Sophia And Pierre In The Electoral Palatinate

Jean-George Noverre (1727-1810)
by Jean-Baptiste Perronneau. Source: Wikimedia Commons

In 1760 Jean-George Noverre moved from Lyon to Stuttgart to take up an engagement with Charles Eugene, Duke of Württemberg. It was here that Noverre's career achieved its apogee following the publication of his Lettres sur la danse et les ballets (Lyon, 1760). Many of his ideas on the ballet d'action in this treatise were influenced by David Garrick (1717-1779), with whom he had spent two years in London from 1755. 

We know from the 1768 correspondence between Jean Monnet, former director of the Opéra Comique, and David Garrick that Mademoiselle Auselin had danced (circa 1765) at the opera in London. In 1766 she moved to Stuttgart to work with Noverre. After a brief engagement in Paris in April 1768 it is recorded in the same correspondence that she intended to travel to the Electoral Palatinate and the court of Charles Theodore, Prince-Elector and Count Palatine.

There is a confusing note on Pierre d'Aigueville's presence in the Electoral Palatinate. In La culture française à Francfort au XVIIIe siècle (1914), Bettina Strauss refers to the ballet master Pitrot, whose real name is Pierre d'Aigueville of Verseilles. It is possible that Pierre adopted this name but it provokes many questions. Jean Baptiste Pitrot (1729-1809) was active in Brussels, Lille, Ghent, Liège and became ballet master in the Hague in 1762. His elder brother, Antoine-Bonaventure (1727-after 1792), pursued his career throughout Europe and even worked in Russia. So, either this ballet master was Pierre or was perhaps Antoine-Bonaventure Pitrot.

The latter seems more likely, but in Festschrift zu Goethes 150. Geburtstagsfeier (Frankfurter Verein für Geschichte und Landeskunde, 1882) states that Pierre was usually called on playbills, "the famous Monsieur Pitrot." But, confusion aside, Pierre and Mademoiselle Auselin may have both performed in this region of Europe. Mademoiselle Auselin's engagement at the court theatre may have been somewhat briefer than her time in Stuttgart. Pierre was performing in London, partnered by Mrs. King, on the 1 November 1768 and both he and his wife were discharged by Garrick in the middle of the 1773-1774 season. Somewhere in between Madame d'Aigueville found time to give birth to James. His year of birth is given between 1770-1773.

I've often wondered whether Pierre was the price that Garrick paid to get Sophia who would "make much impact" on his theatre and if Garrick's theatre was the price that Sophia paid for Pierre.

The Humour Of Alan d'Egville

I feel that Internet shopping should never be allowed to replace the experience of visiting a bookstore. Blackwell's Online Bookshop is convenient but cannot compete with the otherworldly experience of descending into the Norrington Room. The elegant entrance to the shop in Broad Street hides more secrets than the Leaky Cauldron. 10,000 Square feet were excavated beneath Trinity College Gardens where three miles of shelving form the nexus to many magical worlds.

Buying books on the Internet evokes a similar sense of guilt to microwaving a supermarket ready meal. But as there are - maybe surprisingly - some good ready curries to be had there are independent used book dealers who sell the work of authors which would be rarely found in a local store. This allows both the work and the bookseller to exist in a world where high sales volumes and small percentages are survival.

eBay not only provide a market place for those wishing to auction their unwanted gifts and clutter but is a window for traders selling at a fixed price. It was here that I found the Batting Bunny... In anticipation of your question, no, I don't know. Maybe the owner lives in a world of cricketing rabbits.

The reason why this dealer was listed by Google is because the Bunny is selling a first edition of Money for Jam or How to be a Magnate by Alan D'Egville - published by Cassell in 1947. This posting isn't intended as an advertisement for either eBay or the Bunny and there are other dealers who presently stock this title.

I will devote a future posting to the life of Alan Hervey d'Egville (1891-1951). Amongst his works are other humourous books on sporting subjects and contemporary issues, a screenplay and his cartoons.

Photo by the Batting Bunny

In Money for Jam, Alan describes himself as the author of, among other titles,

"Business English as she is spake."
"Commercial Correspondence as she is wrote
"Book-keeping for pleasure and profit - and loss."

