Page:Life of William Blake, Gilchrist.djvu/254

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LIFE OF WILLIAM BLAKE.
[1804—1805.


out, and have accordingly been to Mr. Walker, who is not in town, being at Birmingham, where he will remain six weeks or two months. I took my Portrait of Romney as you desired, to show him. His son was likewise not at home, but I will again call on Mr. Walker jun., and beg him to show me the pictures and make every inquiry of him, if you think best. Mr. Sanders has one or two large Cartoons. The subject he does not know. They are folded up on the top of his workshop: the rest he packed up and sent into the North. I showed your letter to Mr. John Romney to Mr. Flaxman who was perfectly satisfied with it. I seal'd and sent it immediately, as directed by Mr. Sanders, to Kendall, Westmoreland. Mr. Sanders expects Mr. Romney in town soon. Note, your letter to Mr. J. Romney; I sent off the money after I received it from you, being then in health. I have taken your noble present to Mr. Rose, and left it with charge, to the servant, of great care. The writing looks very pretty. I was fortunate in doing it myself, and hit it off excellently. I have not seen Mr. Rose, tho' he is in town; Mr. Flaxman is not at all acquainted with Sir Allan Chambre; recommends me to inquire concerning him of Mr. Rose. My brother says he believes Sir Allan is a Master in Chancery. Tho' I have called on Mr. Edwards twice for Lady Hamilton's direction, was so unfortunate as to find him out both times; I will repeat my call on him to-morrow morning. My dear sir I wish now to satisfy you that all is in a good train; I am going on briskly with the Plates, find everything promising; work in abundance; and if God blesses me with health, doubt not yet to make a figure in the great dance of life that shall amuse the spectators in the sky. I thank you for my Demosthenes, which has now become a noble subject. My wife gets better every day. Hope earnestly that you have escaped the brush of my Evil Star, which I believe is now for ever fallen into the abyss. God bless and preserve you and our good Lady Paulina with the good things both of this life and of eternity. And with you, my much admired and respected Edward the Bard of Oxford, whose verses still sound upon my ear like the distant approach of things mighty and magnificent, like the sound of harps which I hear before the Sun's rising, like the remembrance of Felpham's waves and of the glorious and farbeaming Turret, like the villa of Lavant blessed and blessing. Amen. God bless you all, O people of Sussex, around your Hermit and Bard. So prays the emulator of both his and your mild and happy temper of soul.

Your Devoted,
Will. Blake.