You will perhaps be surprised to hear that the pictures from which I expect most are the three which you have not seen--the "Eastern King" and the two others I mentioned in my last. One of them is Pocock's smaller order, a girl with a _swan_ (not with _peacocks_ as the _Athen._ says)--the other is a kitcat of a girl listening to a shell. Both these are very luminous, and are in that respect the best things I have done. And later:-- LONDON, 1862. DEAR PAPA,--I think I may confirm the report made to you of the success of my pictures, particularly the "Odalisque" and "Echoes" (by-the-bye, I have just received a letter from somebody who wants to know if they are sold). What the papers say, you have seen. You will be glad to hear that I have received congratulations on all sides, which gives me the idea of being tolerably secure; at all events, I got no such last year, nor indeed at all since the "Cimabue." That two of my pictures should not have been accepted does not indeed surprise me, and least of all would it do so if they were rejected on the score of _number_, but I have reason to suspect that they were _not_ liked; in fact I _know_ it. I have put my name down as a candidate for associateship. I don't think I have anything of interest to communicate; nobody has as yet asked the price of the "Eastern King" or the "Michael Angelo." There is no mistake now about what people in this country like to buying point; whether I shall conform to their taste is another question. Pocock liked the "Michael Ang." much, but did not seem to wish to have it. The same remark applies to the Johnnies. Millais has been, and liked the yellow woman[24] extremely. I think he liked them all _of their kind_, but the yellow woman was his favourite by far. Stephens has also seen my pictures. He seemed altogether much pleased, but most especially with the design for the "Eastern King," which is also Fred Cockerell's favourite. To his mother he wrote:-- 1862.