WOOLNER

telling him that the Baron Grant called on me a day or two back and told me that he had bought your bronze group, and I pleased him very much by showing him an old engraving of it done in 1756. I called to show it to you but you were about to wing your way Northwards. The Baron called to give me a commission for a bust for a public place - How tired I am growing of busts it is impossible for me to describe! I have had so many years drudgery at them, I feel, without egotism, that I am now fairly entitled to do something better, and you are The person to whom I naturally turn to help me out of The Slough of Despond. If I could never do any poetic work, and had no chance of doing anything but portraiture, I should prefer giving up Art altogether, for I am sick of faces, faces, face, and not always the most beautiful! The admiration which you expressed for my 'Virgilia' with the commissions for 'Elaine' and 'Ophelia' encourage me to hope you will do what you can to help me towards this 'consummation devoutly to be wished'. You may in the transaction of your business help me in two ways, by buying my pictures, and helping me to sell my poetical works. With the exception of some sketches and old pictures that would be of no use to you I am willing to sell the whole collection; - what do you say?... Of course my object is to get a sum to invest that I may have something to rely on while I do poetical work and to enable me to refuse portraits, except an important one occasionally..., 4 sides 8vo, 29 Welbeck Street, 18th January