Cotmania. Vol. III. 1928-9

May 28. 1929. Called on the Dean of Westminster: found him closeted with the Archbishop of Canterbury. He has no first rate information about Cotman's connections with Monro. He has a beautiful Hearne drawing (w.c.) of a mill; a sepia view of the Shot Tower and Bridge - (S. M.'s house on the Adelphi is now a wine merchant's) also a great many framed charcoal drawings by Monro + his son. He told me that Mrs Coode, Ashcliffe, Bonchurch, I. of W. might help me: also F. D. How Esq Airthrie, Ch[rist] Ch[urch] Rd, Cheltenham.
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Same day. Visited B[ritish] M[useum] - looked at the exhibition of English drawings now on view. 'The Shadowed Stream,' 'Fire at the Vinegar Works,' 'Breaking the Clod,' the late 1841 'Fallen Tree' - etc. & several s[oft] g[round] etchings including the Caister Castle (unpub[lishe]d).
Saw the 'Cotman Family' vol: compiled by J. Reeve. July 14. 1806. Mr Cholmeley (Senior) writes to J. S. C. (at Norwich) 'I think & hope you may find your very pleasing invitation to Trentham not only agreeable but beneficial to you... Francis has not raised my spirits by telling us how unsuccessful a winter you have had... he seems very anxious for you presenting your scheme of painting in oils... You will now perhaps, dear Cotty, be angry when I tell you I wish your last letter had been a little more quiet & sober. Your joy seems to be to be foolishly extravagant for a very precarious advantage. We should [[be]] always be armed against disappointment, which [[I fear]] your ardent sanguine spirit I fear rarely is... This will find you safely arrived + happy at Norwich."
On Feb 24. 1811 F. Cholmeley (junior) writes to J. S. C. - "I particularly admire the Refectory door at Rievaulx, which as a work of art I prefer to any."