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Rossetti Archive Textual Transcription

Document Title: Dante Gabriel Rossetti, An Illustrated Memorial of His Art and Life
Author: H. C. Marillier
Date of publication: 1899
Publisher: George Bell and Sons
Printer: Chiswick Press, Charles Whittingham and Co.

The full Rossetti Archive record for this transcribed document is available.

page: [cover]
Note: Text is printed in gold lettering with an inverted triangle of decorative foliage below it.
DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI
page: [unpaginated]
Note: Inside the front cover is a bookplate which reads “ex libris W. L. Phillips.”
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page: [ii recto]
DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI



page: [ii verso]
more about In an Artist's Studio
“ IN AN ARTIST'S STUDIO”


BY CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

December, 1856

  • ONE face looks out from all his canvases,
  • One selfsame figure sits or walks or leans:
  • We found her hidden just behind those screens,
  • That mirror gave back all her loveliness.
  • A queen in opal or in ruby dress,
  • A nameless girl in freshest summer-greens,
  • A saint, an angel—every canvas means
  • The one same meaning, neither more nor less.
  • He feeds upon her face by day and night,
  • 10 And she with true kind eyes looks back on him,
  • Fair as the moon and joyful as the light:
  • Not wan with waiting, not with sorrow dim;
  • Not as she is, but was when hope shone bright;
  • Not as she is, but as she fills his dream.
page: [iii recto]
Note: blank page
page: [iii verso]
 

DGR by Watts

G.F. Watts, pinxit. Swan Electric Engraving C o.

D G Rossetti

By permission of M r. Frederick Hollyer

Figure: Sepia tone half-length portrait of a mature Dante Gabriel Rossetti with his head turned slightly towards his right. Marillier reproduces a facsimile of DGR's autograph below this picture.





page: [iiia]
Note: onion-skin page
page: [iv recto]
Note: Rossetti's name is printed in red ink.
DANTE GABRIEL

ROSSETTI

AN ILLUSTRATED MEMORIAL OF HIS

ART AND LIFE



by

H. C. MARILLIER

 



George Bell & Sons

Figure: Imprint of George Bell & Sons publishers.







LONDON

GEORGE BELL AND SONS

1899

page: [iv verso]


CHISWICK PRESS:—CHARLES WHITTINGHAM AND CO.

