able's early and steady friend, Archdeacon Fisher--an admirable
judge of art, and himself a very respectable artist. His excellent
sense--his kindness--his generosity--which laboured to make its object
forget the boon, or at least the benefactor; his strong attachment to his
order, yet with a clear perception of the drawbacks inherent in the
English hierarchical system; the caustic and somewhat cynical turn of his
remarks on contemporary art--communicate great spirit, liveliness, and
interest to his letters. In many things he resembles Paley, of whom he
seems to have been a warm admirer. He had a thorough appreciation of the
excellences of Constable, both moral and professional; but he had a keen
eye also to the occasional weaknesses, want of method, and inattention to
trifles, which now and then disfigured them. "Pray," he enquires on one
occasion, "how many dinners a-week does your wife get you to eat at a
regular hour and like a Christian?" "Where real business is to be done,"
said he, speaking of and to Constable, on another occasion, "you are the
most energetic and punctual of men. In smaller matters--such as putting on
your breeches--you are apt to lose time in deciding which leg shall go in
first."

Such an adviser and critic was of the utmost use to Constable; for he
never failed to convey to him his candid impressions and advice--and they
were generally just, though not always followed. Being of opinion that
Constable was repeating too often the same effects, he writes: "I hope you
will diversify your subject this year as to time of day. Thomson, you
know, wrote not four summers, but four seasons. People get tired of mutton
at top, mutton at bottom, and mutton at the side, though of the best
flavour and size." This was touching a sore point, and Constable replies:
"I am planning a large picture, and I regard all you say; but I do not
enter into that notion of varying one's plans to keep the public in
good-humour. Change of weather and effect will always afford variety. What
if Vander Velde had quitted his sea-pieces, or Ruysdael his waterfalls, or
Hobbima his native woods? The world would have lost so many features in
art. I know that you wish for no material alteration; but I have to combat
from high quarters--even from Lawrence--the plausible argument, that
_subject_ makes the picture. Perhaps you think an evening effect might do;
perhaps it might start me some new admirers, but I should lose many old
ones. I