slightest wish to marry; it is no doubt ludicrous to place this ideal so high, but it is not my fault--theoretically I should like to be married very well. In another letter to his mother Leighton writes on the subject of marriage: "If I don't marry, the reason has been that I have never seen a girl to whom I felt the least desire to be united for life. I should certainly never marry for the sake of doing so." The same subject is again alluded to in a letter written in 1863, from Leighton's mother to her younger daughter who was in Italy. The letter begins by referring to a servant who was dismissed by Leighton. "He has such an effect on him by his profound stupidity and intense conceit he can't keep him, for if he did, the irritation would render him wicked if he indulged it, and ill if he repressed the same--at least that's Fred's feeling just now. He means to take an Italian servant if he can find one. "Fred has received an invitation to Sandringham (the Prince of Wales). If he has not found a suitable servant we are to lend him ours--Ellen's husband, a very superior person. I must not forget to tell you that we saw ----'s new baby, a very dear little thing. Freddy was enchanted with it. He noticed him more than ----, who is a delightful little chap, and after caressing it several times with exceeding tenderness, he suddenly grew red in the face, and said, 'I must nurse him,' which he did for a long time, to the wonder and admiration of Miss ---- and the nurse. For my part, it gave me actual pain to see that proof of his strong love for children, believing that he will never have any of his own. He declares he has never seen a girl he could marry. Of course this shows he is unreasonably fastidious; more's the pity!" [Illustration: PORTRAIT OF MRS. SUTHERLAND ORR. 1861] 2 ORME SQUARE, _April 10, 1861_. DEAREST MAMMY,--I have deferred writing until now that I might be able to tell you the result of my little "private view," now over. I am happy to say I have a great success. The "Vision" pleased many people much, but was altogether, as I expected, the least popular; the subject, though very interesting, was less attractive to the many, and besides I have progressed in painting since the date of that picture. My little girl at the fountain, christened for me by one of my visitors, "Lieder ohne Worte," has perhaps had the greatest number of votes.[16] The "Francesca,"[17] on the other hand, has had, I think, the advantage in the _quality_ of its admirers. Watts, for instance, and Mrs. Sartoris think it by far my best daub.