person of
so distinguished a representative of the noble pursuit." Mr. Watts, in
words that I am permitted to transcribe, declined; as he did also a second
time in 1894 when the proposal was repeated.

While I feel very strongly, and acknowledge with sincere
gratitude, that you have honoured in my person, making me a sort
of standard bearer, the pursuit of art for its own sake, and have
so afforded an enduring encouragement to those who, like myself,
may be willing to relinquish many good and tangible things for
purposes believed to be good, but not likely to meet with general
sympathy, still, I feel it would be something like a real disgrace
to accept for work merely attempted, reward and payment only due
to work achieved.... I should have the ghost of the Lycian chief
reproaching me in my dreams! Also the objects to which I wish to
dedicate the rest of my life will best be carried out in quiet and
obscurity, so please do not be vexed with me if I again beg
respectfully and gratefully to decline.... Sarpedon's words(333)
always ring in my ears, and so I think you will understand the
things I cannot attempt to say.... I am so far from undervaluing
distinctions that I should like to be a Duke, and deserve the
title.... Still, it is true that, living mainly in a world of my
own, my views are narrowed (I hope I may also say simplified),
till a sense of the four great conditions which to my mind
comprise all that can be demonstrated of our existence, Life and
Death, Light and Darkness, so dominate my mental vision that they
almost become material entities and take material forms, dwarfing
and casting into shadow ordinary considerations. Over the two
first, human efforts broadly speaking avail nothing; but we have
it in our power to modify the two last (of course I include in the
terms all that belongs to good and bad, beauty and ugliness).
Labouring by the side of the poet and the statesman, the artist
may deal with those great issues, and here I think the art of
England has been at fault.... Your overestimate of my work has
hastened the execution of an intention I have long had, and which
indeed amounts to retirement from the ranks of professional men. I
have concluded, dating from June, to undertake no portraits and
accept no commissions, but, contented with the little I have to
live