VISIT TO TURNER 
263 
1845 
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. U pon 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 