TOOKS COURT, CHANCERY LANE, LONDON.
page: v
PREFACE
HAVING been asked more than once if I was compiling a life of Rossetti, I think it well to disclaim at the outset any such presumptuous intention. A life of Rossetti, in the full sense of the word, could only be written by one who was intimately and sympathetically associated with his work during the major portion of his career; and of the very few who could have undertaken the task some are no longer alive, whilst others have either abandoned or postponed it until too late. For this reason we can hardly expect now to have a life of this great and most original genius, written by anyone with enough knowledge to interpret his many-coloured personality, yet sufficiently disinterested to form a critical estimate of his true position and influence.
Biographical works and data there are in profusion. The admirably conscientious labours of Mr. William Michael Rossetti have resulted in placing before the public copious records of the painter's external life, and of his private life as well so far as it is revealed in letters to the members of his family. What these do not give us is the man in relation to his work, and what they do give us is not always strictly important. Nevertheless they constitute the most valuable body of materials yet published, and no biographer could affect to disregard them. They have been supplemented recently by the publication of Ruskin's letters to Rossetti and Rossetti's letters to William Allingham, both immensely interesting to students of the subject, but not by any means exhaustive of the periods they cover. The only other sources of information that seem to me worth mentioning are Mr. William Sharp's memoir, which would have been better had it been less hastily compiled; Mr. Joseph Knight's little volume in the “Great Writers” series, dealing chiefly with the poems; Mr. W. M. Rossetti's chronological record called “ Dante Gabriel Rossetti as Designer and Writer”; William Bell Scott's “ Autobiographical Notes,” compiled when the author
page: vi
was too much embittered to write fairly; and Mr. F. G. Stephens's handy monograph in the “Portfolio” series . In addition might be mentioned Mr. Watts-Dunton's article in the “Encyclopædia Brittanica.” There are of course many other books, and much periodical literature dealing with Rossetti, but, with the single exception of Mr. Holman Hunt's articles in the “Contemporary" of 1886 on the “Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood,” these are not of great account. One or two who claim to have written with intimate knowledge of their subject labour under the disadvantage of not having known Rossetti until the latter clouded years of his life, when his vigour and health were impaired, and he had apparently lost the power of personal discrimination.
Of the materials which I have mentioned it would be ungrateful to complain, seeing that as occasion demanded I have used or borrowed from most of them. I must, however, say that careful research has not always tended to confirm the information they afforded, and I may claim, I think, for this memoir that it will be found correct on many points where errors previously existed. Three of the above-named authorities, Mr. Sharp, Mr. Knight, and Mr. W. M. Rossetti, have published catalogues or lists of Rossetti's pictures, giving dates and a few other scanty particulars. Mr. Rossetti's list is certainly by far the best of these, though not itself complete, the two earlier ones being almost useless now for purposes of reference. I say this with no intention of disparagement, for Mr. Sharp's list was a wonderful one to have compiled in the time allowed him; and he had no previous data to work on, whereas I have had three lists to collate and check, and possibly better opportunities of acquiring information. In addition I have received much help with some of the more tangled problems both from Mr. Rossetti and from Mr. Fairfax Murray, the latter of whom is recognized as an expert in all matters connected with Rossetti's work. To Mr. Murray moreover I am indebted for kindly checking the list of works and dates which appears as an appendix to this volume, as well as for revising some of the proofs. What use I have made of the assistance so generously given is my own affair, and for this I alone am answerable. In acknowledging the benefit I do not wish to alienate the responsibility.
What I have aimed at chiefly is to interweave a simple account of the painter's life with a detailed chronological record of his artistic work. In this way, by following certain broad divisions, a fairly continuous narrative is made possible without jumbling up
page: vii
pictures and incidents too confusedly. In dealing with the pictures in the text I have followed a system which I think should be found useful, as I myself have found the lack of it in other books somewhat irritating; namely, I have grouped under the first, or sometimes under the most important version of any particular subject, a list of all the other versions and replicas which exist of it. These versions and replicas are then referred to again briefly or in detail as may be under the different years to which they belong. Some such system is absolutely necessary in dealing with Rossetti's work, for the multitude of replicas and variants is bewildering, and most of the errors which I have encountered have been due to confusion arising on this account. As an instance of the kind of tangle met with, who could foresee such a confusion of dates and pictures as exists in the case of the Proserpine subject, or (without personal knowledge of the facts) understand the complicated changes in the history of the Dante and Beatrice panels, given in this book, I believe, for the first time.
Whilst trying to compile a record of Rossetti's work which should be comprehensive, accurate, and useful as a work of reference, I have not forgotten that essentially it was a picture book that was wanted. In respect of the illustrations, moreover, I can speak with greater freedom; and first, it is pleasant to acknowlege that almost without exception the owners of Rossetti's pictures have courteously allowed them to be reproduced, and have given special facilities for photographing them. In some cases this was no ordinary politeness, but a very generous concession, involving a violation of fixed principles. Mr. Rae, it is well known, has for many years disapproved most strongly of indiscriminate reproduction, and has refused all applications to let his pictures be photographed for such a purpose, the only exceptions being when he allowed Mr. Quilter to reproduce The Blue Closet in “Preferences,” and Mr. Stephens to include a few small subjects in his already mentioned monograph done for “ The Portfolio.” I cannot, therefore, express my obligation to him sufficiently strongly for placing his magnificent collection at my disposal, and allowing me to reproduce eleven of his pictures; namely, The Beloved , Sibylla Palmifera , Monna Vanna , Venus Verticordia , The Damsel of the Sanc Grael (both the large oil and the little water-colour), The Blue Closet , The Wedding of St. George , The Tune of Seven Towers , the early pen-and-ink diptych of Il Saluto di Beatrice , and the beautiful crayon head of a Magdalen . Mr. Beresford Heaton, whose objections were almost
page: viii
equally invincible, has at the last moment allowed me to include the charming early water-colour Dante's Dream and The Vision of Rachel and Leah from his collection. Mr. Fairfax Murray has been not less generous in allowing his drawings to be reproduced than in helping me with facts, and though there are one or two treasures that he has withheld for special reasons, I am indebted to him for permission to include The Merciless Lady , Dr. Johnson at the Mitre , The Laboratory , Bonifazio's Mistress , with the pen-and-ink study , A Fight for a Woman , the early sketch called Genevieve , a pencil drawing for Mary in the House of John , and several minor items, including some designs for pictures never reproduced before. Mr. Watts-Dunton has allowed me to include The Spirit of the Rainbow , Rossetti's one nude figure, which has never before been given, as well as his Reverie , Pandora , and another drawing. Mr. Wells, R.A., has contributed two interesting portraits of Miss Siddal [portrait 1] [portrait 2] and the water-colour Beatrice denying the Salutation —the companion drawing to which (in point of date and history), viz., Giotto painting Dante's Portrait , has been lent by its present owner, Mr. John Aird, M.P. Other owners who have obligingly given me access to their pictures, and have in one or two cases even sent them to London to be photographed, are Mr. W. R. Moss, Mr. S. Pepys Cockerell, Mr. Francis Buxton, Mr. Charles Butler, Mrs. Jekyll, Lord Battersea and Overstrand, Mr. William Imrie, Mrs. Clarence Fry, Mr. Trist, Mrs. Coronio, Mr. Constantine Ionides, Mrs. A. Ionides, Sir Cuthbert Quilter, Prof. C. E. Norton, Mr. T. H. Leathart, Mr. F. J. Tennant, Mr. Russell Rea, Mr. S. E. Spring-Rice, Mr. A. T. Squarey, the Rev. S. A. Donaldson, Mr. William Dunlop, Mr. Charles Ricketts, Dr. Spence Watson, Mr. Arthur Severn, Mr. Cosmo Monkhouse, Mrs. Constance Churchill, the Hon. Percy Wyndham, Sir Henry Acland, Dr. H. A. Munro, and the Corporation Art Galleries of Birmingham, Manchester, and Liverpool. Mr. Rossetti has given me practically a free hand in the reproduction of family portraits and drawings belonging to him, and has also allowed me to use many of the negatives of pictures that were specially made for his brother, sometimes before alterations of a disastrous kind had been undertaken. To Mr. Frederick Hollyer, Mr. Caswall Smith, and the Autotype Company, I owe an expression of thanks for generously giving me the use of many of their copyright negatives, and to Messrs. Macmillan no less for the right to reproduce the five wood-blocks [block 1] [block 2] [block 3] [block 4] [block 5] done for Moxon's “Tennyson” and two others [plate 1] [plate 2] from Miss Christina Rossetti's books. Messrs.
page: ix
Sig. b1
Sotheran, Mr. Duckworth, and the editor of the “Pall Mall Magazine” have kindly lent me various blocks or plates, and, finally, Messrs. Cassell have my thanks for allowing two pictures to be reproduced from the “Magazine of Art.”
With a few rare exceptions, owing to owners' refusals, or in the case of The Blue Bower and The Blessed Damozel from the pictures being held in trust, there is scarcely a work of individual importance by Rossetti which will not be found illustrated in this book or in some way represented. In general, moreover, where a choice existed, it is the best version of each particular subject from which the reproduction has been made, though there are cases where this was not possible, owing to the pictures having gone abroad or become untraceable. It would hardly be believed how difficult Rossetti's pictures are to find since their dispersal after the great Graham, Leyland, Turner, Ruston, and Leathart sales. Even with the kind help of Mr. Croal Thomson and Messrs. Agnew there are many that I have not located, though I have been fortunate in borrowing private photographs of some of these and published prints of others. No doubt the constantly increasing value of Rossetti's works is partly responsible for their restlessness, but there is something almost melancholy in the way that they seem perpetually to change hands. The Rae and Heaton collections are almost the only ones of importance that have remained intact. Mr. Ruskin, who at one time had quite a number of good water-colours, has parted with all but the unfinished Passover , and no one seems to know where some of them have gone. The Boyce collection has shared the same fate, though in this case the bulk of it has passed into the hands of Mr. Murray, who amid the maelstrom of flux and change has constituted himself a sort of natural vortex or harbour of refuge.
This is one of the circumstances which has made the illustration of a book on Rossetti not altogether easy, and which may have prevented its being undertaken before. Even now I am conscious of many omissions and failures, which mar the completeness of the work. But it is no part of an author's duty to specify these for his readers, most of whom will be ready enough to find them, and perfectly candid in pointing them out.
H. C. M.
page: x
 