There are some other imaginary titles subtly aimed at the private secretary which no longer seem appropriate but would certainly appeal in 1947. And on that note, "Miss Jones, come in and take down everything I say..."

News Of James' Libel Action Spreads

The Sydney Gazette And New South Wales Advertiser,

Wednesday 7 November 1827.

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS, JUNE 8.

LIBEL.

D'EGVILLE  V. RICHARDS.

  This was an action brought by Mr. D'Egville, the ballet-master of the Italian Opera-house, against the defendant, Mr. Richards, the ostensible proprietor of the Age Sunday Newspaper, to recover a compensation in damages for a libel inserted in that Paper.

  Mr. Patteson opened the pleadings and Mr. C. Philips stated the case. The Learned Counsel said, that he did not appear so much the professional advocate, as the friend of the plaintiff, who had chosen him to conduct his cause rather from having known him, than from any doubt of the talents of the learned Gentlemen sitting around him. When the Jury were acquainted with the nature of the libel, they would have no doubt it was calculated to injure the character of the plaintiff. The libel was obviously written and published with an intention of wounding his feelings, and throwing a stigma on his reputation. Mr. D'Egville was not more admired by the public for his talents as an artiste, than he was esteemed by his private friends for his amiable qualities. He (Mr. D'Egville), as ballet-master of the Opera-louse, composed a ballet in three acts, called Le Siege de Cythere, which became exceedingly popular. The third act was acknowledged to have been taken from a piece which had been composed by M. Dubervalle. Had the libel in question only attacked the professional character of the plaintiff, in all probability the present action would not have been brought; but the defendant had thought fit to publish in his Paper, what he must have known was a false and calumnious attack on the private character of the plaintiff, who was compelled, in vindication of his reputation, to appeal to the laws of his country.-The defendant had an opportunity of justifying what he had published, the plaintiff haying proceeded by civil action, instead of having prosecuted him criminally.-This course gave the defendant an opportunity of pleading the truth of what he had published, if there were any truth in his assertions; but he had not thought proper to put such a plea on the record, nor had he condescended to answer the action by Counsel. The friends of the true liberty of the press would not desire to see it supported, if it exceeded the bounds of fair criticism, or reflected on the private character of individuals. If such a system were encouraged, the press, instead of being a blessing to the country, would become a curse. The plaintiff, as Ballet Master of the Opera House, received a salary of £1,500 per annum; in addition to which he derived considerable sums from different noblemen and gentlemen, whose families he taught dancing. It was of the utmost importance that his character should be above suspicion: and, being so grossly attacked by the defendant, he was compelled to resort to an action, to prove to the world that the attack was founded only in malice. The libel in question arose out of a pretended criticism of Mr. D'Egville's Ballet, Le Siege de Cythere, and the defendant thought to shelter himself by making it appear that the libellous observations were written by a Correspondent. Mr. D'Egville had repeatedly offered to drop this action if the defendant would give up the author of the libel, but he had refused; and he (the Learned Counsel) was warranted in asserting that the libel was the production of the defendant's own pen. The Learned Gentleman read the libel, which was inserted in the Age, of the 11th of March last, under the head of " Notice to Correspondents,"-as follows:- " A reference to the ballet at the King's Theatre is inserted, in justice to all parties. I do not presume to write a critique-; but only to give you information you may not possess. The ballet at the Opera on Tuesday last, was impudently asserted in the bills as the composition of D'Egville, ‘Siege de Cythere,’ when it was originally composed and produced by M. Dubervalle. The only credit due to D'Egville is the extraordinary memory to have so closely followed the original in every scene, group, and action, unless he made memoranda at the time, which I presume was ihe case. The writer of this was in Dubervalle's ballet when first produced ut the Old Pantheon, and thinks D'Egville can only copy, not compose. For example, his previous billet of Rose Blanche was originally performed at Oudinot's two-penny theatre on the Boulevards, expressly for the revolutionary gentry of 1792, about the martyrdom of the Princess Lamballe and others, when D'Egville was very conspicuous in Paris, and accused of being the bosom friend of the murderer that carried that unfortunate Princess's head on a Pole." -The Learned Counsel said, that this was the libel for which the plaintiff sought compensation at the hands of the Jury, and he believed that a more atrocious and unprovoked attack never was made on a respectable man.-It was as false, too, as it was calumnious.-The plaintiff so far from being active in promoting the revolution, was conspicuous in the ranks of loyalty, and had hazarded his life in the service of the unfortunate Monarch who then filled the throne of France. He put it to the honour of the Jury, as to what must be the feelings of the plaintiff when he saw himself represented as the bosom friend of the greatest monster and most blood-thirsty wretch that figured at that sanguinary period-a fiend, who was not satisfied with the massacre of the innocent of all ages, and of both sexes, but had become the butcher of a corpse! As soon as the plaintiff became acquainted with the publication of this libel, be applied to the defendant to give up the name of the writer, as the libel purported to have come from a correspondent. This the defendant refused; and having slandered an amiable man, he refused to apologise, or to appear to defend the action, in person or by Counsel. The Jury, under all the circumstances, would say what was a fair compensation the plaintiff ought to receive for the injury attempted lo be done to his character by this atrocious and malignant libel.

