Fred.
Sunday, 1862.
Arrived here safe and sound on Thursday night, and began my work on Friday. I am making studies[23] for the "Eastern King" which I shall begin to paint shortly after New Year. I found the frame for the large "Johnny" on my return. It improves the picture very much, and looks very handsome. I also found a letter from Henry Greville waiting for me. He says the Queen bears up admirably, because, she says, he would have wished it, but that she always talks of her earthly career as at an end. The equerries, &c., will remain attached to the court.
In 1862 Leighton sent eight pictures to the Royal Academy, and six were accepted. Before the sending in he writes to his father:—
1862.
Dear Papa,—I am afraid I don't take exercise very regularly, still, I walk a little nearly every day.
With regard to the volunteering, the zeal for the matter is necessarily not what it was when every third man really expected to be called to defend the country. Nevertheless, the movement is not dead, but has found a level on which I fancy it will remain; the shooting will keep it together a good deal. We (the artists) shall join the great business at Brighton on Easter Monday.
Had I thought you would have taken my remark about the M. Angelo and the Johnnies so much to heart, I should have thought twice before I made it. Against what I said you must set the paragraph in the Athenæum two or three weeks back—my doubt is not whether they will be admired—I think they will be that—my only question is whether they will be cared for. Mrs. Austin admires and likes the M.A. beyond anything, and if she could afford it would, I believe, buy it at once.
You will perhaps be surprised to hear that the pictures from which I expect most are the three which you have not seen—the "Eastern King" and the two others I mentioned in my last. One of them is Pocock's smaller order, a girl with a swan (not with peacocks as the Athen. says)—the other is a kitcat of a girl listening to a shell. Both these are very luminous, and are in that respect the best things I have done.
And later:—