progress of the Museum, in 1857, at the outset of the long vacation, I was greatly struck with the beauty of the building he showed me, one on which he was then engaged the new debating room of the Union Debating Club. Thinking of it only as his beautiful work, and without taking into consideration the purpose it was intended for, (indeed hardly knowing of the latter) I offered to paint figures of some kind on the blank spaces of one of the gallery window bays; and another friend who was with us, William Morris, offered to do the same for a second bay. Woodward was greatly delighted with the idea, as his principle was that of the medieval builders, to avail himself in any building of as much decoration as circumstances permitted at the time, and not prefer uniform bareness to partial beauty. He had never before had a decided opportunity of introducing picture work in a building, and grasped at the idea.

"In the course of that long vacation, six other friends of ours-Edward Burne Jones, Arthur Hughes, V. C. Prinsep, John Pollen (the painter of the lovely roof of Merton Chapel), R. S. Stanhope, and Alexander Munro, joined in the project, which was a labour of love on all our parts-the expenses of materials alone being defrayed from the building fund. Each of the five painters took one window-bay, and the sculptor the stone shield above the porch, and the work proceeded merrily in concert for several months.

"The subject taken for illustration throughout was the ancient romance of the Morte d'Arthur, and the pictures were painted on a large scale in distemper. The roof was also covered with a vast pattern-work of grotesque

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creatures by Morris, assisted by amateur workmen, who offered on all hands, chiefly University men who stayed 'n Oxford that 'Long' for the purpose.

"The work was, as I said, done for its own sake, and therefore, after that long vacation spent on it, could only be resumed when other business on the part of its various members rendered it possible. All were however bent on completing it,-a perfect scheme having been drawn out for the whole series, of which several bays still remained untouched, though I had myself made designs. for two, besides the one I in great measure carried out. However, the owners of the building, a set of youths, among whom some had taste and feeling, but these not the majority, and with whom of course we had held no sort of council on the matter,-grew impatient in 1859, two years later, and applied to me to suggest that some one of us should consent to complete the series from my existing designs, for which (i.e. for the carrying out) I must say they stated themselves willing to pay. We held a counsel on the matter, and one or two among us agreed to go down and fill the empty bays at a stated period, charging only a sum sufficient to cover the price of materials. We could not however agree on all points, and they then requested me to lend my designs to another artist of their own to work from. This I refused, and they employed this person to fill the remaining spaces from his own designs: which I have never seen, but hear are wonderful exceedingly.

"Thus ended this jovial campaign on which I might give you more details but have said too much already; my business being with Woodward. . .

"Woodward built the new Crown Insurance Office, in New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, close to my studio. It seems to me the most perfect piece of civil architecture of the new school that I have seen in London. I never cease to look at it with delight; and the decoration designed by Pollen and executed by Woodward's excellent trained workmen, the Brothers Shae, is worthy of the building.

"

Dante G. Rossetti, who was furnishing Alexander Gilchrist with biographical details of the young architect Woodward, for an (obituary) notice goes on to say: "I must have been the last friend who saw Woodward in England, as he called here, after we had long been unseen by each other, on his way to the station, going this last time to Paris. I am sitting now in the place, and I think in the chair, he sat in, to write this. If I am ever found worthy to meet him again, it will be where the dejection is unneeded which I cannot but feel at this moment; for the power of further and better work must be the reward bestowed on the deserts and checked aspirations of such a sincere soul as his.

"No doubt the work by which his name must at any rate be preserved, is the Oxford Museum. I know how much there is in this building with which he himself was greatly dissatisfied-the influences at work in its direction being in great measure inartistic, not only to the extent of indifference, but of antagonism. Carping and opposition had wearied him partially of a work on which he entered with the warmest enthusiasm; but still, it is in the main a very noble one, and worthy of its purpose. Many faults in it, were things traced to

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their sources, are not his at all; but committed in his absence by the presumptuous interference of Oxford Dons, to suit each man's fancies for his own depart

D. G. Rossetti, in the next letter, speaks of his own affairs, especially alluding to one-Plint, a Leeds stockbroker, and purchaser of Rossetti's pictures, who died suddenly, after having just paid a big sum of money in advance for pictures not executed. His death therefore, and the demands of his executors, caused harass to the artist in his money affairs. D. G. Rossetti had, however, a knack of keeping duns and the importunate at a distance. He writes :-"That Plint business has become the plague of my life. . . . G. talks about law. I shut him out as yet; but don't know what will happen. I should like to consult with you; could you look in Monday morning and see my daub, which gets on fast now? Of course it is of the genus daub strictly; but not so bad now, I hope, as before, and sure to improve with the last touches.

"It seems there is some stir in the Times about Llandaff, which I have not seen. . . In response to an invitation from Alexander Gilchrist to go into the country, Gabriel Rossetti writes :

"10th July, 1861.

"My wife is staying with the Morrises for a littleso such 'outs' as I am able to make are made there. But I really must manage one with you, and will write again soon. I could not get to the Cheese' the two days you named, and had no idea you had made a stay in London. My own work seems to drag on as usual.

I have just finished the water-colour of Johnson, and have nearly finished the large head which I have made into Fair Rosamond,' and have been doing some cartoons for glass, for the shop." [This was the name Rossetti and the other sleeping partners constantly applied to the firm Morris and Company.]

"P.S.-My wife is about the same and has not got into the country again yet, I'm sorry to say, as she's had to sit to me a good deal. I hope you have good news of Mrs. Gilchrist and the little ones. out whether Munro is 'one of us' yet. I saw him, he told me his intended had and I don't know whether this may have put off the wedding, but hear no further news.

I can't make The last time

been very ill,

"Both Wells and Boyce have told me to thank you most warmly for your excellent notice of Mrs. Wells, which also gave me the greatest pleasure."

Mrs. Wells-wife of the Academician, and sister of G. P. Boyce was a gifted designer, who died in 1861. Talking of the Life of Blake,' Gabriel Rossetti says: "I am glad you approve of my rather unceresays:-"I monious shaking up of Blake's rhymes [the editing of Blake's poems, i.e., the correction of Blake's grammar]. I really believe that is what ought to be done-perhaps with a word of general explanation.

"I would like much to show you my picture finished, as it will not be fit to see till then-great alterations going on to the last.

"On the tenth I send it to the architects, Pritchard and Seddon, 6, Whitehall, and I should think they would have it on view there for a day or two, before