  Witnesses was culled to prove the proprietorship and publication of The Age, and a witness proved that Mr. D'Egville was the Ballet Master at the Opera House-and among other successful ballets, he had produced Le Siege de Cythere.

  The Chief Justice summed up the case. To charge the plaintiff with being the intimate friend of a man concerned in one of the most sanguinary murders recorded in the history of modern times, was a gross libel. The defendant having admitted the falsehood of the statement by not pleading the truth of that statement, the Jury would say what was fair compensation to the plaintiff for the injury.

  The Jury gave a verdict for the plaintiff-Damages 150l.

National Library of Australia

http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2189307

Auselin or Anselme: A Problem Of Palaeography

Among the problems one encounters when trawling the Internet for information is just how many tasty snippets slip through the mesh of the net. My strategy when searching, particularly when using a proper noun, is to break the word down into as many permutations as possible. This can improve the quantity of the results because some old documents were acquired by the likes of Google as images.

These can be thought of as similar to the photographs produced by a digital camera. So, if you've ever been in a record office and photographed a baptism record you might have taken it home and then typed out all the information but kept the image as a memento.

The out of copyright documents in Google Books usually have an option to display these kind of images as a text that one can cut and paste into a word processor. If you haven't tried this then follow the link to Monnet's letter to Garrick (14 April 1768) and then click on the "Plain text" option. This is done by a process known as Optical Character Recognition (OCR). If you've gone through the laborious process of typing out the text from your photos you will be pleased to know that there are OCR programmes available on the Internet.

It doesn't take long to discover that even when the original is a clearly printed document the process of converting an image to text makes frequent mistakes. When the original is a handwritten document or a cursive font has been used then there are usually many more mistakes to correct.

Human beings encounter similar problems in information processing. I've been working with original documents since a 1975 school history project on the Battle of Worcester and paleography is often just as baffling as that first adventure. I both expect and enjoy this challenge as some people enjoy crosswords. On first reading the naturalization act of James Hervet d'Egville I wasn't disappointed. I found it equally tantalizing when a dance historian told me that he had almost "fallen off his chair" when he had read the maiden name of James' mother.

At that time I'd very little knowledge of dance in the eighteenth century so I had no idea what he could mean other than it must be something very interesting indeed. So when I tried to make out the grey photocopy of a handwritten original I remained firmly in my seat. The legibility was such that I had to give it a second glance and the name that I read, "Ansaume," meant nothing to me.

Even after a quick Google Anseume or Anseaume meant little more and I had to burrow among the Google Books to get an idea of who he was. Rather than explaining I will leave you to explore this yourself if you are unfamiliar with him. It's enough to say that he was a significant figure in the Opéra Comique and might make a person fall off a chair. But it did not add up; for all sorts of reasons he could not be Sophia d'Aigueville's father.

