"(5) 'The singers went before,' etc., etc., etc.--_Psalm lxviii. 25._
"I dare say I could find more, but these are enough to go on with for the present, no doubt; if I think of others I will let you know. I am sorry that you have again had to send in vain for the 'Joseph' drawing, but the fault was not mine; I was out of town and had left word with the servant that she was to give it to the messenger, which she failed to do. I think I could go on with the two first subjects at once.
"I will take up your 'Joseph' drawing as soon as I can manage to get up so far."
Sir E. J. Poynter, P.R.A., was born in Paris, 1836; and was educated at Westminster, Ipswich, and Brighton College. He returned to Paris to receive his art training, and entered the studio of Gleyre, going afterwards to Antwerp, where he was fellow-student with Alma-Tadema and George Du Maurier. In Rome he made the acquaintance of Leighton, and for a short time worked in his studio there. He was elected into the Royal Academy, 1869, and to full honours in that institution, 1876, attaining the highest honour, that of President, November, 1896. This is but a short record of a very brilliant career.
_By permission of Herbert Virtue & Co., Ltd._]
We were first attracted to his work, at a minor Exhibition in Newman Street, by a small, but very charming water colour drawing of "Egyptian Water Carriers"--two, half-length, beautiful girls--which we bought, on its merits, not having any previous knowledge of the artist. Several years after, this picture was engraved and included in our "Bible Gallery."
The following letter, remarking upon a proof from one of his drawings for the "Bible" submitted for correction, is one of several we received from Sir Edward J. Poynter during the progress of the work:
"UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, "_Thursday, Nov. 28th, 1871_.
"DEAR MR. DALZIEL,--I have touched a little on the proof with a view to getting a little more breadth of light. The reduction so concentrates the effect that it looks rather spotty; I was a little afraid it might. The light on the floor especially seems to want shading more gradually into the background; cutting out the cross lines in the hatching on the left hand side would, I should think, do this, and thinning the lines generally as they get nearer the light. I have made a slight alteration in the head of the young lady standing up by taking out some of the shading, and one or two other points are touched with a view to simplicity. I hope I am not giving you too much trouble! The engraving is most beautiful, especially the two near figures, which are wonderful; indeed, whatever is wrong is my own fault.