Cotmania. Vol. IV. 1929-30

altation. Or that he copied the Dove drawings in Monro's house? Sandby Munn's earliest style seems to have been based on Underwood not Girtin. Did not J S C himself cut 'Cotty' in the Brandsby tree? Are you certain that he visited Dunster with Bulwer? (I agree that it's probable.) And did the world ignore him with inexplicable inconsistency? Surely your own article not only shows that he wasn't entirely ignored but goes far to explain why he was ignored to the extent that he actually was.
But these are only my pencilled marginalia? They don't effect your actual contribution which is very great. I congratulate you on this the first installment of your outputting + I shall not desist from [stirring?] you to put out more.
The false Toledo turned up again at Christie's this week. Daniel caught me looking a it + we both regretted the modern way of resurrecting all an artist's poorest offscourings & the damage that they do to reputations. I have the same sad experience with Mr Raphael: heaps of his drawings which used to be assigned away from him on grounds of quality are now being, probably rightly, worse luck! , restored to him.
I am hideously busy at the B. of E. & if I sally forth into a sales room it is only to meet Randall & Duke hungrily searching out for the same rubbish as I find of interest. But, at present, no Cotmans.
Agnews have a superb Girtin. Probably you've seen it.
Yours ever,
Paul Oppé