The Cotman Letters 1838-1864

To Walter F. Cotman. 53
Post mark - 26 April 1838.
dear interesting creature'. I hope you have her still.
Pray tell us about her, for your Mother often mentions her”. For it is
not, “Oh, we never mention her”. Her attachment to you was
very miraculous. Talking of miracles reminds me of Alfred.
He, poor fellow, turned Catholic, of all things, and wants you
to tell him about the miracle performed lately at Manchester
about the Catholics, which you, by the way, perhaps never heard of.
If you dare read him a lectureon this subject, I beg, for nothing
will go down with him but Catholicism. He is looking extremely
well, and is so. We call him the fat boy, from his likeness
to that character in Pickwick Paper. You have read these,
no doubt. They are very witty & full of fun. If not, read them.
You will laugh over these, as I did. I have been really ill ever
since you left me about 20 days ago, and I am now fast
recovering myself, my spirits & everything else besides.
The Drawing a very large one, 3 ft by 2.8 inches, two ships,
Sea & Sky by Miles, the foreground full of figures & pictures
& carpets by myself, the biggest drawing I ever made,
Price 60 guineas, but which as well as I expect it
will on the private view, I shall make. This subject is the
wreck of the Houghton Picture, consigned to the Empress of
Russia. Two others I commenced, one a view on the roof of
Flixton Hall, Mr. Adair's, full of figures of the time of Henry the
8th, and called 'The Presentation of the Rose & Sword to the Lady
of the Manor of Flixton'. A fine subject & promises to be a
very fine drawing, if so it will be 60 guineas. The other a view of
the Great Western Steamer, 225 feet long, destined to be a packet
to New York from Bristol, which passage is calculated to be
performed in 15 days!!!!!! Ann, Miles & Alfred went
with me to see his down at Blackwall. Ann will describe
the jaunt to you in this, I hope. These two are not finished
in consequence of a bad fall I had downstairs, backwards,
of about 20 feet. I only wonder I did not kill myself by it.