THE LIFE OF CONRAD MARTENS 



with a picture of exactly a corresponding figure to the amount of 

 their ticket the balance was paid. This occurred in two instances, 

 and gave me an extra ten pounds, my share of the actual Art 

 Union subscriptions being fifty pounds. Since that time, however, 

 I have sold but one drawing, nor have I at present any pupils ; in 

 short, something else must be thought of to keep the pot boiling 

 till better times come round. I think I can say for certain that 1 

 shall not leave this place for any neighbouring colony, desirable 

 though it might appear to be for the time." 



Without doubt, a deep affection existed between Conrad 

 Martens and his brother Henry. In a kindly letter to his sister 

 Mary Ann, who, from the context seems to have been well-to-do, 

 he dismisses her rosy descriptions of society at Bath the Bath of 

 Mr. Bantam with the reflexion that he would rather have word 

 from her that she had assisted their unfortunate brother. " Your 

 duty is plain," he writes, " you cannot but see it ; think not of 

 early indiscretions, but assist him in any way that you can ; and 

 if in money matters, I entreat you to do it voluntarily and in a 

 kind manner, for that will at once double the value of it." Henry, 

 characterized as " long out of employment," seems to have got 

 into more scrimmages than ever he put into his pictures. Pro- 

 bably his genre in painting had fallen out of the vaward of the 

 fashion, and the Peninsular War was now forgotten by all but its 

 veterans. Emigration seemed the only way out for him, and 

 Martens expected him in 1850. But his letter alone arrived, for 

 Henry never emigrated ; and all we know of him further is the 

 date of his death, 1860. The letter seems to have asked for 

 further particulars as if his intention was still to " make the 

 plunge " and Martens, in reply, suggested the bringing of " what 

 articles of crockery and hardware you might want, viz., knives and 

 forks, teapot and coffee ditto, or any useful things in Britannia 

 metal, with teacups, plates and dishes, would be a good invest- 

 ment. I don't know what price clothing may be in England 

 now, but I have to pay here, for a good well- cut pair of trousers 

 of what is called doeskin, made for me by the best tailor, thirty- 

 two shillings. Coats are of all kinds and materials now, but I 

 should quote them from fifty shillings upwards. 



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