Sending thanks for the money. He cannot work on his Royal Academy picture as his studio is too drafty.
Costa has lent one of his for as long as he wants. For now he will work up a sketch from a design of boys playing playing quoits. His doctor thinks he should stay in Rome until the summer. Little wonder he felt knocked about after spitting blood, considering
Charlotte's illness. Their quarters are lovely,
Tom sent him a copy of
Blake's poems. He is also trying to read
Michelangelo's sonnets in Italian. He thinks that striving for the unattainable unites all great artists. The Royal Academy should pay for some young fellow to copy the great works in Rome, to hang around the painting school.
He is delighted to hear about [
Sir Edwin Landseer's] lions,
Palgrave and
Woolner will boil with indignation.