have managed with the money very well, I slipped quietly in a room where I knew my mother would come, and, taking the fifteen golden sovereigns out of my pocket, I laid them on the edge of the table in such a position that when she entered the room she could not fail to see them. I never enjoyed a sale so much.
"I got married in 1856 on the strength of my picture, 'Toothache in the Middle Ages,' which, I suppose, was the first one which brought me into anything like notoriety. It was bought by Mr. Mudie, the librarian, who died recently, and who was a good friend to me. Landseer noticed this picture. I have a very funny anecdote to tell you about this. While I was painting this work in a small room, there was a dentist living a few doors off, who had outside his shop a head which used to open and shut and show teeth and no teeth. Well, I received a letter purporting to come from him, saying that he had heard that I was painting a picture which he thought was an exceedingly witty idea; he wanted it, and would pay for it. But I should have to paint a companion picture to it, entitled, 'No Toothache since M. Andrew Fresco has lived in Modern Times.' He would sit as the model. This letter was dated April 1. I replied that I was exceedingly flattered by his kind offer, but before sending in the picture, as it was nearly finished, I should like him to call and see it. To this I got a reply containing the simple words: M. Andrew Fresco knows nothing at all about the matter.' The whole thing was the hoax of a young cousin of mine, and, since he perpetrated it, I will give his name to the world. It was Dr. D. Buchanan.
Sketch of Dogberry examining Conrade and Borachio.
(Made specially for this article by Mr. Marks.)
"In 1859 I was doing a good bit of work on wood blocks, and also stained glass. It was in this year that I sold a picture for 150 guineas, 'Dogberry's Charge to the Watch'; I also decorated a church at Halifax. In 1860 Mr. Mudie took me and another artist for a trip up the Rhine. What I then saw of the glorious scenery settled my mind altogether. I would give up all the other odd work I was doing, and devote my whole time to painting; nothing but starvation should stop it. That same year I painted a monk carving a model, which was accepted in 1861, and that marked an epoch in my life. This was a commission from Col. Akroyd, and I asked 300 guineas. He said: Send it to the Academy, and he would be there at the private view and see what it was like. He was there, but it was bought during the first hour, previous to his arrival, for 300 guineas, by Mr. Agnew. With that money I opened an account at the London and Westminster Bank, Bloomsbury, and I have kept it there to this date.
"I was elected A.R.A. in 1871. I think that was principally owing to the painting of my picture, 'St. Francis Preaching to the Birds.' I got £450 for that work; it was accepted in 1870. Exactly ten years before I had asked Mr. Knight, the secretary, to put down my name; so that I had waited ten years. On December 19, 1878, I was elected a full-blown R.A. in place of Sir Francis Grant, and I was the first Royal Academician made under the presidency of Sir Frederic Leighton. I have only been absent from the walls of the Royal Academy two years since 1853.
"I must tell you a little anecdote about my 'St. Francis.' It was sold some time afterwards for £1,155. I used to borrow from an old gentleman a number of stuffed birds. Soon after the sale he came to me, and I said to him, 'I want some bird skins, if you have got any.' And he said, 'Yes, I can let you have some. How many do you