Dantis Amor

DESIGN FOR DANTIS AMOR, PAINTED BETWEEN THE DANTE AND BEATRICE PANELS, 1866. See page 89.

Figure: Pencil. Inscribed at top: "IX JVN: MCCXC." Inscribed at bottom: "QUOMODO SEDET SOLA CIVITAS." Oblong outline, framing the shape of the angels' wings and coming to a point above his head and beneath his feet. An angel, "Love," stands holding a clock and a down-turned torch.





page: xi
INDEX OF CHAPTERS.
page: [xii]
Note: blank page
page: xiii
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

[ The Reproductions are the Work of the Swan Electric Engraving Company .]

  • D. G. ROSSETTI, BY G. F. WATTS ( Photogravure) . . . . . . Frontispiece

    ( By permission of Mr. F. Hollyer.)
  • DESIGN FOR DANTIS AMOR, 1865-6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . x

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • GABRIELE ROSSETTI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • MRS. ROSSETTI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • D. G. ROSSETTI, 1847 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

    ( From a drawing in the National Portrait Gallery.)
  • CHRISTINA ROSSETTI, 1852 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • THE GIRLHOOD OF MARY VIRGIN ( Photogravure) . . . . . facing 16

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCY ( Sketch). . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 17

    ( By permission of Mr. J. A. R. Munro.)
  • RETRO ME SATHANA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 17

    ( By permission of Dr. Munro.)
  • GENEVIEVE. FROM COLERIDGE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 22

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • GRETCHEN AND MEPHISTOPHELES ( Two designs). . . . . . . . . facing 24 [design 1] [design 2]

    ( By permission of Dr. Munro.)
  • ECCE ANCILLA DOMINI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 26

    ( From the picture in the National Gallery.)
  • “HIST! SAID KATE THE QUEEN”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 32

