ladies a box at the opera, whither they were attended by
Captain Goby of their regiment, godfather to Miss, and where I had the
honour of paying them a visit. I saw your fair young cousin Miss
Newcome in the lobby with her grandmamma Lady Kew. Mr. Bayham with great
eloquence pointed out to the Scotch ladies the various distinguished
characters in the house. The opera delighted them, but they were
astounded at the ballet, from which mother and daughter retreated in
the midst of a fire of pleasantries of Captain Goby. I can fancy that
officer at mess, and how brilliant his anecdotes must be when the
company of ladies does not restrain his genial flow of humour.

"Here comes Mr. Baker with the proofs. In case you don't see the P. G.
at Galignani's, I send you an extract from Bayham's article on the Royal
Academy, where you will have the benefit of his opinion on the works of
some of your friends:--

"'617. 'Moses Bringing Home the Gross of Green Spectacles,' Smith,
R.A.--Perhaps poor Goldsmith's exquisite little work has never been so
great a favourite as in the present age. We have here, in a work by one
of our most eminent artists, an homage to the genius of him 'who touched
nothing which he did not adorn:' and the charming subject is handled in
the most delicious manner by Mr. Smith. The chiaroscuro is admirable:
the impasto is perfect. Perhaps a very captious critic might object to
the foreshortening of Moses's left leg; but where there is so much to
praise justly, the Pall Nall Gazette does not care to condemn.

"'420. Our (and the public's) favourite, Brown, R.A., treats us to a
subject from the best of all stories, the tale 'which laughed Spain's
chivalry away,' the ever new Don Quixote. The incident which Brown has
selected is the 'Don's Attack on the Flock of Sheep;' the sheep are in
his best manner, painted with all his well-known facility and brio.
Mr. Brown's friendly rival, Hopkins, has selected Gil Blas for an
illustration this year; and the 'Robber's Cavern' is one of the most
masterly of Hopkins' productions.

"'Great Rooms. 33. 'Portrait of Cardinal Cospetto,' O'Gogstay,
A.R.A.; and 'Neighbourhood of Corpodibacco--Evening--a Contadina and
a Trasteverino dancing at the door of a Locanda to the music of a
Pifferaro.'--Since his visit to Italy Mr. O'Gogstay seems to have given
up the scenes of Irish humour with which he used to delight us; and the
romance, the poetry, the religion of 'Italia la bella' for