, Phil Morris, Mueller, Ansdell, Ansdell and
Phillip, Hefner, Weiser, Creswick, Sant, John Wilson, Junr., Solomon,
and Henry O'Neil--the latter artist's "Return of the Wanderer" being in
a conspicuous position. As Sir Robert points them out, he seems to see
an unwritten story on every canvas. He singles out the Mueller as his
greatest treasure, for it was the last and possibly the best work the
artist ever chronicled with his brush, and he died eight days after its
completion.

Pointing to the first study of Frith's "Dolly Varden," Sir Robert said:
"Frith painted three 'Dolly Vardens.' One of these was a commission from
Dickens in 1844, for which he received L20. When Frith asked Dickens if
he wanted the sketch, his reply was, 'No, of course I don't.' That is
the sketch which Dickens refused, for which I paid the small sum of
fifteen guineas. At his sale the picture, for which he gave L20,
realized one thousand guineas.

[Illustration: "RACKET."

_From the Drawing by Sir Edwin Landseer._]

[Illustration: "PINCHER."

_From the Drawing by Sir Edwin Landseer._]

"Those donkeys on a common are by Ansdell, R.A. I gave him an order to
paint me some donkeys, and he painted them in an old churchyard with
tombstones. I complained to him in a joking sort of way.

"'Oh!' he replied, 'I thought a churchyard was just the place for a
sanitary commissioner!'

"There is another canvas by Ansdell and Phillip, R.A.--a Spanish scene.
Ansdell painted the mule and surrounding landscape, whilst Phillip put
in the two figures. The young girl on the mule is Ansdell's daughter.
That is Sant's own little girl in the picture called 'The Fairy Tale,'
and 'The Gossips' is by Solomon, to which a story was written by Miss
Power, the niece of Lady Blessington. Whilst Solomon was painting 'The
Gossips' for me, he was engaged on a portrait of Jenny Lind, who, by the
way, used to live here in The Boltons. Solomon told me of some of the
great singer's odd expressions which she made use of whilst her portrait
was in progress of being painted.

[Illustration: THE LIBRARY.

_From a Photo. by Elliott & Fry._]

"'No, no,' she would cry, 'it's not like me! You haven't made my nose
big enough. Don't you see my nose is all over my face? Oh! and look at
my hair. It isn't green enough!'

"'Not green enough?' Solomon exclaimed.

"'No; don't you see that my hair is the colour of what you call hay
before it is made?'"

So, brimful of these stories,