    ( By permission of Mr. S. E. Spring-Rice.)
  • HEAD FROM “KATE THE QUEEN” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
    • page: xiv
  • THE LABORATORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 34

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • BENEDICK AND BEATRICE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

    ( In the possession of the author.)
  • DANTE DRAWING THE ANGEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 36

    ( By permission of The Taylorian Museum.)
  • BEATRICE DENYING HER SALUTATION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 36

    ( By permission of Mr. H. T. Wells, R.A.)
  • MISS SIDDAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

    ( By permission of Mr. H. T. Wells, R.A.)
  • BORGIA ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 38

    ( By permission of Mr. L. Hacon.)
  • HOW THEY MET THEMSELVES. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 39

    ( By permission of Mr. S. Pepys Cockerell.)
  • GIOTTO PAINTING DANTE'S PORTRAIT ( Photogravure). . . . . . facing 40

    ( By permission of Mr. John Aird, M.P.)
  • HESTERNA ROSA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 41

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • GIRL PLAYING A LUTE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

    ( By permission of Mrs. Constance Churchill.)
  • STUDY FOR “FOUND”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • “FOUND” ( Photogravure). . . . . . . . . . . . facing 44

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • HEAD FOR “FOUND” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

    ( From a photograph by The Autotype Company.)
  • SKETCH OF MISS SIDDAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • MISS SIDDAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 50

    ( From a drawing at South Kensington.)
  • ROBERT BROWNING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 52

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • THE QUEST OF THE GRAIL (BY MISS SIDDAL). . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

    ( By permission of Mr. Arthur Severn.)
  • THE WOEFUL VICTORY (BY MISS SIDDAL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • MISS SIDDAL BEFORE AN EASEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 58

    ( By permission of Mr. H. T. Wells, R.A.)
    • page: xv
    Note: Typo in listing of "PAOLO AND FRANCESCO. Diptych": "FRANCESCO" should be "FRANCESCA." This illustration is properly marked in the body of the text.
  • ROSSETTI SITTING TO MISS SIDDAL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • MISS SIDDAL, OCT. 1856 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • KING ARTHUR'S TOMB ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 60

    ( By permission of Mr. S. Pepys Cockerell.)
  • D. G. ROSSETTI, 1855 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • DESIGN FOR PICTURE—Unexecuted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • DESIGN FOR PICTURE—Unexecuted . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • DESIGN FOR A BALLAD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

    ( By permission of Mr. J. P. Heseltine.)
  • PAOLO AND FRANCESCO. Diptych . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 66

    ( By permission of Mr. T. H. Leathart.)
  • DANTE'S VISION OF RACHEL AND LEAH. . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 66

    ( By permission of Mr. Beresford Heaton.)
  • STUDY FOR RACHEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • TWO DESIGNS FOR THE PASSOVER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 68 [design 1] [design 2]

    ( By permission of Sir Henry Acland, Bart.)
  • TENNYSON READING “MAUD” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69

    ( By permission of Mr. Cosmo Monkhouse.)
  • “THE MAIDS OF ELFEN-MERE” ( Woodcut). . . . . . . . . . . . facing 70

    ( From Allingham'sDay and Night Songs.)
  • DRAWING FOR “THE MAIDS OF ELFEN-MERE”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

    ( By permission of Dr. Spence-Watson.)
  • FRA PACE ( Photogravure). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 72

    ( By permission of Mrs. Jekyll.)
  • DANTE'S DREAM ( Water-colour) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 73

    ( By permission of Mr. Beresford Heaton.)
  • FAUST AND MARGARET . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

    ( By permission of Mr. Arthur Hughes.)
  • THE SEED OF DAVID—LLANDAFF TRIPTYCH. . . . . . . . . . . . facing 74

    ( From photographs by F. Hollyer.)
  • FIVE DESIGNS FOR MOXON'S TENNYSON ( Woodcuts). . . . . . . . 76,77,78 [design 1] [design 2] [design 3] [design 4] [design 5]

    ( By permission of Messrs. Macmillan, Ltd.)
    • page: xvi
  • SIR GALAHAD AT THE SHRINE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 78

    ( By permission of The Birmingham Art Gallery.)
  • THE BLUE CLOSET ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 78

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • THE TUNE OF SEVEN TOWERS ( Photogravure). . . . . . . . . . facing 80

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • THE DAMSEL OF THE SANC GRAEL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 81

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • THE GATE OF MEMORY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • THE WEDDING OF ST. GEORGE ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . facing 82

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • THE GARDEN BOWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • A CHRISTMAS CAROL ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 84

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray. From a photograph by the Autotype

    Company.     )
  • “RED LION MARY”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • DESIGN FOR “DANTIS AMOR” 1859. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • THE SALUTATION OF BEATRICE ( Panels). . . . . . . . . . . . facing 86

    ( By permission of Mr. F. J. Tennant. From photographs by F. Hollyer. )
  • STUDY FOR SALUTATION OF BEATRICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88