I returned to the copy of the manuscript and to first principles. I looked for analogues of the letters among known words and eventually deciphered the name as "Anselme." The Anselme family of the Hague were even more difficult to find for the theatrical layperson - but I could easily understand that she too might make a person fall from a chair. For as many reasons as Ansaume was wrong she was definitely right - not least because Sophia Baptiste Anselme's collection of names fits with Jame's mother and there is the Hague connection.

I'm now interested to read a different interpretation of the name, "Auselin," from some of our contributors. I never wed myself to a particular hypothesis to the extent that I can't get a "quickie" divorce and I will certainly be returning to the manuscript. I will be happy to tear up some of my previous work if necessary. It is probably worth noting that Genlias - the Dutch genealogical database - doesn't return any results for Auselin today. I have used this phrase because it has given me differing results on different days. However, records from the Hague are not included.

The OCR process readily interprets "Anselme" as "Auselin" even in text which is obvious to the human brain. The autograph manuscript of M. Monnet's letter to Garrick has now become an object of desire for me but a visit to the Hague is a necessity.

Mother Sophia In Paris

Jean Monnet (1703-1785) was director of the Opéra comique from 1743 to 1757, although the theatre was closed down by the authorities from 1745 to 1751. During the period of closure Monnet was, in 1745, director of the theatre at Lyon and in 1748 was director of a French troupe in London where he is known to have returned in 1766. As he refers to Mademoiselle Auselin's engagement at the Opera in London two or three years previously in his April 1768 letter to David Garrick it possible that he saw her there.

In 1762 the Opéra comique merged with the Comédie-Italienne and moved from the Foire Saint Germain to the Hôtel de Bourgogne. Performances at the Hôtel de Bourgogne began in February 1762 and it is here that Mademoiselle Auselin would have appeared in April 1768.  By then the direction of the company had passed to the Société d'artistes. Regretably, there are no further references to her performance - or any other - in Gallica or César.

"Miss Auselin, who danced at the Opera in London two or three years ago, arrived here a few days since: she has a strong enough engagement at the court of the Elector Palatine: the Directors of our Opera House have engaged her to dance three times, I saw her again yesterday, I like her better than Miss Allard. She arrived from Stuttgart, where she has worked for two years with Noverre: I think she would make much impact on your theatre, if you need it, I will try to get her for you for next season."

The private correspondence of David Garrick with the most celebrated persons of his time, Volume 2. H. Colburn and R. Bentley, London, 1832

The entire letter appears below:

DE M. MONNET À M. GARRICK.

À Paris, ce 14 Avril, 1768.

Je Vous préviens, mon ami, que vous recevrez dans les premiers jours du mois prochain tout ce que vous et Madame Garrick m'avez fait demander par Antonio Carara. C'est le nommé Roch de sa connoissance qui veut bien se charger du tout; mais qui ne peut partir qu'à la fin de ce mois. A propos de Carara; descendroit-il de cette illustre famille de Padoue dont le chef fut empoisonné en prison par les ordres de la république?

  Vous direz, je vous prie, à Madame Garrick que je lui envoie par cet homme tout ce qu'elle a désiré, a l'exception de l'étui à curedent et des boucles à soulier; attendu que ces sortes de choses se font mieux et plus solidement en Angleterre qu'en France. Madame Sayde tire cette marchandise de Londres, c'est à dire les petites boëtes de chagrin-verd: quant aux boucles on les fait, et je compte qu'elle les aura dans le mois prochain.

J'ai ajouté aux livres que vous m'avez désignés un ouvrage nouveau en deux vol. sur les Sauvages, et un drame intitulé "La Vestale." Les comédiens François avoient reçu cette pièce, mais la police n'a pas voulu en permettre la représentationJe crois que vous pouvez en tirer parti pour vôtre théâtre.

Pourquoi ne souscrivez-vous pas pour les Métamorphoses d'Ovide, représentées en une suite de cent quarante Estampes in 4°.? cet ouvrage est digne de vôtre bibliothèque. Je vous en ferai passer le Prospectus; si vous jugez à propos de souscrire, comme je connois les graveurs de cet ouvrage, vous aurez de belles épreuves. Vous devriez aussi prendre le Dictionnaire de Musique de Jean Jacques Rousseau, qui paroît depuis peu avec succès.

