Bakkehussamlingen

London 22^nd April 1864

My dear Madam Jerichau.
       We have often thought of you and y^r. excellent Husband and your d^r. circle & sympathised with the deep grief & sorrows you must be experiencing in the reverses of Denmark caused by the unwarrantable war carried on against you by the German Powers. A cowardly attack & of which you have such bitter fruits. Even the fall of Doppel does not seem sufficient to assert the fury of y^r. Conquerors. We have lamented the unnecessary waste of blood. The Danes have shewn great bravery but doubtless // it would have been niser, if not so heroic, to have yielded at once to such overpowering numbers, rather than to have suffered such reverses with out any hope of success. And the very triumph of y^r. enemies will render them still more exciting.
       M^m. Donaldson has been today to see y^r. interesting picture & I enclose 2 critiques which have appeared on the subject. You must recollect that our writers of such notices are […?] very little competent as judges of art. They seek analogies where none exist, & they can only record general impressions, with out // properly rendering an acc^t. of the source of those impressions. They both of them evidently regard your picture as a fine production. M^m. Donaldson & her niece, who accompanied her, were much struck with the grouping & expression. They think the coloring too cold for our English taste, but that of course is a matter of predilection arising from association & habit, & the custom we have, of admiring the Italian school, which is generally warm in its tones.
Pray has M^r Jerichau been at work [much?] of late. How [strong?] to see something of his at our Royal Academy // Exhibition, where his deep & pure feeling, & high art would [t?]ell so favoably away the mass of our English sculptures. It is said, that the next exhibition promises to be a very fine one. I am invited, at the President of the Institute of British Architects, to […?] with the members [of?] the annual grand reunion next Saturday (tomorrow) week. We are all tolerably well. Jamie has a fine sparkling little son. Pour Mariette still causes us much anxiety. My wife hopes that you will have received the letter she wrote you last week. M^m. W.L. Donaldson has had a very severe attack of paralysis. and Andrew is working on zealously & goes to Italy in the autumn. We all unite in affection […?] regards to you & y^r. & believe me d^r. M^me. Jerichau[.]
       Truly y^rs Tho. L: Donaldson