    ( By permission of Mr. W. Rothenstein.)
  • DESIGN FOR OXFORD UNION: LAUNCELOT AT THE SHRINE OF THE

    SANC GRAEL (Copy by H. T. Dunn). . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 90

    ( By permission of Mr. T. Watts-Dunton.)
  • DESIGN FOR OXFORD UNION: SIR GALAHAD RECEIVING THE SANC GRAEL. . . 91

    ( From a drawing in the British Museum.)
  • STUDY FOR GRAIL MAIDEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • STUDY FOR QUEEN GUENEVERE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 92

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • STUDY FOR QUEEN GUENEVERE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • DESIGN FOR OXFORD UNION: LAUNCELOT ESCAPING FROM GUENEVERE'S

    CHAMBER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
    • page: xvii
    Sig. c
  • ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 94

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • D. G. ROSSETTI (1861). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • HAMLET AND OPHELIA ( Photogravure). . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 96

    ( Plate lent by Messrs. H. Sotheran and Co.)
  • HAMLET AND OPHELIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 97

    ( By permission of Mr. A. T. Squarey.)
  • DESIGN FOR MARY IN THE HOUSE OF JOHN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • MARY MAGDALENE AT THE DOOR OF SIMON ( Photogravure) . . . . facing 98

    ( By permission of Mr. C. Ricketts.)
  • BEFORE THE BATTLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 100

    ( By permission of Prof. C. E. Norton.)
  • GOLDEN WATER, OR PRINCESS PARISADÉ. . . . . . . . . facing 100

    ( By permission of Mrs. Constance Churchill.)
  • DESIGN FOR “MY LADY GREENSLEEVES”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • “MY LADY GREENSLEEVES” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 102

    ( By permission of Rev. S. A. Donaldson.)
  • BONIFAZIO'S MISTRESS, AND SKETCH FOR SAME. . . . . . . . . facing 102 [sketch]

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • DR. JOHNSON AND THE METHODISTS AT THE MITRE. . . . . . . . facing 104

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • LUCRETIA BORGIA ( First design) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105

    ( From a photograph.)
  • LUCRETIA BORGIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 106

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • LOVE'S GREETING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 106

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • DESIGN FOR “EARLY ITALIAN POETS” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107
  • REGINA CORDIUM (MRS. D. G. ROSSETTI) . . . . . . . . . . . facing 108

    ( By permission of Mr. Arthur Severn.)
  • FAIR ROSAMUND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 108

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • ASPECTA MEDUSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

    ( By permission of Mrs. A. Ionides.)
    • page: xviii
  • CASSANDRA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 110

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • THE ANNUNCIATION ( Design for panel). . . . . . . . . . . . facing 110

    ( By permission of Mr. W. Dunlop.)
  • ADAM AND EVE: Two designs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

    ( From windows at St. Martin's, Scarborough.)
  • ST. GEORGE AND THE DRAGON: ( Six designs) . . . . . . . . . facing 112 [design 1] [design 2] [design 3] [design 4] [design 5] [design 6]

    ( From photographs by F. Hollyer.)
  • TRISTRAM AND YSEULT DRINKING THE LOVE POTION . . . . . . . facing 114

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • KING RENÉ'S HONEYMOON . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 114

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • PAOLO AND FRANCESCA ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 116

    ( By permission of Mr. W. R. Moss.)
  • THE CRUCIFIXION. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

    ( Reproduced from “The Magazine of Art”. )
  • GOBLIN MARKET ( Woodcut). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

    ( By permission of Messrs. Macmillan, Ltd.)
  • TITLE-PAGE FOR THE PRINCE'S PROGRESS ( Woodcut) . . . . . . facing 118

    ( By permission of Messrs. Macmillan, Ltd.)
  • D. G. ROSSETTI ( 1862). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119

    ( From a photograph by Downey.)
  • EXTERIOR: NO. 16, CHEYNE WALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120

    ( From a drawing.)
  • THE GARDEN: NO. 16, CHEYNE WALK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121

    ( From a photograph.)
  • JOAN OF ARC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • SKETCH FOR BEATA BEATRIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

    ( By permission of Mr. J. P. Heseltine.)
  • BEATA BEATRIX ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 126

    ( From the picture in the National Gallery.)
  • PREDELLA FOR BEATA BEATRIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

    ( By permission of Mr. Russell Rea.)
  • HELEN OF TROY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
  • LADY LILITH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 133

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
    • page: xix
  • HEAD OF LILITH, after the retouching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 133

    ( From a photograph by J. Caswall Smith.)
  • VENUS VERTICORDIA ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 134

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • THE MADNESS OF OPHELIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 136

    ( By permission of Mrs. C. E. Lees.)
  • THE MERCILESS LADY ( Photogravure). . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 138

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • WASHING HANDS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 139

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • IL RAMOSCELLO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 139

    ( Reproduced from the “Magazine of Art”. )
  • A FIGHT FOR A WOMAN: STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

