[1] Only, not to the encouragement of lazy habits; at times (for the sake of practice) a painter ought to draw the most minute point-detail with the pencil, as a singer practises his scales; otherwise, for the object, the photo is most to be relied upon for truth in all, except in perspective.

[2] For an example of what I mean, see the effects in ‘Choice Blends’ in ‘The Idler’.

[3] See ‘Specimen Days and Collects,’ by Walt Whitman, page 306 of Collects. Want of room prevents me giving the specimen in full, and I dare not mutilate such a literary masterpiece.

[4] See ‘Mary Queen of Scots,’ by Bell—last scene.

[5] The snow scenes are exquisite, and one exhibited, of a camp fire with figures, a perfect triumph of misty refinement; the faces seen through the smoke particularly to be observed. I would also call the reader’s attention to his cattle studies, and the printing done on rough hand-made paper—flat and like sepia and Indian-ink work, only far more refined than hand-work could be.

[6] Some days before the death of Millet, a stag was chased by hunters and dogs into a neighbour’s garden and butchered before the dying man’s gaze. ‘I take it as an omen,’ he said mournfully, and prepared for the earth-end.

[7] Esther i. 6.

[8] I have seen this picture since writing these remarks, but without changing my opinion concerning it.

[9] As a worker of broad effects, I lay myself open to be charged with bigotry when I condemn the pre-Raphaelites, and accept the risk.

[10] See Life and Nature Studies.

[11] I called attention to the marvellous medicinal virtues of this Eucalyptus-tree long before it was generally accepted by the Faculty. See ‘Picturesque Australasia’ and ‘A Colonial Tramp,’ &c.

[12] See ‘A New Guinea Village,’ p. 125.

[13] See Frontispiece: ‘A New Zealand Fern Gully.’

[14] See also A Treatise on Wood Engraving, by Chatto & Jackson, p. 46.

[15] The same excuse applies to this present work.

[16] The numbers in this chapter are those of February 1892.

[17] George Paul Chalmers, an Edinburgh artist, is the only colourist who really followed Rembrandt in his method. He used sometimes to take sixty sittings to one portrait, and hardly ever finished any of his works, so fastidious was he; yet as far as he perfected he was very perfect as a colourist.