Six autographed letters signed ("John Everett Millais" and "J. E. Millais") to the housemaster of Cotton House at Marlborough College, Francis Thompson concerning the schooling and professional perspectives of his two sons John and Geoffrey. With regard to his first-born Geoffrey, initially intended for a career in the Navy, Millais writes "We are only too well aware of his incapacity to learn anything....He has been good at school from the beginning, but has at present little power to retain anything he is told", 29 November 1875; in a second letter, Millais informs Mr Thompson that Geoffrey was diagnosed a defective sight and had to accept "his inability in consequence of getting into the Navy", 22 June1876; a third letter shows the artist discussing John - Millais writes "Doubtless through seeing my success in the art he has been led to think of becoming an Artist, but he is at present unable to understand that he would have to go through years of drudgery...before he would be permitted to do what he likes", 24 October 1880; in another letter, John has failed to get into the Upper School, causing Millais to inform Mr Thompson that "The boy is defective in his sight for colour and therefore any notion of his being brought up as an artist is out of the question. The line which I am sure will be agreeable to him and which I desire he should follow is Natural Science...I would like to know what you would propose...as he is clearly not fit to go to Oxford at present", 8 November1881; mailing folds, light yellowing, printed headings, 17 pages, 8vo, 7 Cromwell Place South Kensington, 2 Palace Gate Kensington and Erigmore Pertshire, 1875-1876 and 1880-1882. (6) Provenance: Mr Francis Thompson Housemaster of Cotton House at Marlborough College and thence by descent to the vendor.
Six autographed letters signed ("John Everett Millais" and "J. E. Millais") to the housemaster of Cotton House at Marlborough College, Francis Thompson concerning the schooling and professional perspectives of his two sons John and Geoffrey. With regard to his first-born Geoffrey, initially intended for a career in the Navy, Millais writes "We are only too well aware of his incapacity to learn anything....He has been good at school from the beginning, but has at present little power to retain anything he is told", 29 November 1875; in a second letter, Millais informs Mr Thompson that Geoffrey was diagnosed a defective sight and had to accept "his inability in consequence of getting into the Navy", 22 June1876; a third letter shows the artist discussing John - Millais writes "Doubtless through seeing my success in the art he has been led to think of becoming an Artist, but he is at present unable to understand that he would have to go through years of drudgery...before he would be permitted to do what he likes", 24 October 1880; in another letter, John has failed to get into the Upper School, causing Millais to inform Mr Thompson that "The boy is defective in his sight for colour and therefore any notion of his being brought up as an artist is out of the question. The line which I am sure will be agreeable to him and which I desire he should follow is Natural Science...I would like to know what you would propose...as he is clearly not fit to go to Oxford at present", 8 November1881; mailing folds, light yellowing, printed headings, 17 pages, 8vo, 7 Cromwell Place South Kensington, 2 Palace Gate Kensington and Erigmore Pertshire, 1875-1876 and 1880-1882. (6) Provenance: Mr Francis Thompson Housemaster of Cotton House at Marlborough College and thence by descent to the vendor.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
