72 1860-1865 : PEESONAL 



Miscellanea from the correspondence of these years may 

 appropriately close this section. 

 Of a slashing writer : 



He goes like a desert whirlwind over the ground, scorching, 

 blasting and suffocating all opposing objects, and leaving 

 nothing but dry bones on the ground. The vegetation he 

 withers was one of vile weeds to be sure, but vile weeds are 

 green, and all is black after him. 



A photograph goes to Darwin on March 17, 1862, with the 

 criticism : 



As regards my Photograph, I believe I have very little 

 expression. I have often remarked that I am not recognized 

 except by those who know me tolerably well, that I have 

 often to introduce myself, added to which all my photographs 

 and portraits make me look either silly or stupid or affected, 

 Artists find nothing salient, nothing to idealize upon. Poor 

 Kichmond, who generally knocks off his chalk heads in two 

 sittings, gave me eight I think, and grumbled all the time, 

 and has turned me out a very lackadaisical young gentleman. 



In return, Darwin sends his photograph in June 1864 saying, 

 1 Funnily enough the boys declared it was like Moses ' : 



Glorified friend — Your photograph tells me where Herbert 

 got his Moses for the fresco in the House of Lords — horns 

 and halo and all. Well done William. 



Darwin had reported that all the doctors seemed to think 

 him a case of suppressed gout. 



What the devil is this * suppressed gout ' upon which 

 doctors fasten every ill they cannot name ? If it is suppressed 

 how do they know it is gout ? If it is apparent, why the 

 devil do they call it suppressed ? I hate the use of cant 

 terms to cloak ignorance. (January 1865.) 



In lighter vein he writes to Darwin on April 29 (?), 1864 : 



Frank Palgrave told me a good story last night : He 

 met a Frenchman who talked largely of art, and asked him 

 if he knew Ary Scheffer. ' Oui,' he answered, with enthusiasm, 



