The Cotman Letters 1834

distance of tops of chimneys seen through five London trees, as black as soot, that stand on the premises (poplars of course.) The front Rooms all good for painting in, never having the Sun, & all lightsome – barring fogs & dark days. In every respect the House is very, very much better than I even hoped for, & in every way convenient for domestic purposes, as my dear good wife will find to her astonishment and gratification. To your family am I indebted for all this! to my kind pupil, the amicable Lady Palgrave! I shall only want her & Sir Fra[nci]s to call & see how happy she has made us, to add to her happiness & ours –
I have been a long time very sensible of Mr Brightwen’s kind recollections of me by receiving orders for Drawings from his Friends. I beg you will do me the favour to thank him most kindly & to say that I shall be most happy to see him when in London – and to present my respects to Mrs Brightwen, whom I have to thank for that most heart-healing quotation, that is rarely from my thoughts. I once asked you to put it into Latin for me. I should like to adopt it as a motto. It is – “Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity.” My wretched nervous feelings have all left me and if I do not sleep it is only from thinking of what I shall do on the morrow. And I see pictures finished before they are commenced on paper. I am now as eager to work as I was once indifferent, nay, hated the very sight of pictures, Drawing Books & all that belonged to them!!! I walk under ladders. I don’t care when, by chance, i put the left foot into the right shoe, and don’t think it ominous if my hat blows off, etc. But I have my Black Cat still for luck, who is very fond of me & I of her.
In short, my dear Friend, I feel myself master of my own thoughts & actions. No slight comfort, I can well attest, & in the best terms now with all my family. The reverse of which was at one period so bitter to me. I threw down the olive and it was taken up with the best grace. My son, John, has been working very hard copying the Old Masters here and is determined, if possible, to succeed as an artist.