Millais, J.E. Two autograph letters

Millais, J.E. Two autograph letters signed, one to [John] Ruskin, about coming to stay with him, commenting on his not knowing how to employ himself since his pictures have gone to the Royal Academy, and sending kind greetings to Mrs Ruskin; the other to Mrs Ford, declining a visit because of ill health (7 March 1864) and with an envelope with four sketches of animals by the young John Millais (1878), together with a letter by Effie Millais to Mrs Ford, describing a journey to Perth and the calamity of a house fire ("at 3am the Maid rushed into our room saying the house was on fire.... of that fine House nothing remained but the Walls & Campanila. Sir E. saved his Pictures. The servants lost everything", 13 pages in all, and envelope, 8vo., laid down, chiefly undated