J'ai payé à Mr. de la Combe ce que vous lui deviez pour l'Année Littéraire; je n'ai pas souscrit pour l'avenir, ne sachant pas si vôtre volonté est de continuer pour cette feuille.

Le Kain a été fort malade: il va jouer quatre ou cinq fois; ensuite il ira prendre des eaux à Forges, et pendant son absence on donnera " La Gageuse," comédie nouvelle en un acte de Mr. Sedaine, sujet tiré de la première nouvelle de Scarron. Le même auteur a fait aussi une pièce pour les Italiens, qui a pour titre " Le Déserteur;" quand l'une et l'autre seront imprimées, j'aurai soin de vous les faire tenir.

Mon ami, j'aurois la plus grande envie de vous aller voir cette année, et j'y suis fortement invité par Messieurs Thornhill et Lascelles, mais je ne le peux pas: partie remise à l'année prochaine, sous la condition que vous viendrez celle-ci à Paris passer un mois; ce peu de tems ne vous privera pas du plaisir de jouir de vôtre campagne que je crois charmante à présent par la réparation que vous y avez fait.

Je vous ai déjà parlé des effets que vous m'avez laissés dans un mauvais coffre; que voulez-vous que j'en fasse? je serois d'avis de vous envoyer par la première occasion les deux habits de soie, l'un de lustrine et l'autre verd galonné d'argent; j'y joindrai la veste de cirsaca blanche et or ; ce qui restera sera fort peu de chose.

Je vous enverrai aussi une note des petites avances que j'ai fait pour vous et Madame Garrick: nous ferons nos petits comptes en déduisant ce que vous avez payé pour moi au Sieur Guillaume Webb négociant, &c.; et dans la suite je serai très exact à vous envoyer les prix sur chaque chose dans les commissions dont vous voudrez bien me charger. En voici une que je vous prie de me faire le mieux et le plus promptement possible. Mr. Greuze que vous connoissez, Peintre, voudroit avoir un habile graveur de vôtre manière noire. Si vous pouvez lui trouver un jeune homme sage et très habile qui veuille venir à Paris, il le logera chez-lui, et il lui fera un bon parti. Mr. Greuze vous fait bien des compliments, et il compte toujours vous faire un petit tableau qui vous arrivera au moment que vous y penserez le moins. À propos de tableaux, je vois bien des difficultés pour pouvoir faire graver le vôtre; on me demande fort cher; mais je ne concluerai rien sans vôtre avis. D'ailleurs ce portrait (entre nous soit dit) a beaucoup de défaut dans les mains et les jambes surtout; il n'y a que la tête qui est belle et pleine d'expressions.

Au nom de Dieu, mon ami, ne faites point de grâce à Mr. Mant: je ne veux pas en être la dupe; envoyez y Carara jusqu'à ce qu'il en soit payé.

  Le jeune Barthelemon me doit trois louis: par une lettre qu'il m'a écrit, il me demande à qui je veux qu'il les remette. Je vous prie de vous en charger.

Quant au fromage que vous voulez absolument m'envoyer; adressez le tout naturellement à Mr. de Vimeux négociant, à Calais.

  Mademoiselle Auselin, qui a dansé il y a deux ou trois ans à l'Opéra de Londres, est ici depuis quelques jours: elle a un engagement assez fort pour la cour de l'Electeur Palatin: les Directeurs de nôtre Opéra l'ont engagé pour danser trois fois, je l'ai vu répéter hier, je l'aime mieux que Mademoiselle Allard. Elle arrive de Stutgard, où elle a travaillé deux ans avec Noverre: je pense qu'elle feroit beaucoup d'effet sur vôtre théâtre; si vous en avez besoin, je tâcherai de vous la faire avoir pour la saison prochaine.