    ( By permission of Mr. C. F. Murray.)
  • THE BELOVED ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 140

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • MONNA VANNA ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 142

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • THE DANCING GIRL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144

    ( By permission of Mr. H. H. Trist.)
  • SIBYLLA PALMIFERA ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 144

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • MICHAEL SCOTT'S WOOING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 145

    ( By permission of Mr. H. H. Trist.)
  • MICHAEL SCOTT'S WOOING ( c. 1848) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145

    ( By permission of Mr. J. A. R. Munro.)
  • THE CHRISTMAS CAROL: STUDY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

    ( By permission of Mrs. Aglaia Coronio.)
  • JOLI CŒUR. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 146

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • MONNA ROSA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
  • THE LOVING CUP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 148

    ( From a photograph by J. Caswall Smith.)
  • THE RETURN OF TIBULLUS TO DELIA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 148

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • REVERIE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 150

    ( By permission of Mr. T. Watts-Dunton.)
    • page: xx
  • AUREA CATENA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 150

    ( By permission of Lord Battersea. From a photograph by F. Hollyer. )
  • MRS. STILLMAN (MISS MARIE SPARTALI). . . . . . . . . . . . facing 152

    ( By permission of Mrs. Stillman.)
  • PENELOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 152

    ( By permission of Mr. T. H. Leathart.)
  • THEODORE WATTS, 1874 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155

    ( By permission of Mr. T. Watts-Dunton.)
  • ROSA TRIPLEX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • LA DONNA DELLA FIAMMA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 156

    ( By permission of Mrs. C. E. Fry.)
  • SILENCE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

    ( By permission of Mr. Chas. Rowley.)
  • THE ROSELEAF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • MARIANA ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 158

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • LADY WITH THE FAN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 159

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • THE COUCH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

    ( By permission of Mr. T. Watts-Dunton.)
  • STUDY: LA DONNA DELLA FINESTRA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • STUDY FOR BEATRICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 160

    ( By permission of Mrs. Aglaia Coronio.)
  • DESIGN FOR “TROY TOWN” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161

    ( By permission of the Hon. P. Wyndham.)
  • THE DEATH OF LADY MACBETH. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • PANDORA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 162

    ( By permission of Mr. Charles Butler. From a photograph by the Autotype

    Company.     )
  • PANDORA, 1879. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

    ( By permission of Mr. T. Watts-Dunton.)
  • WATER-WILLOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165

    ( In the possession of Mr. S. Bancroft, Jr.)
  • DANTE'S DREAM ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 166

    ( By permission from the Walker Art Gallery.)
    • page: xxi
  • PREDELLAS FOR DANTE'S DREAM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168

    ( By permission of Mr. W. Imrie.) [Predella 1] [Predella 2]
  • VERONICA VERONESE ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 168

    ( From a photograph by J. Caswall Smith.)
  • DESIGN FOR PÆTUS AND ARRIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 169

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • THE BOWER MEADOW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 170

    ( By permission of Mr. William Dunlop.)
  • LA GHIRLANDATA: STUDY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 172

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • PROSERPINE ( Photogravure). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 174

    ( By permission of Mr. Chas. Butler. From a photograph by the Autotype

    Company.     )
  • THE DAMSEL OF THE SANC GRAEL ( Photogravure). . . . . . . . facing 176

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • THE ROMAN WIDOW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 177

    ( From a photograph by J. Caswall Smith.)
  • THE BOAT OF LOVE ( Grisaille) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

    ( By permission from the Birmingham Art Gallery.)
  • CHRISTINA ROSSETTI, 1866 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 180

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • MRS. AND MISS CHRISTINA ROSSETTI, 1877 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

    ( From a drawing in the National Portrait Gallery.)
  • SUPPOSED DESIGN FOR “THE BRIDE'S PRELUDE”. . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • LA BELLA MANO ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 184

    ( By permission of Sir Cuthbert Quilter, Bart.)
  • THE QUESTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 186

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company.)
  • THE BLESSED DAMOZEL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 188

    ( From a photograph by J. Caswall Smith.)
  • STUDIES FOR “LOVERS” ( Two Designs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189

    ( From a photograph by the Autotype Company. ) [study 1] [study 2]
  • MNEMOSYNE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

    ( From a photograph by J. Caswall Smith.)
  • THE BLESSED DAMOZEL: STUDY, 1875 ( Photogravure). . . . . . facing 190

    ( Plate lent by Mr. Duckworth.)
  • THE SPIRIT OF THE RAINBOW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 191

    ( By permission of Mr. T. Watts-Dunton.)
    • page: xxii
  • HEAD OF A MAGDALEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192

    ( By permission of Mr. George Rae.)
  • ASTARTE SYRIACA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 192

    ( By permission from the Manchester Art Gallery.)
  • A VISION OF FIAMMETTA ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . facing 194

