182. Robert Bloomfield to William
Darton, dated only 13 April* City Road April 13 To Mr Wm Darton Sir The disagreeable contention which has arisen about the
illustration of my Barns and stables is particularly irksome to me. I will tell
you precisely how it became known to me first. Messrs Storer and Grieg call'd to state that they had
many months past mention'd at Mr
Hoods, (not to himself) their intention of following their plan as to
Cowper and Burns and with regard to
myself, [1] and that they had
that minute gaind Mr Hoods avowal
that he did not think from what he could judge of Mr Mills's abilities that the
prosecution of your plan would be adequate to the public expectation, and the
credid [sic] of the parties concernd. This was accompanied on their part with a
positive resolution to go through their undertaking much sooner than you could,
and whither I consented or not. I felt myself awkwardly situated, and said that
if Mr Hood saw cause to retract, I
knew not how to resolve, otherwise than not to suffer the portrait of my Mother to accompany any other
than a masterly work that might reflect honour on us all. [2] I said that to either, (to you if you had askd it) I
could give hints and anecdotes. But I did not authorise them to say this in a
public advertisement as they have done. Thus much truth from your uncomfortable servant Robt Bloomfield Notes* BL Add. MS 28268, f. 444
(copy) BACK [1] Bloomfield refers to the
volume of illustrations of his works and of the country in which they were
set, proposed by two artists who specialised in producing topographical
engravings, J. Storer and J. Greig. Prepared in summer 1805, the
illustrations were published as Views in Suffolk, Norfolk, and
Northamptonshire, Illustrative of the Works of Robert Bloomfield;
Accompanied with Descriptions: to which is Annexed a Memoir of the
Poet's Life by E. W. Brayley
(London, 1806). They can be seen here: [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] BACK [2] The published work included a depiction of
Bloomfield's mother, engraved after a portrait by Pierre Violet. It can be
seen here. BACK |
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