Jones, and make Jones, R.A., walk about in a state of despondency and distress[260].... Tuesday 6th.--... The Editor of _The Spectator_, on whom I called in the afternoon, alluded, but always in a pleasant way, to the difference of tone concerning Millais in my preliminary observations of last week, and the reviews of previous years. I of course stuck up; and whether this is to be the beginning of the end, or whether its end was simultaneous with its beginning, remains to be seen. However, the opening remarks in my notice for this week will probably tend to bring the point to an issue. I claim the certain reversion of supremacy in art for the newcomers, and Brown is reviewed at a triple allowance of space.... Thursday 8th to Saturday 10th.--... On Saturday Hunt, Gabriel, and I, met at Hannay’s; when Hunt informed us (having it from Patmore), that Ruskin had wished to buy Millais’s picture of _The Return of the Dove to the Ark_, which is already sold; and that Patmore has suggested to him to write something about the P.R.B. The result is not known yet; but, were Ruskin to do so, this is the very thing we want--evident as it is from the affair of Millais’s picture (were it from nothing else) that he must be an admirer of the P.R.B. Indeed so desirable would something of the kind be that it had been proposed among ourselves to write to Ruskin requesting him to express his opinion in some public manner.... Sunday 11th.--The picture Hunt is purposing to do for next year is a life-sized one on the passage from one of Moses’ hymns or exhortations where it is said that God found for Jacob honey in the clefts of the rock.[261] Monday 12th.--Woolner called, having returned to his study to-day after cold and fever. His model for the Wordsworth monument competition was sent in a few days ago according to the regulations; among the other models is one, also with symbolical figures, by Behnes.[262] He explains to me that it was Ruskin’s _father_ who wanted to buy Millais’s picture, but this makes little difference in the state of the case. Ruskin himself has, in conformity with Patmore’s suggestion, written a letter to _The Times_, on the P.R.B., and, if it do not appear there, will send it to _The Chronicle_. This ought to be worth something to us....