frequent references, in the above passages of the painter’s Journal, to the fluctuations in his health, and the precautions it was thought necessary that he should take to preserve it, proceeded from no hypochondriacal apprehensions of impending suffering, or decay. The spring of 1844, brought with it a more distressing symptom of his malady than had yet appeared, in the shape of a constant wearing cough, which resisted all remedies; and constantly interrupting his repose at night, soon weakened his strength in a palpable and serious degree. At the first appearance of this new form taken by his complaint, he struggled against it with his usual fortitude; determining — to use his own expression — ”not to sink into the mere invalid, as long as he could help it.” But after dining out one evening early in July, his cough afterwards, during the night, became so violent and unintermitting, that the conviction of his unfitness for the excitement of society was at length forced upon him. “I have dined out for the last time,” he remarked, the next morning; and he kept his word. All invitations to London society, however attractive, were from that time resolutely refused by him, on the plea of ill-health.

His next proceeding was to follow the advice of Doctor Chambers, (whom he had consulted on his case,) by trying the renovating effects of country air, and country tranquillity. For the first time in his life, he now prepared for an excursion from home; in which sketching from Nature, was not to be one of the directing principles of his journey. A few pencils and water-colours, were the only painting materials he took with him; his medical attendants being afraid that the effort and excitement of his usual and more arduous studies in oils, would neutralize the good effect, which change of air would have, it was hoped, upon his health. Under these changed circumstances he set forth, with Mrs. Collins, for the country, in July. Anglesey, near Portsmouth, on account of its dry mild air, was the first place he was recommended to try. In spite however of his anxiety to make the observation and study of Nature subservient to the pursuit of health, during his excursion, he made but a short stay at Anglesey; the dull flat scenery there, soon becoming insupportable to his eye. His journey thence was to Ventnor, in the Isle of Wight. Here, although he had firmly persuaded himself, on his arrival, that he should be able to idle about the beach, as systematically as had been recommended, he soon found that the habits of a forty years’ pursuit of Art were not to be easily suspended, amid the beautiful coast scenery which now surrounded him; and that his hand as instinctively sought his sketch-book, whenever he beheld a fine point of view, as in his best days of vigour and youth. His little hoard of drawing materials, was accordingly soon unpacked; and his pencil once more turned assiduously to its accustomed use. This resumption of his old employments was in itself not to be regretted: his pursuit of his Art was so bound up with all his enjoyments, that its entire suspension would have irritated, rather than tranquillized his system; but, viewed in relation to the locality by which it was now called into action, its effect upon his health was somewhat to be dreaded. The hilly nature of the scenery around Ventnor, obliged him to use far more exertion in exploring it, with his sketch-book, than was compatible with his enfeebled strength: already, his cough had brought with it a difficulty of breathing, which, although slight as yet, was painfully felt by him in the slowest progress up an ascent. In spite however of this new obstacle to sketching, he still proceeded, during a month’s stay at Ventnor, in that study of Nature which made the intellectual gratification of his life; bringing away with him, at his departure, several beautiful water-colour drawings; from one of which, he produced a brilliant sea-piece for the next season’s Exhibition.

From Ventnor he proceeded to Southampton, to spend a few days with his friends the Doctors Bullar, and to explore with them the fine scenery of the New Forest. While there, he was recommended to visit the little village of Shedfield, about twelve miles north of Southampton. On seeing this pretty, retired place, he was so pleased with it, that he bade farewell to his kind friends at Southampton, and determined to make some stay there. Though his sufferings from his cough still affected him as severely as ever, they could not debar him from the enjoyment of the quiet, fertile, inland scenery amid which he now resided. The bright glimpses of barn and homestead; the winding lanes, dappled with the pleasant sunlight shining through tree and hedgerow; the farmyard enclosures, with their toppling pigeon-houses, quaint old dog-kennels, and picturesque duck-ponds; the cottage gardens, bright with simple English flowers; the old cart-road over the common, — all these objects that were now spread around him, reminded him of his days of study that were passed for ever; of his early pleasures of painting that were now of the memory; of his rude, boyish sketches of hedge and farm-house, laboured hard to deserve Morland’s approbation; of all that he and his father and brother had joyfully drawn and admired together, when a few days’ holiday had led them to the country and the fields. The sketches he now made from scenery thus eloquent of the occupations of his apprenticeship to Art, were among the finest and most finished water-colour drawings he ever produced, and were striking evidences of the mastery of a great painter over the slightest, as well as the most important branches, of his pursuit. These studies formed, unhappily, the only event of his stay at Shedfield on which he could congratulate himself; for when, towards the latter part of September, he left that place to pay a short visit to Sir Thomas Baring, he departed still but little, if at all, relieved from the fatal cough which he had brought with him on his arrival.

From Stratton Park, the country-seat of his kind host, the painter thus writes to Mrs. Collins, who had returned to London from the cottage at Shedfield:

“To MRS. COLLINS.

“Stratton Park, Sept. 24th, 1844.

* * * “I met the carriage waiting for me at the station; Sir Thomas gave me a hearty welcome. At dinner, I found his son, the late Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Wells and his wife, and some others whose names make no impression. To-day I have been to my old haunts, and have returned for my sketching materials; and find, of course, that some important articles have been forgotten. They are, I doubt not, in your large basket; look for them, and send them immediately, addressed to me here.

“My movements are uncertain; Sir Thomas so kindly and heartily presses me to stay, that it may be Thursday, or even Friday, before I leave this place. The weather, which has hitherto been charming, suddenly changed this morning; and to-day, with its easterly wind and rain, reminds me of the necessity of returning to home, — a place, however attractive other places may be, having always a charm for me. I have not yet lost my cough, although it is decidedly better.

“Do not fail to send me a few lines by to-morrow’s post, even if you should have written to-day. You know I like to talk with you thus on a Sunday, when we are separated. Praying God to bless you all,

“I am, yours affectionately,

“WILLIAM COLLINS.”

Shortly after quitting Sir Thomas Baring’s, the painter visited his friend Mrs. Clarkson, at Amberley Vicarage; where he found the kindest attention unremittingly devoted to the care of his failing health. On his return to London, he wrote as follows to one of the members of the family, whose hospitality had so warmly welcomed him during his brief visit: