xiii Wedgwood's Artistic Work 147 



them without a head, I do not know. I have 500 

 worth of vases in the oven. I packed upwards of 

 1200 worth at Burslem last year, and am nevertheless 

 as poor as a church mouse." 



In the midst of his troubles, his faithful and devoted 

 wife went to Speu Green in Cheshire to nurse her 

 father during an attack of fever, and the loss of his 

 companion tried him sorely. He went, however, to 

 join her there during a few days, in the depth of winter. 

 On the 10th of January he was at Spen Green, weather- 

 bound, while the snow was falling very heavily, but ere 

 long the recovery of the invalid enabled Wedgwood 

 and his wife to return to Etruria. 



At the same time, apart from these drawbacks, the 

 business had been very prosperous. Continuous orders 

 were coming in ; there was still the rage for vases ; 

 the demands for the Queen's ware were steadily rising ; 

 and there seemed, provided his health were preserved, 

 a sure prospect of an eventual fortune. 



