My  dear  Mr.  Reed,

•  ••••••

It  is  gratifying  to  learn  that  through  your  means  Mr.  Alston
has  been  reminded  of  me.  We  became  acquainted  many  years
ago  through  our  common  friend  Mr.  Coleridge,  who  had  seen
much  of  Mr.  Alston  when  they  were  both  living  at  Rome.
•  ••••••

You  mention  the  Sonnet  I  wrote  upon  Haydon's  picture  of
the  Duke  of  Wellington.  I  have  known  Haydon,  and  Wilkie
also,  from  their  contemporaneous  introduction  to  the  world  as
artists ;  their  powers  were  perceived  and  acknowledged  by  my
lamented  friend  Sir  George  Beaumont,  and  patronised  by  him
accordingly ;  and  it  was  at  his  house  where  I  first  became  ac-
quainted with  them  both.  Haydon  is  bent  upon  coming  to  Rydal
next  summer,  with  a  view  to  paint  a  likeness  of  me,  not  as  a
mere  matter-of-fact  portrait,  but  one  of  a  poetical  character,  in
which  he  will  endeavour  to  place  his  friend  in  some  favourite
scene  of  these  mountains.  I  am  rather  afraid,  I  own,  of  any
attempt  of  this  kind,  notwithstanding  my  high  opinion  of  his
ability ;  but  if  he  keeps  in  his  present  mind,  which  I  doubt,  it
will  be  in  vain  to  oppose  his  inclination.  He  is  a  great  enthu-
siast, possessed  also  of  a  most  active  intellect,  but  he  wants  that

0  Memoirs,  ii.  371-3.
368  L  etters  and  Ex  tracts  from  L  etters*

submissive  and  steady  good  sense  which  is  absolutely  necessary
for  the  adequate  development  of  power  in  that  art  to  which  he  is
attached.
