The Cotman Letters 1834

Addressed to Mr. J.J.Cotman.
[in pen: Feb: 17, 1834.]
St. Martins at Palace.

My dear Brother,
Sunday.
I am just returned from Thorpe where I have been taking tea with Dixon, after a hard day’s work at removing books from the lockers into the closets under the library in the Keeping room I have just managed to arrange it, have unpacked half (I mean half the length of the room) and have stowed it all away – it was a hard job though! and I was rather tired but could not resist the tempting request of “walk with us to Thorpe”, from J.G.
He and A D had just returned from Felthorpe. They walked over – dined – and came riding home half frozen. J.G. is drawing away hard and fast at the figure. I have lent him the studies of the figure we have (at least some of them) to copy he succeeds capitally. We were talking of you and wondering what you were doing, whether you had been to hear Mr. Bulwer? A.D. said perhaps you had, J.G. perhaps not.
Oh! Your flowers are doing beautifully the scarlet Geranium that has promised to flower for so long a time has at last performed the feat. I gathered it and carried it carefully to Dixon as the first fruits of our greenhouse, he was exceedingly delighted. The Verbena Melinbres’s [sic, i.e. melindres] too go on growing well the large one is freshed up very much and I think will live.
Carlo! (I must tell you about Carlo) is gotten so fat and surly that he will hardly go out even with me unless one of your friends accompany me – then I have to tempt him.
Monday. I have now done clearing the second half of