The Cotman Letters 1834
Archive: SDK Sydney Decimus Kitson Archive
Reference Number: SDK/1/3/1/3
Page: 17
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Description
Copy of letter from John Sell Cotman to his wife and children, 17 January 1834
Cotman is full of optimism for the future on the strength of his new post and support from influential friends. He sends a dress each to his wife and daughter and asks his sons to buy new suits. It is possible that the whole family will join him in London in the summer. He describes King’s College in the Strand and the views of the Thames; the Principal; and his proposed syllabus in architectural drawing, based on suggestions by Palgrave. Addressing Mrs Mary Turner, he thanks her for her support. He asks Dawson Turner for his opinion of his portrait. He values the Palgraves’ support and will endeavour to deserve it. He visited the British Museum with Bulwer. He plans a series of lectures, with Bulwer’s help. He was unable to attend the opening of the mummy Horsiesi [at the College of Surgeons]. Cotman writes to his sons of Arthur Dixon, Joseph Geldart, his own father Edmund and his nephew. He hopes to receive a letter from his children with news of his wife’s health. He now feels that he belongs to London more than ever.
Date: 1834
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Transcription
Thursday, Jan 17, 1834.
My dearest, faithful Wife & Children,
It is my great pleasure, my dear Wife and Daughter, to send you a dress each, the fruits of a good Name and most powerful Friends. Get them made up genteely and well, so that they may grace you outwardly, as your rags have graced your many wishes inwardly for years. My Lady, you are now a Professor’s wife, and must appear as such to your & my honour. Love and best affections. Get everything thereto proper and everything that you may want, and that’s no little. I too well know, my all, my everything. Get women to work for you, my Loves, and do not fatigue yourselves. Be happy & get well and return that look of love I am prepared to meet you all with. Be happy, be joyful, for the day of peace & of happiness is over us. May we all deserve such unlooked-for felicity, content & peace. My dearest Boys, Edmund, John, Walter & Alfred, get all of you new & full suits of dress to your own taste, but plain neat & gentlemanly. For you, Edmund & John, I should recommend black. For Walter & Alfred I should like & recommend a deep Blue. You, John, and my dearest Patty, will probably return almost immediately to London with me. Get a proper servant that you, my dearest Wife, may no longer be the slave you unfortunately have been; and that you may be enabled to meet a London House & Society with ease & happiness to yourself – for at Midsummer it is most likely that you will be all called from Norwich. I have Friends now most willing to serve me with purse as well as with most excellent advice – both of which I shall have no hesitation to make use of in a proper way. My views are clear & splendid – never more so. I must come in contact with the first men in the Country for talent, intellect & integrity. In all this I live, I breathe & feel a Man. This is what I have ever loved & tried to realize. It will now, with the blessings of God
