, it is
him. I am fast advancing a beautiful little copy of his study from
nature of a little grove scene. If you, my dearest love, will be so
good as to make yourself happy without me for this week, it will, I
hope, be long before we part again. But, believe me, I shall be the
better for this visit as long as I live. Sir George is never angry,
or pettish, or peevish, and though he loves painting so much, it does
not harass him. You will like me a great deal better than you did.
To-morrow Southey is coming with his wife and daughter. I know you
would be sorry if I were not to stay and meet him, he is such a
friend of Gooch's; but the Claudes, the Claudes, are all, all, I can
think of here. * * * The weather is so bad that I can scarcely see
out of the window, but Friday was lovely. I shall hardly be able to
make you a sketch of the house, but I shall bring you much, though in
little compass, to show you. * * * Thursday was Sir George's
birth-day. Sixty-nine, and married almost half a century. The
servants had a ball, and I was lulled to sleep by a fiddle."

"_November 18._--My dearest love, * * * I was very glad to hear a
very nice account of you and my dear babies. * * * I shall finish my
little Claude on Thursday; and then I shall have something to do to
some of Sir George's pictures, that will take a day or two more, and
then home. * * * I sent you a hasty shabby line by Southey, but all
that morning I had been engaged on a little sketch in Miss Southey's
album of this house, which pleased all parties here very much. Sir
George is loath to part with me. He would have me pass Christmas with
him, and has named a small commission which he wished me to execute
here; but I have declined it, as I am desirous to return. Sir George
is very kind, and I have no doubt meant this little picture to pay my
expenses. I have worked so hard in the house, that I never went out
of the door last week, so that I am getting quite nervous. But I am
sure my visit here will be ultimately of the greatest advantage to
me, and I could not be better employed to the advantage of all of us,
by its making me so much more of an artist. * * * The breakfast bell
rings. I now hasten to finish, as the boy waits. I really think
seeing the habits of this house will be of service to me as lo