I had a kind note this morning from Ruskin, in which, after criticising two or three things, he speaks very warmly of other points in my work and of the development of what he calls "enormous power and sense of beauty." I quote this for what it is worth, because I know it will give you pleasure, but I have NOT and _never shall have_ "enormous power," though I have some "sense of beauty." The "Orpheus" and "Golden Hours" are not in the _great_ room but in the next to it. I have not seen Gambart lately, and do not, therefore, know whether he has got rid of any more of my pictures (by-the-bye, I have sent the "duet"--"Johnny"--to America to an Exhibition for the Sanitary Commission, on the request of Mrs. Kemble's daughter). He will, _I think_, engrave the "Honeymoon," but probably only photograph the others; by-the-bye (again), Mammy, tell Gussy with my love that I shall present her with a copy of each and shall not "_think her greedy_," having no thoughts for her but affectionate ones. With regard to the money paid me by Gambart, I invested as soon as I got it £1000 in Eastern Counties Railway _debentures_, at par, 4-1/2 per cent., this on the advance of Coutts' stock clerk. Lord Ashburton's portrait was scarcely begun.[37] I have offered to try to finish _tant bien que mal_ from photographs, and to _give_ it to Lady A. She is very grateful. The child's picture also goes to the wall, as she won't be able to sit for some time, and would then be _changed_. Lady A. wanted to pay the price of the sketch as it stood; this I of course refused. She has commissioned me to paint her a fancy picture for £300. Leighton was for five years an Associate before being elected a full member of the Royal Academy in 1869. During these years the number of important pictures he exhibited each season notably increased. In at least twelve of these works the many-sided Leighton is worthily represented--"Dante at Verona,"[38] "Golden Hours," "David," "Syracusan Bride" (exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1866 and in the Paris International Exhibition in 1868), "Helen of Troy,"[39] "Greek Girl Dancing," "Venus Disrobing from the Bath," "Ariadne Abandoned by Theseus, Ariadne Watches for his Return, Artemis Releases Her by Death," "Actæa, the Nymph of the Shore," "Dædalus and Icarus," "Electra at the Tomb of Agamemnon," "Helios and Rhodos." The extreme variety from every point of view which exists in this group of twelve pictures, chosen from the twenty-six paintings and the numerous sketches executed in these five years, would be a proof in itself, if one were needed, of Leighton's extraordinary versatility as regards the _motives_ of his pictures. [Illustration: "GREEK GIRL DANCING." 1867 By permission of Mr. Phillipson] [Illustration: DRAWING FOR THE PAINTING "A PASTORAL." 1866 Leighton House Collection]