Mr. de Voltaire, qui a écrit contre le Vieux et le Nouveau Testament depuis Moïse jusques au dernier des Prophètes, qui a traité ouvertement Jésus Christ comme un charlatan, vient de communier à son château de Ferney, et de faire un sermon à ses habitans sur l'ivrognerie et la friponnerie: il est vrai que quelques jours avant il avoit été volé, et qu'il avoit fait un rêve où le Diable l'emportoit avec tout son monde. Que Mr. Wilks, proscrit, et ayant manqué de respect à son Roi, parvienne à faire trembler vos ministres et à se faire recevoir membre du Parlement! Je ne vois que lui et le Roi de Prusse pour prendre des mesures aussi justes.

Mon ami, présentez mon respect et mes amitiés à Madame Garrick. Répondez à tous les articles de ma lettre; et aimez-moi toujours.

Monnet

Blackbeard's Servant

Frontispiece Black Beard - Courtesy of Paul Douglass

Paul Douglass is Professor of English and American Literature at San Jose State University and includes British Romanticism (Byron Studies) among his research interests.  He and Frederick Burwick of the University of California, Los Angeles maitain the Romantic-Era Songs website. It was here that I found the treasure of Blackbeard; or, The Captive Princess (Longman and Broderip, 1798) composed and adapted for the piano by John Sanderson (1769-1841), scenario and songs by John Cartwright Cross (d.1810?).

This "grand ballet spectacle" was performed at the Royal Circus where Caesar, Blackbeard’s servant is described a pantomime role played by Mr. d’Egville. Given George's later reputation as a pantomimic actor it is perhaps he rather than James or Louis who appeared as Caesar.

In 1972 characters and scenery cutouts from Blackbeard the Pirate; or, The Jolly Buccaneers, was reprinted by Pryor Publications (Whitsable, Enland). It seems that the original was probably published in the 1830s by Pollocks’ Toy Theatres Ltd, of London. According to Douglass, "the imagery is consistent with other depictions of the costumes and sets in the original production." So, the cutout character of Caeser (far right, first row below) may represent Mr. d'Egville.

Back cover of Blackbeard the Pirate; or, The Jolly Buccaneers
Courtesy Paul Douglass

Synopsis of Black Beard downloaded from the Romantic-Era Songs website. 

THE Piece commences with the carousal of Black Beard and his Crew in the Pirate’s Grand Cabin, they descry a Sail bearing the Mogul's Colours, conveying the Princess Ismena and her Lover Abdallah – they are taken. Black Beard becomes enamoured of the Princess, and separates them: – They steer towards the Straits of Madagascar, where he has deposited his Riches in the Care of Orra, his Wife, to whom, on his landing, he introduces the Princess. Orra watches her with a jealous Eye, but dreading her Husband’s ferocious Disposition, with seeming Complacency receives her. In the Interim he gives Orders that Abdallah shall be dispatched – the Commands are received by William and his Sweetheart Nancy, the affectionate Female, who had followed his Fortunes in Disguise, and when taken by Black Beard, both became reluctantly Pirates. William recognizes in Abdallah, a Friend who had redeemed him from Slavery, and gratefully in return, aids his Escape – the jealous Orra seduces lsmena, under a Promise of Freedom, to a sequestered Spot, where she attempts her Murder, but is prevented by Black Beard, who plunges the Dagger, intended for the Princess, in his Wife's Heart – her Lover, wandering near the Spot, is wounded by Caesar (Black Beard's faithful Negro) in endeavouring to rescue his Mistress, who is conveyed once more for Safety on-board the Pirate. Her wounded Lover meets with Lieutenant Maynard, (Commander of the Pearl) who, being in Search of the Pirate, learns the Inlet where he has anchored, and determines to attack him – mean Time BlackBeard endeavours, by every Art, to seduce Ismena – but is interrupted by the Apparition of his murdered Wife – he views her with Horror, but has scarce Time to reflect, when he learns his Ship is about being boarded by the British Captain, he gives lsmena to the Care of Caesar, commanding him to lodge her in the Powder-Magazine, and should the Captain be victorious, set Fire to it, and blow them all up together, which he is on the Point of accomplishing, when his Hand is arrested by Abdallah. The British Captain, after an obstinate Engagement, plunges the piratical Monster into the Sea. Abdallah is restored to his faithful Ismena, and British Valour and Humanity conspicuously triumphant.

