The Diary of George Price Boyce 1852

5th January 1852. To Clipstone Street. New model, beautiful girl of North Irish extraction, Miss Ryan, a dark though warm glowing clear complexion, lovelv dark eyes, and fine though womanish features and very black hair. She fainted away during the sitting, which was only of about an hour. Mr. Topham [aged 43] introduced me to the meeting of the Graphic Society, at the Flaxman Hall, University College?'

23rd January 1851. Aug. Mordan is lodging at a doctor's of the name of Girtin, son of poor Girtin the water-colour painter, and companion of Turner. He has promised to get me to see his drawings if he has any of his father's. Copying Turner's 'Liber Studiorum.'

24th January 1852. Called on Mr. Chas. Smith, who said he remembered seeilig when an Academy student many of Sir John Soane's architectural drawings with fore and backgrounds by Turner, and in particular several very clever views by the latter of the interior of the Bank when roofless and the scaffolding in it. He thought also Mr. Bouverie must have a lot of architectural drawings with backgrounds by Turner.

25th January 1852. (Sunday). Mr. Evans preached a good sermon on the question of St. Paul and his conversion? Mother spoke to me touching my gloominess. I had nothing to answer. How little do my friends with whom I make effort to be cheerful and pleasing suspect that my heart and soul are adrift and lost in a sea of unaccountable and indefinite longings and regrets. Music, and now and then a line of poetry, are almost the only things that seem to agitate the deeper springs of my nature.

My dear and good father also spoke to me this morning, but some evil spirit within me prevented my confiding in him to the full—I told him I thought I should be happier if I could go into a beautiful part of the country and there live quietly and work diligently for a time. He said he would do anything to benefit me, and acceded to my proposition.

4th February 1852. Anne returned to Henry James a book he had given her, as he had just returned to her the "Tupper's Proverbial Philosophy" which she had given him.

5th February 1852. To Islington, to Mr. Girtin's, 48 Canonbury Square, to see a goodly collection of his father's [Thomas Girtin] drawings; all of them interesting, many beautiful, some very excellent colour in two or three of them. Among the most striking were Kirkstall Abbey in the last gleam at evening, a canal in early morning, an old mill, a barn reflected in a pond—trees and distant country (roof of barn reflected which couldn't be). Mrs. G. said that instead of the painter being a dissipated character he was a most exemplary one—was a teetotaller from his 16th year; enjoyed refined society and differed strongly in taste from his friend, G. Morland. Mr. G. showed us a very fine drawing of Lincoln Cathedral and old houses and shops in front of it, by Turner, dated 1795 or 1796—fine in every respect, purity of colour and effective light and shade, gradation of tones and faithfulness of drawing astonishing?

6th February 1852. February 6. Drew at Clipstone St. from the little beauty, Miss Ryan. Anthony said he thought she was the prettiest girl he had ever seen.

13th February 1852. Mr. C. H. Smith told me that a rainbow always subtended an arc of 84 degrees from the eye, and the centre of that arc would be the centre of the shadow cast by the head from the sun, so that in the morning and evening a large segment is seen and scarcely any in midday. A rainbow can only be correctly introduced when the sun is diametrically at your back.

3rd March 1852. Tom Seddon [aged 30] showed me the drawing by G. Rossetti [aged 23] he spoke to me about? I was so pleased with it that I decided on having it at once. Some very fine colour about it independent of its other merits. I am to give 5 gns. for it.

25th March 1852. With Clayton [aged 24] to the R.A. to hear Leslie's 5th lecture on landscape painting, but in reality on the works of Cozens, Girtin, Constable and Turner, exquisite examples of which lined the walls. Crowded audience. Spoke to Frith. Came across J. E. Millais [aged 22], only knowing him by sight. Leslie said that Constable painted almost entirely out of doors, lived in the country. Made many studies of skies (some fine ones on the walls) the sky being the key note of the picture. Gave names to the trees about him, and used to speak of a graceful ash called by him "the young lady who died of a broken heart," having had an ugly board nailed to its side with the warning "Trespassers Beware."

1st April 1852. Drew at Clipstone St. Subjects for the evening, "Springtime" and "Assistance." Dalziel showed us beautiful drawings on wood blocks, by Gilbert.ll

30th April 1852. Drew at Clipstone St., and remained for the grand supper this evening, about 30 present, amongst them Wingfield (the Chairman and soul of the affair), Sleigh, Dalziel (who sang "George Barnwell"), Pasquier, Sydney Parry, Williams, Alfred Taylor, Jenkins, Leigh, of Newman St., who responded to the toast to the Visitors, proposed by Wingfield, (the latter making a most amusing reply to his health drinking), Carl Haag, Earl (desperate brandy drinker), Brodie, Young, Goodall, Glass, King (who sang two admirable mediæval songs). After Dalziel had sung In a flurry I began "Giles Scroggins," his song he called upon me. stumbled part of the way through it, and broke down.

9th June 1852. Went with Joanna [aged 20] to an evening party at McArthur's. Mrs. and Helen Field were there; the former, as usual, behaved very distantly and rudely to me, saying goodnight to Helen and Joanna and not noticing me who sat by them. Fortunately she left before supper appeared, and I had some very pleasant chat with Helen who is as pretty, artless, and winning as ever; and with none of her mother's low-bred pride. Recommended Ruskin's "Modern Painters" to Helen's reading.

11th June 1852. Fanny McArthur and Helen Field paid us a visit. I feel if I were much with Helen I should grow desperately in love with her again. She looked over my Welsh sketches and was much interested in some of them. How I should like to have told her that I could think of no greater pleasure than roaming about with her in these lovely lonely places.

23rd November 1852. Spoke to father for first time touching my desire to take a studio somewhere, as it would be of great advantage to me in my professional progress. After a little hesitation and objection he and mother seemed to fall in with the notion, but recommended my sleeping at home.

22nd December 1852. (Furniture moved into the 1st floor apartment at 60 Great Russell St.)

30th December 1852. Went down to Dante G [aged 24]. and William Rossetti's chambers at 14 Chatham Place, Blackfriars Bridge. Met there Wells [aged 24], J. P. Seddon [aged 25], Clayton [aged 25], and Mr. Munro [aged 27], Mr. Stephens [aged 25] and Mr. Hughes [aged 20]. Rossetti showed me his studio but none of his works (which is his way). He had for our entertainment a series of anastatic drawings designed and coloured by the Hon. Mrs. Boyle, some of which as beautiful in feeling, natural simplicity, and colour, and in poetical treatment as almost anything I have seen. They illustrate a nursery rhyme. Also a quantity of Gavarni's works, and a grand and most striking mask of Dante taken from a caste of his face in death; a tracing of his head in Giotto's fresco with the eye imperfect; a pen and ink sketch by Millais from Keats' "Isabella." In the physical way, roast chestnuts and coffee, honey, and hot spirits. His room has a jolly balcony overhanging the river, the reflection of the lights on the bridge and quays, etc., were charming. Conversation throughout delightful, resulting methought from the happy and gentlemanly freedom of the company generally. There was only one of D. G. Rossetti's works to be seen in the room, and that was a sketch, study of a man, back view. Gabriel Rossetti invited me to his studio next Thursday.