Bakkehussamlingen

Bolton Gardens Russellsq^r
9 March 1863

My dear M^me. Jerichau
          I received your letter of the 3^rd. […?]st on the 6^th. Friday last. & on Saturday the 7th notice from [Hull?] of the arrival of the cases there & that they had been forwarded on to my address here by the Rail Road. I immediately wrote to the Rail Road to derive them to keep the cases in their magazine until further orders to avoid the danger of double carriage. I immediately put myself in communication with M^r. Pennethorne my Friend architect for the government at Marlborough House a first rate artist & most estimable man & have seen him today & by his advice I have addressed myself to gen^t. Knollys chief of the Household of the Prince of Wales for further instructions. Your man is not yet arrived. You may rely upon every thing being properly done & managed agreeably to Professor Jerichau’s wishes & directions. And I will see Capt Falbe Sech of the Danish legation. M^r. Theed the Sculptor an artist of eminence has arranged for the Prince other statues at Marlborough House as M^r Pennethorne informs me. //
The usual days of receiving objects intended for exhibition at the Royal academy are the first Monday & Tuesday in April.
The art union have had the privelege from her Majesty of publishing a reduced copy of M^m. Thorneycroft’s bust of the Princess Alexandra made at Mindor. But I think of Jerichau’s were here he might sell it to advantage or at all events the copyright. He should send over the bust for our exhibition. I trust he will send a work for the art union competition[.] as regards the Prince Consort Memorial it was a limited competition between M^r Pennethorne already named by me – M^r Scott – C Barry & E Barry (sons of our famous architect of the houses of Parliament) Digby Wyatt – Hardwick [Jun.?] & myself – last & least of all. We shall not know our fate till some time but I fear that M^r [Scott?] will cut us all out as his drawings are most exquisite. The designs not so happy for they are not classic in taste at all, but capricious & scenic, rather melodramatic not pure.
But such is the present tendency of public taste & Her majesty is no judge of art at all it is supposed[.] // For she has had put up a wretched Mausoleum for the reception of the remains of the Prince & [of?] her own hereafter
All the world are charmed with the Princess. Her beauty – her grace – her exquisite manners are the theme of every one’s praise. We shall highly prize such a matchless treasure for our throne. The popular past of the procession was enthusiastic but every one re[pro?]aches the Governmental arrangement arising from the morbid state of mind of the Queen whose [formal?] melancholy for her loss is too absorbent & personal & ought to yield to that which is expected from her as a Sovereign as well as a wife Her tenant, had black bands on their arms and there was no pomp nor state in the court past of the procession. Reflection is very general here & the people feel hurt & blame the Home secretary of state Sir George Grey, who is a cold blooded formalist & ought to have insisted on other arrangements. So indignant were the city authorities in regard to the arrangement that a week ago they threatened to withdraw altogether & the [court?] people were obliged to yield The Queen they say is very fond of the Princess & [will?] she may be, but the morbid melancholy in which // she indulges to the exclusion of other sentiments is very indiscrete & out of place & is become […?] to all classes. She must take care & not alienate from herself the affection of her People. We love her much as a most constitional sovereign & excellent other & most attached wife & virtuous woman. […?] do not like her dire regard of the […?] […?] of her station to be [aborted?] in her grief for the departed however excellent he was.
M^m Donaldson has been very ill with Bronchitis for a fortnight confined to her room. I will write in a few days about the copyright & to tell you further as to the group[.]
With Kindest regards in [harts?] most truly y^rs
          Tho. L: Donaldson