    ( By permission of Mr. Chas. Butler. From a photograph by the Autotype

    Company.     )
  • THE SEA SPELL. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 194

    ( From a photograph by J. Caswall Smith.)
  • DESDEMONA'S DEATH-SONG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • LA DONNA DELLA FINESTRA. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 196

    ( From a photograph by F. Hollyer.)
  • SANCTA LILIAS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
  • THE DAY-DREAM ( Photogravure) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 198

    ( By permission of Mr. Constantine Ionides.)
  • DESIGN FOR THE SONNET. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 199

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • THE SALUTATION OF BEATRICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 200

    ( By permission of Sir J. C. Holder.)
  • THE SALUTATION OF BEATRICE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201

    ( By permission of Mr. Joseph Dixon.)
  • LA PIA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 202

    ( From a photograph by J. Caswall Smith.)
  • ROSSETTI'S GRAVE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
  • EARLY DRAWING: ROCKING-HORSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • EARLY DRAWING: DORMOUSE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • EARLY DRAWING: ILLUSTRATIONS TO HOMER. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .212

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.) [illustration 1] [illustration 2] [illustration 3]
  • EARLY DRAWING: ILLUSTRATIONS TO FOUR STORIES . . . . . . . . . . . 213

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • EARLY DRAWING: ILLUSTRATION TO “SORRENTINO”. . . . . . . . . . . . 214

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • EARLY LITHOGRAPH: JULIETTE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . facing 214

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • EARLY LITHOGRAPH: TWO DESIGNS FOR PLAYING CARDS. . . . . . . . . .214 [design 1] [design 2]

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
    • page: xxiii
  • EARLY DRAWING: CHAMBERMAID . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • CARICATURE: J. E. MILLAIS. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • CARICATURE: D. G. AND W. M. ROSSETTI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • CARICATURE: THE RESULTS OF “UNCLE TOM'S CABIN”. . . . . . . . . . 218 [caricature 1] [caricature 2]

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • CARICATURE: “STUNNER NO. 1”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • WRITING ON THE SAND. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219

    ( From a drawing in the British Museum.)
  • HUMOROUS SKETCH: DANTE AND HIS CIRCLE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
  • SPECIMENS OF HANDWRITING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .222-3 [specimen 1] [specimen 2] [specimen 3]
  • ROSSETTI'S STUDIO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224

    ( From a sketch by H. Treffry Dunn.)
  • THE DRAWING-ROOM: NO. 16, CHEYNE WALK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225

    ( From a sketch by H. Treffry Dunn.)
  • ROSSETTI'S BED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226

    ( From a sketch by H. Treffry Dunn.)
  • ROSSETTI AND MR. THEODORE WATTS IN THE DINING-ROOM AT NO. 16,

    CHEYNE WALK. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227

    ( From a sketch by H. Treffry Dunn.)
  • THE GREAT SEAL AT THE ZOO. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229

    ( By permission of Mr. W. M. Rossetti.)
page: [xxiv]
Note: blank page
page: 1
Sig. B
DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTORY
DANTE GABRIEL, or, to give him his full christening name, Gabriel Charles Dante Rossetti, was born on May 12th, 1828, at No. 38, Charlotte Street, Portland Place, and was the second of four children, all born in successive years. His  

Gabriele Rossetti

Gabriele Rossetti

Figure: Oil painting. Head and shoulders portrait of Gabriele Rossetti with his head turned slightly to his right.



parentage and family life have been so copiously dealt with already in the “ Memoir” compiled by his brother, Mr. William Michael Rossetti, that there is no need here to do more than recapitulate the main facts. Gabriele Rossetti, the father of Dante Gabriel, was a native of the city of Vasto, in the province of Abruzzi, on the Adriatic coast of what was once the kingdom of Naples. He was a man of superior literary ability and force of character, at one time custodian of bronzes at the Naples Museum, who made himself obnoxious to the Bourbon King Ferdinand during the suppression of the constitution in 1821, and was in consequence proscribed and obliged to fly for safety. Assisted by a British man-of-war in escaping to Malta, Gabriele Rossetti remained there for some time,
page: 2
practising as an instructor in his native language, until further annoyance drove him in 1824 to England. Here he settled, and some years later obtained an appointment as Professor of Italian at King's College. Meantime, in 1826, he had married a daughter of Gaetano Polidori, for some while secretary to the notable Count Alfieri, and father also of that strange being, Dr. John Polidori, who travelled with Byron as his physician, and committed suicide in 1821. Gaetano Polidori's wife, Rossetti's grandmother, was an Englishwoman, whose maiden name was Pierce. To his parentage the young Dante Gabriel was indebted for much, but especially to his  

Mrs. Gabriele Rossetti

Mrs. Rossetti.

