Cotmania. Vol. XI. 1935-6

DEPARTMENT OF PRINTS AND DRAWINGS,
BRITISH MUSEUM,
LONDON : W.C.1.

My dear Mr. Kitson; many thanks for your letter and the proof sheet. I am very glad you like the photographs which will you please accept as a gift with our compliments. Would you allow me to make a small suggestion with reference to 'The Backwater'. The words 'British Museum Catalogue' are not quite correct. The Reeve Collection, although listed in the ordinary way in the Departmental Register, has never actually been published in the Official Catalogue of English Drawings, having been acquired by the Museum after Binyon published the first volume of that catalogue, containing the Cotman drawings which had been acquired only up to 1902. It would be more accurate to say that, according to the Departmental Register and the Reeve Collection Catalogue in MS. (compiled by James Reeve himself) the drawing at one time is said to have born[e] the date '1798'. I hope you won't think this very fussy or 'red-tapeish' on my part, but I do think that a lot of people seeing the passage would think of Binyon's Catalogue, which doesn't contain the drawing at all, and might wonder which B. M. catalogue you were referring to. I shall so look forward to the publication of your work, which will be a very thrilling event, when it appears, and may I beg leave to wish you all success with it.
Yours very sincerely
Edward Croft Murray.
xii.xii.xxxvi.