Præraphaelite diaries and letters

Dante Alighieri · en
LETTER IV.

                     TO THE EDITOR OF A MAGAZINE.

In my Memoir of Dante Rossetti (published in 1895) I have spoken of a
very inefficient ballad which he wrote at the age of fifteen, named
_William and Marie_, and of an illustration which he concocted for
it. I possess a copy which he made of the ballad, followed by the
letter here reproduced. I am not sure what was the magazine to which
he forwarded the poem and its illustration, in the vain hope of
getting published: should suppose it to be _Smallwood’s Magazine_,
but for the fact that in that serial there were no illustrations.
Possibly he sent the letter and its contents to one Editor after
another, but I have no recollection of any such fact. From a
reference which I saw in a literary review, 1898 or ’99, I infer that
the ballad of _William and Marie_ has by this time been printed,
in whole or in part, though without any authority from Rossetti’s
representatives.

                                   50 Charlotte Street, London.
                                                           [? 1843.]

  Sir,

  Should you consider the accompanying ballad not wholly unworthy
  of a place in your magazine, you would highly oblige me by
  inserting it. If it meet not with a favourable reception, and
  should you answer me among your “Correspondents,” would you
  favour me by doing so under the initials “A. B.” instead of my
  real name.

                                         I am, sir,
                                                Yours etc. etc.
                                                   GABRIEL ROSSETTI.

  P.S.--I have also executed the enclosed sketch, which is
  intended, if considered sufficiently good, as a headpiece to the
  ballad.


                               LETTER V.

                          TO JAMES COLLINSON.

Mr. Collinson was a painter, chiefly of domestic subjects, and a
member of the Præraphaelite Brotherhood. The letter was addressed to
him during the tour which was made by Holman Hunt and Rossetti to
Paris and Belgium.

My brother was mistaken in referring to certain pictures as
“the capture and execution of Cambyses”; they are the works
of Gerard David, representing Cambyses punishing an unjust
Judge.--_Bride-Chamber Talk_ is the poem published in 1881 under the
title of _The Bride’s Prelude_.

The initials of Mr. Hunt, added to this letter, are written in by
Rossetti.

                       BETWEEN GHENT AND BRUGES.

                                      (Wednesday night, 24 October.)