Figure: Chalk and pencil. Inscribed lower left: "Feb/62." Drawing of head and shoulders, nearly in profile to right, wearing a white pleated muslin bonnet; on either side a streamer falls forward over the shoulders.Surtees, 187



mother. One can judge to this day of the latter's quiet sensible character, and deep religious instincts, from the portraits left us by her son, of which one is reproduced here as typical. But, besides these qualities, she possessed good literary and artistic judgment, shrewd knowledge of human nature, and a fund of common sense which must have effectually prevented the somewhat mystical spirit pervading the thoughts of her young family from deteriorating into morbid and unhealthy channels. Between D. G. Rossetti and his mother the warmest and most affectionate relations prevailed, relations that were only severed by the former's untimely death on April 9th, 1882. Mrs. Rossetti survived her son exactly four years
page: 3
to the very day. Her husband had died in April, 1854, honoured as a patriot in his native land with a memorial statue 1 and a medal commemorating his services. Their elder daughter, Maria, departed this life in 1876, and in December, 1894, Christina Rossetti also died, leaving as sole survivor of this brilliant family the younger son, William Michael, well known as a writer of critiques on art and as the biographer of his more famous brother.
Albeit English in its main external features, the environment of the Rossetti family in London remained essentially Italian during the lifetime of Gabriele Rossetti. Their house was the resort of all classes of Italians passing through or resident in town. Musicians and literary men met there with revolutionaries fresh from the wasting struggle for Italian liberty. A romantic odour of assassination hung round one at least of the regular habitués of the house, and added spice to the somewhat fusty atmosphere of the father's own particular studies. Gabriele Rossetti was a commentator on Dante, and himself a writer of verse, mainly in a politico-satirical vein. He had a gift for declamation and improvization, which is not so uncommon in men of his nationality as of ours; but the exposition of Dante was his chief occupation, as well as the one by which he is now best known. To the ears of the young Gabriel, familiarized by habit with the sonorous metres of the “Inferno” and “Paradiso,” the name of Dante for many years conjured up no very stimulating thoughts. It was not until he had begun himself in early life to read upon his own lines, that the pictorial richness and splendour of the Florentine dawned on him and seized him with its spell. There is a sketch by Rossetti of his father, engaged upon his labours of interpretation, and surrounded, as Mr. W. M. Rossetti has described him, by heavy folios in italic type, his “libri mistici,” full of the lore of Swedenborg, alchemy, and Brahminism, with the aid of which he is devotedly burying the poetry of his subject beneath unprofitable layers of teleological symbolism. “The ‘Convito,’ ” says his son, “was always a name of dread to us, as being the very essence of arid unreadableness,” an interesting fact to remember when dealing, as we shall presently have to do, with the influence which Dante was destined afterwards to exert upon two members at least of the family.
Before passing to the early life of Gabriel Rossetti, a pair of independent descriptions of the household and surroundings of No. 50, Charlotte Street, whither the family removed from No. 38 in
Transcribed Footnote (page 3):

1The statue, I understand, has not yet been erected, but is still in contemplation.

page: 4
1836, may not be without interest, though to some they will not be new.
Mr. William Bell Scott, in his “Autobiographical Notes,” says, “I entered the small front parlour or dining-room of the house, and found an old gentleman sitting by the fire in a great chair, the table drawn close to his chair, with a thick MS. book open before him, and the largest snuff-box I ever saw beside it conveniently open. He had a black cap on his head furnished with a great peak or shade for the eyes, so that I only saw his face partially.” This description tallies in a remarkable way with the drawing of his father just mentioned, done by Dante Gabriel in 1853, though otherwise not remarkable for insight or fullness of detail. A more interesting picture is one by Mr. F. G. Stephens, Rossetti's early associate, quoted from his “ Portfolio” monograph:

“As might be expected of one possessing so many accomplishments, and whose career was marked by so much courage, the professor was a man of striking character and aspect. . . . To a youngster, such as I was, he seemed much older than his years, and while seated reading at a table with two candles behind him, and, because his sight was failing, with a wide shade over his eyes, he looked a very Rembrandt come to life. . . . Near his side, but beyond the radiant circle of the candles,—her erect, comely, and very English form and face remarkable for its noble and beautiful matronhood, sat Mrs. Rossetti, the mother of Dante Gabriel. He too, leaning his elbows upon the table and holding his face between both hands so that the long curling masses of his dark brown hair fell forward, sat on the other side, his attenuated features outlined by the candle's light.”

Reared in this studious atmosphere, it is not to be wondered at that the young Rossettis early took to literature. Before they were six years old they had made acquaintance with Shakespeare and Scott, in addition to the usual works of childhood, and were steeped in romance of a more lofty kind than is common at such an age. A healthy crudity of taste and strong boyish proclivities, together with the influence of his mother, prevented this precocity from developing into priggishness in the case of the youthful Gabriel, whose letters, even up to his sixteenth or seventeenth year, are as remarkable for naïve simplicity as for their rather florid style and sonorous diction. They are also marked by an early sense of humour. How many children of fourteen are there who possess the power of expression, to say nothing of the critical observation, shown by this juvenile specimen of Gabriel's domest