6th.--Sunday. Worked at trying and arranging the boat, scoundrel,[118] etc. Tried the boat green, but it was not encouraging.... Yesterday a letter from Seddon, to ask if I would give lessons to Sir John Slade’s daughter, and to say his _Pyramids_ were kicked out. What a sell is art! I feel Haydonish and old and down in the mouth. 7th.--To town to see Seddon about lessons to be given to Lady Slade’s daughters.... Am to give the lessons. 8th.--Drew at the Blackguards and boat; and after went and got my watch and other things out of pawn. 9th.--Gave my first lesson for a guinea, and am no longer a gentleman.... 10th.--Wasted the morning. Came home wet last night on foot. Answered Millais, who has kindly offered to patronize me, but shan’t. Told me that he had revolutionized the Academy, or nearly so. Worked a little at Blackguards and their mother. 11th.--Worked all day at designing the boy getting cabbages, and repainting sea. 12th.--Saw William Rossetti. The Academicians are setting up Leighton’s picture[119] against Millais, it seems. Saw Millais, and he described to us with gesture his fight with the Academicians; shook his fist in their faces, etc. etc.; talked for one hour.... 14th.--I wasted greater part of the day I don’t know how, and did little good after. Thomas Woolner here in the evening. Much politics, ending in gloomy apprehensions for the British Empire. 15th.--Began work after Woolner had left. Thought I would again alter the place of the boat. Did do an improvement, but meanwhile all seems in a disgusting mess.... 19th.--... Met Emma at Seddon’s; Hunt’s father there perorating curiously, a comical brave old cock.... 21st.--... In the evening the meeting.[120] Halliday a sinecurist and gent; swell and hunchback and artist combined;[121] known chiefly as a friend of Millais and Hunt. Not at all bashful. Martineau.... Arthur Hughes, young, handsome, and silent. Munro good-humoured and tritely talkative. William Rossetti, placid as wont. Cave Thomas.... Woolner fierce as ever. Burcham,[122] a new artist and quondam apothecary--forty--nervous and modest.... Slept in Albany Street.[123] 22nd.--To home to fetch Emma; ’bus to the R.A. Met William Rossetti by appointment. Millais’ picture more admirable than ever. Fireman perfect, children wonderful, but the mother ill-conceived; still as a whole wonderful. Leighton’s picture a mere daub as to execution, but finely conceived and composed, and the chiaro-scuro good; very difficult to judge how he will go on. So much discrepancy ’twixt execution and conception I have not yet seen--it is strange. Miss Boyce,[124] the best head in the rooms. Martineau’s picture good[125] as far as can be seen. Dyce pretty and mannered.[126] Maclise, as usual, mannered.[127] Herbert bad; the Cordelia beautiful however,[128] but wrong in action. A lovely little picture by Inchbold high in the Architectural Room. No good sculpture....