I attempted every morning for a fortnight together to follow your dictate, but when I found my attempts were in vain, resolved to show an independence which I know will please an author better than slavishly following the track of another, however admirable that track may be. At any rate, my excuse must be—I could not do otherwise; it was out of my power!
I know I begged of you to give me your ideas, and promised to build on them. Here I counted without my host. I now find my mistake!
The design I have sent is:[1]
A father, taking leave of his wife and child, is watched by two fiends incarnate, with intention that when his back is turned they will murder the mother and her infant. If this is not Malevolence with a vengeance, I have never seen it on earth; and if you approve of this, I have no doubt of giving you Benevolence with equal vigour, as also Pride and Humility, but cannot previously describe in words what I mean to design, for fear I should evaporate the spirit of my invention.
- ↑ The watercolour drawing described here was formerly in the possession of Mrs. Alexander Gilchrist, and now belongs to her daughter, Mrs. Frend. The scene is a cave mouth by the side of a lake, on a moonlight night. A young traveller, staff in hand, is parting from his wife and infant. Two assassins (a man and a woman) of hideous aspect, with daggers in their hands, are crouched behind rocks at the mouth of the cave.