From “The Songs, Duets, Glees, Chorusses, [sic] &c. In the popular grand Spectacle of Music, Dance, and Action, called, Black Beard; or, The Captive Princess: As performed upwards of 100 nights, at the Royal Circus, last season; and Revived with new Songs, Scenery, Dresses, &c. On Wednesday, May 15, 1799,” ( London: T. Burton, 1799), 5-6.

Paul Douglass is author of Lady Caroline Lamb: A Biography (Palgrave Macmillan, 2004) and a selection of Lady Caroline Lamb's letters, The Whole Disgraceful Truth (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006).

Portrait of James Harvey d'Egville

Portrait of James Harvey d'Egville (1809)
Held by the University of Illinois

James Bores Mrs Rossetti

William Michael Rossetti (1829-1919)
by Julia Margaret Cameron
Anyone wearing a hat like this probably takes himself too seriously.

William Rossetti was the brother of Dante Gabriel and Christina Rossetti. William attended the founding of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood and although a career civil servant he was a critic, editor and biographer.

In the summer of 1857 Rossetti began organising an exhibition of British art in the United States of America. It appears from his letters that many artists were reluctant to lend their work. This was with some justification because some paintings were damaged by a rainstorm during transit and Rossetti claimed that he had paid at least £1200 in compensation.

James Hervé d'Egville exhibited seven watercolours in the exhibition at the Boston. At least one of his paintings was damaged and he evidently doorstepped Mrs Rossetti. If James behaved in anyway like his father William was lucky not to have his hat inserted as an aesthetic suppository.

To Frances Rossiti,

Freshwater Gate

1 September [1858]

Thanks for your little note received this morning. I am sorry you have to endure the bore of visits from d'Egville etc., but am not without fear that, either just before or just after my return to town, such visits will be pretty frequent, as a lot of pictures are now about returning, some of which, as Ruxton learned a little while ago, have been severely damaged by a rainstorm while en route to the vessel. If any such visits are inflicted upon you, of course you can refer the visitor either to me by address or to Ruxton personally, and all I can beg of you is to subject yourself to as little annoyance in the matter as you can.

  Will you tell Christina, in answer to a precedent note, that I did, shortly after leaving town, think of her Common Objects of the Seashore with regret at not having brought it, but that some days ago, finding the book at a shop hereabouts, I purchased a copy for myself. It is sufficiently to the purpose. Also that little Solomon's visit must have been paid under a misapprehension of something I said to him 2 or 3 months ago, as I had nothing of Gabriel's at home to show him, but may rather have offered to take him to Blackfriars. He is an unsightly little Israelite; but a youth of extraordinary genius in art - and perhaps otherwise.

  Here we are still, and here, spite of occasional gleams of projected removal to some other spot in the Island, we are likely in my opinion to remain, at least until Sunday week next, which will be my last holiday day: on Monday I ought to be back at Somerset House, and the position of colleagues there as regards leave will not admit of my outstaying my time. Tennyson has been back since Friday, and took the trouble of looking me up on Saturday - but bent his steps through some mistake to Alu Bay - some six times too far off - where of course he could learn nothing of me. I spent Monday very pleasantly at his very commodious house (not half a mile from here), and shall return there as often as I can spare myself from here. He found the Norway travelling very laborious. He and his wife (a most lovely human creature) like Gabriel's Arthur watched by weeping queens as well as, or better than, any other illustrations in the edition.

  Our sea-anemones - strawberry, red, brown and olive-yellow, and longer-feelered grey and greens, - mingled with an occasional crab or shell-fish, were beginning to get rather a nuisance: we have reduced their number to 9, which have been most flourishing these 3 days.

Your

W.M.R.

I shall post with, or soon after, this one or two Athenaeums. One No, never came; and the next following that not till the week after, or you should have had them in due course.

Selected Letters of William Michael Rossetti

Edited by Roger W. Peattie (1990)