1 8 4 S VISIT TO TURNER 263 



before their ring at the bell was answered. At 

 last an elderly person opened the door a few 

 inches, and asked them suspiciously what they 

 wanted. They replied that they wished to see 

 Mr. Turner. The door was immediately shut in 

 their faces ; but after a time the person came back 

 to say that they might enter. When they got 

 into the hall she showed them into a room, and 

 forthwith shut the door upon them. They then 

 discovered with some dismay that this apartment 

 was in total darkness, with the blinds down and 

 the shutters up. After a prolonged interval, they 

 were told they might go upstairs. Upon arriving at 

 the topmost storey they perceived Turner standing 

 before several easels, and taking his colours from 

 a circular table, which he swung round to get at 

 the paints he required. He was painting several 

 pictures at once, passing on from one to the other, 

 and applying to each in its turn the particular 

 colour he was using, till it was exhausted. 



After showing them all that there was to be 

 seen, Turner vouchsafed the explanation of the 

 treatment which they experienced upon entering 

 the house. He said that the bright light outside 

 would have spoilt their eyes for properly appre- 

 ciating the pictures, and that to see them to 

 advantage an interval of darkness was necessary. 

 At this stage of the interview Broderip had to 

 leave for some engagement, and then an event 

 took place which Owen declares that none of his 



