ROYAL ACADEMY.

35

live together at Dr. Wilson's, two rooms firstfloor.

Mr. Haydon has given me some precious advice, in fact more by half than I could have expected from a father. If I ever do anything the family will be indebted to him.

I am your dutiful Brother,

WM. BEWICK.

London, Jan. 12th, 1817.

DEAR BROTHER,-You will please to excuse my writing much at present, my time is so much engaged. Since I last wrote you, a circumstance has occurred concerning me at the Royal Academy. On Monday I took a drawing there, desiring to be admitted a student,—the man at the door asked me if I had a letter of recom

mendation, I said, No. You would have got in much better if you had had a letter from a Royal Academician or an Exhibitor.' I told him I had none, and that if my drawing was not sufficient to gain my admittance, I must be content. I went to tell the circumstance to Mr. Haydon; he advised me to go back and give the porter a shilling, but I despised this

underhanded bribing work, and determined to take my chance.

I called a few days, after and heard to my surprise that my drawing was admitted. I naturally asked to have it, but I was told I could not. What they mean by this, I don't know, as it is not the usual method: it must have been that they think I am not able to do another as well. I hope I shall do better, and that the Academy will prove a useful place for study.

You will have heard that my mother received a letter from Mr. Haydon. I wish I could describe my feelings at receiving such friendship from this great man. He has even gone so far as to lend me money; and when I offered it him again he would not take it. I told him I really did not know how I should be ever able to recompense him for all he had done for me. His answer was, 'Only be industrious, and suceeed in your art, that is all I require.' Think, dear John, what must be my feelings to be thus honoured by such a man, while his acquaintance is courted by all the noble in the land. Write me the first opportunity, and say if you are

STUDENT IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 37

determined to stay in Newcastle; I hope to see

you in London.

I am, dear brother, yours affectionately,

WILLIAM BEWICK, jun.

Extract.

London, March 16th, 1817.

DEAR BROTHER,

I last Monday set my name down as a student

in the British Museum.

London, March 30th, 1817.

DEAR BROTHERS,-Your letter of the 24th inst. I received safe, enclosing 21. for which I return you my sincere thanks and hope it may be soon in my power to refund it together with the 51. you have already lent me.

You desire me to tell you how I am circumstanced. In answer: the last money I received from Darlington was 5l., the remainder of the other payment for the last picture I did for Jas. Janson, Esq. (I have got 157. for it.)

What I am to do now I really don't know. I was at Mr. Haydon's to tea on Monday last. We talked matters over, he thought like a father, and with as much concern as if I had

38 STUDENT'S TICKET FOR THE ACADEMY.

really been his son, he confessed to me that he only had 57. left. 'However,' says he, 'I'll let you have five shillings, that will help a little :' think of a man like this letting me have five shillings out of the only 5l. he had.

He likewise offered to pass his word for the payment of a quarter-year's living at an eatinghouse; but as I was so unsettled, and did not know whether I should change my lodgings, I thought it not advisable to accept his offer, and it seems much better to pay as I go on, as I should not like at the end of three months not to be able to pay.

A few weeks ago I paid a visit to Geo. Allan, Esq., M.P.* and had a glass of wine with him. I am to go with him to Mr. Haydon's to see his much-talked-of things.

My student's ticket for the Academy is sent to be engraved. There is one gentleman, about twenty-three years old, who has drawn in the Academy seven years; another, aged twenty-one, has drawn three years, and the Council have thought them not admissible for their ticket yet. They are very particular now, not as they used to

*For South Durham.

be. My drawings, unknown to me, were sent in to the Professor of Painting; he said he liked them very much the man who was in the room at the time told me all he said, which I need not repeat here.

I told Haydon of it, and he said it looked like something when the Professor took notice of me. Tell the Professor,' says he, 'plumply, if he speaks to you, that you are a pupil of mine, I want it to be known.' What must I feel, John, when Mr. Haydon rejects so many young men who come to him with letters of recommenda- . tion, and who have offered him large sums of money one young man came recommended from Edinburgh. Mr. Haydon (as he says) soon found out what he was, and recommended him to begin immediately with portraits.

I shall finish dissecting next week.

I am, dear brother, yours affectionately,

EXTRACTS.

W. BEWICK.

London, May 30th, 1817.

DEAR JOHN,-I intended to have written

to you last night, but being out to tea, it was