{"admin":{"added":1692900057000,"created":1692883988000,"flag":"Standard Record","id":"object-110009891","indexed":1747160955154,"modified":1722868464000,"processed":1747159409017,"source":"adlib","stream":"fitz-online","uid":"adlib-object-110009891","uri":"https:\/\/data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk\/id\/object\/110009891","uuid":"e52cb028-1dbb-3d03-88ec-9e7ee1fe86af","version":3},"agents":[{"@link":{"relation":"person","type":"reference"},"admin":{"id":"agent-29619","uid":"adlib-agent-29619","uuid":"ef67fb8d-9a82-3301-9947-b8d0526effb3"},"summary_title":"Constable, John"},{"@link":{"relation":"person","type":"reference"},"admin":{"id":"agent-82139","uid":"adlib-agent-82139","uuid":"5787a108-be4d-3fcb-adb7-368ca6d4dc85"},"summary_title":"Lucas, David"},{"@link":{"relation":"person","type":"reference"},"admin":{"id":"agent-207347","uid":"adlib-agent-207347","uuid":"262d0c34-1577-3bb6-ab37-381330568054"},"summary_title":"Moon, Graham"},{"@link":{"relation":"person","type":"reference"},"admin":{"id":"agent-145413","uid":"adlib-agent-145413","uuid":"1bd9266f-c15f-3f5c-ba9a-143eb79b8e85"},"summary_title":"Wilkie, David"}],"component":[{"measurements":{"dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","units":"mm","value":"208"},{"dimension":"Width","units":"mm","value":"185"}]},"name":"Whole (loose Leaf)"},{"measurements":{"dimensions":[{"dimension":"Length","units":"mm","value":"227"},{"dimension":"Width","units":"mm","value":"187"}]},"name":"Whole (bifold Leaf)"}],"content":{"description":[{"type":"content description","value":"This is a letter from John Constable to David Lucas, dated 20 December 1834. The letter is writtThe published transcript of this letter can be found in Shirley (No. 163, page 122) and Beckett (page 417). The leaf has been numbered S163, referring to the order in Shirley's publication. \n\nTRANSCRIPT:\n\n---\n<bifold leaf>\n\n                                                                                  Decr 20 1834\nDear Lucas,\n                    I am sorry that you could not have ordered the set of prints for me which I was going to send to my brother. as I had got the frames of Castile, the case and all ready to send this afternoon by Sidey Constable's ship* into Suffolk, and have written to my brother to say they are coming. I cannot use those I have only one is fit and that does not include either of the other three -\n        I wish you had spoken to me when you left your note at the door - I could have explained it.\nIt was [Lewis?] told me of Mr Moon's having bought a large portion at a high price. & I hear otherwise about it. not that I am now for a moment uncomfortable - I feel assured - You must now think yourself worth preserving - You may judge by a little what might happen - when You did those things of Hampd [t\/n: Hampstead] heath - I know very well you must live - but as you have worked yourself into an independence of the best sort - time & mind - why not keep it - I feel assured you will not disguise yourself - do you what you may - it is even against your interest to do so - remember the Publishers are always - feeding the publick with bolderdash - because they gape for it - but you have now seen an instance of the contrary in both - and it is a pity you should not have followed up the blow on your part - it would still have been seconded on theirs is my belief - from the extraordinary effect these two prints have made on the publick - you have shown them what I am without my defects. - I wish to know if you have given up the hope on your part of following up the blow - which is what made me ask you if you had appropriated the Ground laid for the large Salisbury to any other purpose - which you did not answer. If you were afraid of the whole risk I would releive you - I would at least advance money all the time - and do my share if required in any other way - most satisfactory to your own peace of mind.\n  ''I shall most sincerely grieve for both our sakes if you have relinquished the ground - on which you have so \n   nobly taken your position.''\nEnough is said of those things - Lewis has applied to me wishing to undertake a large plate - I would as I told say a word - I would have nothing to do with in any way -on any account in the world -\n         When you have leisure - will you tell me the size you thought the ''Watermill'' will be - I should like to see you with a companion to it - and that should be ''Old Billy Lotts'' - & I would suppress the little plate - but nobody shall touch it but you - wether done or not - I do think the pair would help one another - in sale and in all ways - besides I hear a little about the glass's being so large - even for these uprights - all these things are worth the considering in undertaking any plate -\n        I have had a deal of talk with Wilkie - and shall have more - as he dines with me on Wednesday - He has been a greivous sufferer by companionship - I was struck with all he said - He is now obliged to stipulate with these abominable publishers - that there shall be no companion made - for afterall who [t\/n: word deleted] can - or shall - ever be able to companion or match Wilkie - but the evil acts two ways - His prints sell the companion or the companion hinders the sale of his - but they give a transitory name to the inferior work which though good for nothing - is not found to be so 'till all the mischief is done - & it is too late - even then to bring back the publick to the subject again - all this and much more I would be glad to talk to you about -\n                                                                      Yours dear Lucas   always truly John Constable\n\n<loose leaf>\n                                                                                  Decr 20 1834.\n    I have nothing to say about what you may be engaged in - even if you have applied the ground which you intended for the Salisbury you have a clear right to your independence - and I feel assured you will never undertake any thing which you know I should be distressed at or injured by - it would indeed be hard that I should have put arms in your in your hands to be turned to my destruction - that I know you never would do - and I never trouble myself about profound secrets - as I know generally that are rascally things - and one in the dark [t\/n: 'only' crossed out] often for mischiefs - though sometimes for self protection I grant - When I was with Lod Egremont - he told me - that he had sent to invite turner who wrote to him - to say - ''he was off to the north on a [^] booksellers job - that was a profound secret'' - J.C\n[t\/n: the following lines are written inversely on the top left - perhaps added in the end]\nmy brother will be sadly disappointed - as well as I am myself -\n\n---\n\n*Constable's cousin, Sidey, was master of the ship called 'Telegraph', which brought flour from the family mill up to London."}]},"identifier":[{"accession_number":"Constable\/EL\/1\/1\/128","primary":true,"type":"accession number","value":"Constable\/EL\/1\/1\/128"},{"priref":"110009891","type":"priref","value":"110009891"},{"type":"uri","uri":"https:\/\/data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk\/id\/object\/110009891","value":"https:\/\/data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk\/id\/object\/110009891"}],"institutions":[{"@link":{"type":"reference"},"admin":{"id":"agent-149638","uid":"adlib-agent-149638","uuid":"7376d833-d0a7-3be0-916e-9c892b7a24d8"},"summary_title":"The Fitzwilliam Museum"}],"lifecycle":{"creation":[{"maker":[{"@link":{"type":"reference"},"admin":{"id":"agent-29619","uid":"adlib-agent-29619","uuid":"ef67fb8d-9a82-3301-9947-b8d0526effb3"},"summary_title":"Constable, John"}]}]},"summary_title":"MS Letter, Constable to Lucas","title":[{"value":"MS Letter, Constable to Lucas"}],"type":{"base":"object","type":"OBJECT"}}