He gladly accepts help, the post of Limner to the Grillions is a useful position that should not be lost. He will be back in London for the summer months and will need a studio, before returning to Rome in the winter.
There are no new English painters in Rome of note, but talent is constantly arriving from Spain. Discusses pigments, available in Rome, that George may wish for. He has been busy on his picture, painting draperies with the help of lay figures. He now studies nature "with no great master in mind". He feels that the French are advantaged by their visits to the east, painting models out of doors. The Academy suffers by the lack of such opportunity.
They have been busy entertaining. Talks of election news, particularly concerning the Oxford election contest involving
Roundell Palmer and
Mr. Mowbery [
sic]. He oftens remembers
Mr. Giles saying that
Gladstone would do more for the Church if England than anyone. The execution of [Monti and Tognetti] has caused great consternation all over Europe and may bring down the Papal "dynasty". He sympathises with the men, hoping the Italian parliament will "come down on Rome", the French and the Pope. "Natural and manly feelings" of "liberty of opinion and expression" have taken a hold of him.