nt of you all. I believe some great folks are coming here in
December, which Sir George dreads, as they so much interfere with his
painting habits; for no artist can be fonder of the art."

"_November 25th._--My very dearest love, I hope nothing will prevent
my leaving this place to-morrow afternoon and that I shall have you
in my arms on Thursday morning, and my babies; Oh, dear! how glad I
shall be. I feel that I have been AT SCHOOL, and can only hope that
my long absence from you may ultimately be to my great and lasting
improvement as an artist, and indeed in every thing. If you have any
friends staying with you, I beg you will dismiss them before my
arrival."

We have already said we have no intention of going through the meagre
incidents in the life of Constable. He was elected an Academician in 1829
after the death of his wife, which took place the year before. Much as he
was pleased at the attainment of the honour, he could not help saying, "It
has been delayed till I am solitary and cannot impart it." He could not
add with Johnson, "until I am _known_ and do not _want it_;" for probably
no painter of equal genius was at that time less generally known in his
own country. Two days before, he writes, "I have just received a
commission to paint a _mermaid_ for a _sign to an inn_ in Warwickshire!
This is encouraging, and affords no small solace after my previous
labours on landscape for twenty years."

His death took place in 1837.

"On Thursday the 30th of March, I met him at a general assembly of
the Academy; the night, though very cold, was fine, he walked a great
part of the way home with me. The most trifling occurrences of that
evening remain on my memory. As we proceeded along Oxford Street, he
heard a child cry on the opposite side of the way: the griefs of
childhood never failed to arrest his attention, and he crossed over
to a little beggar girl who had hurt her knee; he gave her a shilling
and some kind words, which, by stopping her tears, showed that the
hurt was not very serious, and we continued our walk. Some pecuniary
losses he had lately met with had disturbed him, but more because
they involved him with persons disposed to take advantage of his good
feelings, than from their amount. He spoke of these with some degree
of irritation, but turned to more agreeable subjects, and we parted