Diary of Ford Madox Brown

The Diary of Ford Madox Brown edited by Virginia Surtees. Published in 1981.

10th February 1849. Up late through foolery the night before. Began the veil of Cordelia, only laid in a part of it when a girl as loves me came in & disturbed me¹ (3 hours).

Note 1. Very probably Emma Hill (age 19) whom he was later to marry. Though not mentioned by name she may have made her appearance as a model at the end of 1848. There exists a study of her head for Cordelia dated "Xmas/48" (Birmingham).

8th July 1849. Cleaned Brushes — waited in vain for E¹ to come back from the country. Began work after diner, scetched in some of the females preparatory for next day (5 hours).

Note 1. Presumably "Emma (age 20)".

10th July 1849. Miss wild, did nothing in consequence of forgetting the time & walking too long in the park. After diner Emma (age 20) came back, went to the play.

11th July 1849. Emma (age 20) came by 12, painted in the veil & afterwards the face from Emma the (ladye with ye red Head Dress¹) (7 hours work).

Note 1. A reference to his painting Lear and Cordela.

10th March 1855. Up at 9 to work by 11. Drew at the mans hand again, then painted in the womans glove from Lucy holding the Nurse's hand — dined, then at 4 P.M. out into back yard & painted the mans hand from my own with Lucy holding it (in a Glass). Snow on the ground & very cold. Tea in Emma's bed room she having a sore throat. Paid nurse £4, she going this even. Found the hand too small & arm to long, the eveng worked towards remedying it — but not energy enough to rub it out. Accoumpts, & this filled up since the 3rd of current (6% hours). I had a letter from Rossetti, Thursday, saying that Ruskin had bought all Miss Siddal’s ("Guggum’s") drawings⁴¹ & said they beat Rossettis own. This is like R. the incarnation of exageration, however he is right to admire them. She is a stunner & no mistake. Rossetti once told me that when he first saw her he felt his destiny was defined; why does he not marry her? He once told me that Hannay when he first knew him used to be so hard up, that he used never to be at home in the day time because of the "rent". He used to go out before the people were up & go home when they were in bed.⁴² This was constant with him & he never apparantly eat at all — when he had a little money he used to go & get beer or grog with it. Rossetti & he having been all the fore noon together found about sixpence between them on which to refresh themselves. Rossetti proposed to go to some "alamode beef" place & get as much to eat as it would afford, Hannay quite stared — he expected it was to go for beer, however Rossetti stuck out for food of a solid nature & prevailed. Hannay now does well, only is so precious idle. His satire & satirists is a delightful book & will last. They say his wife & child are very beautiful. I hope Oliver will be better looking than my two other chicks promis to be. Katty seems if she

Note 41. "Ruskin saw and bought on the spot every scrap of designs hitherto produced by Miss Siddal. He declared that they were far better than mine, or almost than anyone's, and seemed quite wild with delight at getting them. He asked me to name a price for them ... He is going to have them splendidly mounted and bound together in gold” (Letters, PP-244-5). Rossetti was aware of the encouragement this brought her.

Note 42. James Hannay (1827-73), journalist and novelist, was the author of Satire and Satirist, 1854, a collection of lectures given the previous year. Impecunious and dissipated in youth, he changed his lodgings seven times in the space of two years. His wife, Margaret Thompson (age 22), whom he had married in February 1853 bore him several children (the second, a daughter, Elizabeth, had been born on 1 Mar. ). She sat to Rossetti for Beatrice in Dante's Dream (1856).

Note 43. Eating houses in the commercial quarters of London, where stewed beef was served.

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19th February 1856. All day after the tickets for the Princess’ Theatre. In the evening went there to the Dress Circle with Emma & the 2 children & William Rossetti. Gabriel who had chiefly made up the party having decided that he could not go because he must go again that night to the strand Theatre to see a certain stunner.¹⁰ Katty after the play told William who was allud- ing to the Angels in Henry VIII “that she once saw some real angels up in the sky”.

Note 10. The Princess's Theatre was giving Shakespeare's Henry VIII with Mr and Mrs Charles Kean in the roles of Cardinal Wolsey and Queen Katherine. Meanwhile Rossetti had gone to admire his "Stunner No 1" Louisa Ruth Herbert (age 25), who was playing that evening in a "Favourite Commedietta", Time Tries all, and a farce, Never Despair.

27th January 1856. For want of a book I have omitted entries since the 6th inst. During this blank I worked two whole weeks (sundays included) at the reduction of King Lear, besides one even, also one eve at the present drawing of do. — also one good day at the "Hay Field" (100 hours). On Monday last White called but did not like the latter, said the hay was pink & he had never seen such. He seemed doubtful about the "Lear", said he would call again in a few days if I would make Kent's head & one of the officers & cordelia’s hands less red. He did not seem to have his wonted élan but ended by taking the pencil K Lear for £6.6/ minus 25 per cent discount which I now always allow him on the price. I succeeded in taking him to see Tom Seddons (age 34) pictures which he seemed to like very much but did not buy. After this he had not time to go to Woolners as he promised me, moreover he did not pay for the Chaucer picture, £45 of which still owing. He was to have paid on receiving it from Paris. Tuesday I did what he wished to the King Lear & after called on the Rossettis having a mind to try if Maria would undertake Lucy's Education inlieu of sending her to school. The room was too full to talk however & Bill with a man named Clayton⁴ jawed to nasiously about Ruskin & Art that I felt quite disgusted & said nothing.

Note 4. Owing to Emma Brown's (age 26) intemperance Brown wished Lucy to live away from home (Private Information). John Clayton (1827-1913) helped to found Clayton and Bell, glass painters, and was himself a painter on glass.

Victorian Books, Diary of Ford Madox Brown