The Cotman Letters 1838-1864

139
To/ Mr F. W. Cotman.
11 Berwick St. [Saturday] Sept 12. 1839. 42 Hunter St
Brook St. Brunswick Square.
Manchester.

My dearest Walter,
My last letter to you was sent in the packing case that contained
Miles' & my pictures for the Manchester Exhibition, with a request in
it that you would on the first day lay out a shilling there (which I
would re-imburse you) & for you to criticize our works & tell us
how they looked & how they were hung - and all that sort of thing
& all the rest besides, which you have not done. Consequently you
owe me a letter, which I beg you will pay to me as soon as con-
venient, and give in it as much of your doings as you can
afford for the money. I have been going to write to you for a long time,
but I have been very busy, and, thank God, quite alive again, save
for a few rheumatic twitches that tell me, as plain as they can speak,
that they do not mean to be idle when the cold weather sets in. I do not
set them at defiance, but I do hold them at naught till they do come.
Miles & Ann have been a long time in Norfolk & I do not expect them
back again till after the 20th, when the festival will be over.
This has been for them a tolerable long serving - eight or ten weeks, I think,
at least. During this time I have cleared the Drawing Roms & Study
& am in apple pie order, with all my material well stowed away, &
compactly too - so much so that anyone coming in will hardly find
that I have anything in the room beyond drawing room furniture.
But they know nothing of this beyond my telling them I have
more ammunition in my room than ever. Consequently they will
be astounded to find my ship so clear above deck - one table full of
books 7 the folios stowed away under [ ] of petticoat seats on
either side of the piano. This will please & surprise both Ann &
Ned, I know - as it does me - for I work in the front room,
painting, or what not - & clear away in five minutes. So
much for order. It was my intention, had I gained the prize,
to have surprised you by sitting in your armchair till you
arrived {added – at} home. Tell me who has gained the prize, and send
me a catalogue, & say how they are hung and how they look.
Tell me exactly and truly.