In 1814 Turner was, I believe, too busy sketching the southern coast from Hastings to Margate, and his “Views in Sussex”, to have much time for any lengthy visit to Farnley. But he was certainly there in 1815, as a passage in a letter to the Rev. H. Scott Trimmer proves. The letter is given in full in Monkhouse’s “Turner” (p. 90). It is dated “Tuesday, Aug. 1, 1815.” In it Turner says: “After next Tuesday--if you have a moment’s time to spare, a line will reach me at Farnley Hall, near Otley, Yorkshire, and for some time, as Mr. Fawkes talks of keeping me in the north by a trip to the Lakes, &c., until November.” The evidence of the sketch-books suggests that this trip to the Lakes did not take place. On the 4th January, 1816, Mr. Walter Fawkes married his second wife, the widow of the Hon. and Rev. Pierce Butler. Fortunately for us this lady kept a diary, which has been carefully preserved at Farnley Hall, and which Mr. F. H. Fawkes has very kindly placed at my disposal. In this diary the names of all visitors were carefully noted, together with the dates of their arrival and departure. The diary was continued to the 31st December, 1838, but Turner’s name does not occur in it after 1826. But for the ten years between 1816 and 1826 this diary forms an extremely valuable record of Turner’s movements. I propose, therefore, with Mr. Fawkes’s kind permission, to publish, for the first time, all the entries which have reference to the great artist. The first entries of this kind are the following:-- “Wed. 17 July 1816. Left Farnley with Walter, Maria, Amelia, Ayscough, Richard, and Mr. Turner. Met John Parker at Skipton, where we slept and saw Skipton Castle. Thurs. 18 July Arrived at Browsholme. Heavy rain. Fri. 19 ” Rained all day. Sat in the house. Late in the evening walked a short way with John Parker and Mr. Turner. Sat. 20 July Walter drove me in curricle to the Trough of Bolland. Sun. 21 ” Went to Waddington Church and after to see Mrs. Clarke. Mon. 22 ” Went with the girls to the Trough to see them fish. Tues. 23 ” Heavy rain. Drove with Walter. Obliged to take shelter in a farmhouse. Walter bought a print of the Prodigal Son. Wed. 24 ” Left Browsholme. Got to Malham Village. Dreadful rain.