THE LETTERS OF CONRAD MARTENS

1834-1878

The following is a transcription of the letters of artist Conrad Martens. The majority are in collections such as the State Library of .

Date Correspondent Contents

1834

19 March Henry Martens Description of Beagle voyage and quarters on ship. Written at St Louis, Falkland Islands

1849

25 October James Mitchell Notes on painting; comment on Prout

19 November Henry Martens State of NSW economy; goldrushes; sales at Art Union and of lithograph

28 November James Mitchell Illness; lack of sales

7 December Mr Carter Wine account

1849-50? Miss Moxon English friend; sale of lithographs

1850

13 September Henry Martens Lean prospects; material needed for immigration; no interest in painting

22 December Rev. Cary Payment for tuition

22 December Rev. W.B.Clarke Note re argument concerning Mr Fowles

1851

18 March Henry Martens Marshall Claxton and Mr Stepthens

5 April James Mitchell Low funds; notes on painting; lithographs; Claxton

? James Levick Commission for view of

1854

6 January ? Expenses for trip to Maitland; cost of paintings

10 January S.A.Bryant Request for payment

? W.M. Brownrigg Vacate premises

22 January Henry Martens Lithographs; photograph from cousin Fred

? Octavius Browne Despatch of paintings and note re Bryant 1854

? S.A. Bryant Request for payment

? Rev. Creyke Seeks opinion

25 February Octavius Browne Despatch of paintings; notes on works

28 February S.A.Bryant Request for payment of money due

9 June Henry Martens Printing of new lithograph of Sydney

1856 24 January Henry Martens 4pp

1857 18 February ? 2pp

1860

23 November W.W.Burton to CM 1p

? General Macarthur 2pp

1862

20 January Comments on his book; reminiscence on HMS Beagle voyage; an offer of painting; 4pp

20 November E.T. Blacket to CM Art lessons for daughter; 1p

1863 14 September Alexander Berry Putting forward Martens as candidate for Parliamentary Library position; 1p

1868 14 December Mrs Martens Note re Martens illness and arrangements upon death; 1p

1871 28 July To his daughter Hilda, commenting on one of Martens' architectural drawings

1878

8 February G.P.Slade to CM 3pp

8 May John Hay to CM 1p

13 May John Hay 1p

15 May Thos. H. Fielding Re issue of set of chromolithographs; 4pp

18 May Fielding to CM Re chromolithographs; 2pp

6 June Fielding to CM Re chromolithographs; 2pp

22 June Mr Farrell Re resignation from Library post; 1p

? Mr Farrell 1p

No Date

- Larnach 2pp

- ? 1p

15 February ? Larnach 3pp

- Capt. Hall 2pp

- Miss Moxon 4pp

1 December ? Henry Martens 3pp

- My dear Sister 4pp

"Copy of a letter to my brother Henry

H.M.S. Beagle, March 19, 1834

The hove at this place [gives] an opportunity of forwarding letters to , all hands are therefore busy in spinning long yarns to wives, sweethearts &c&c, and it is with much pleasure that I avail myself of it to send you a despatch. If young Parry has had a tolerable passage, you have ere this received my last from Montevideo, which place we left on 6th Decr, making the best of our way to the southward, and on the 23rd arrived at Port Desire, a fine harbour but wholly uninhabited, tho some ruins shew that the Spaniards had formerly attempted a settlement here. Our tender the Schooner underwent an alteration in her rigging, and we at the same time attempted to get in a fresh supply of wood and water. The country is bare and desolate in the extreme, affording us but a scanty supply of the former, and still worse of the latter, that being not only brackish but so full of animalculae that I made the practice before drinking it to kill them all with certain proportions of brandy.

It must, however, be a place infinitely worse then Port Desire that will not afford amusement to men just let loose from a ship and at the same time bent upon a lark; and altho we had no chance of seeing men and women 8 or 10 ft high, we knew for certain that there was a good sprinkling of game in the neighbourhood, not exactly such as you have in England, but what was in our case far more acceptable, viz. guanaco, cavy, and ostriches. The guanaco is an animal is some respects similar to the deer but much larger; they are exceedingly shy, but we succeeded in getting one in time for a Christmas dinner. The cavy is an animal something like a hare, but much larger. I was surprised to find them all so shy, but believe it is on account of the lions, which are pretty numerous here, and to whom they are a constant prey.

The most amusing part of the time, however, was that spent in an expedition up the harbour, in order to ascertain whether it did or did not terminate in a fresh water river. A party was formed consisting of Mr Darwin the naturalist, 3 officers and myself, with 4 or 5 seamen in the yawl, with provisions for 3 days. The weather was fine, and we generally contrived to get into some little snug creek an hour or so before sunset, where the tents were rigged, a fire lighted, and skirmishers turned out to scower the ground and bring in everything in the shape of game that could be got hold of. In short, it was a genuine bivouack, and such as I am sure you would have liked much; and indeed both there and since I have often wished that you could form one of the party. Of course, I was not exempt from taking my turn in the night watch, for altho no Indians had been seen in the neighbourhood, they are known to come over this part of the country from the northward, and from the late massacres that have taken place in the neighbourhood of Buenos Ayres, we should stand a poor chance if caught napping. The chance of these, and the certainty of lions not being far off, was sufficient to keep my fancy at work during my watch, which was only for an hour and a half; when that was over, however, I had too much confidence in my party not to sleep soundly for the rest of the night.

We succeeded in finding good water, but it was too far up to be of use in watering the ship, and we returned.

While here, as there was but little to be done in the way of sketching, I used generally to take my gun and was fortunate enough one day to bring home an ostrich, the only one indeed which as yet we had been able to kill, altho great numbers had been seen. It was a young one, and excellent eating.

I am happy to say that not only myself but all on board have up to this time been in excellent health, notwithstanding the variety of food which occasionally presents itself, it being allowed by all that any thing is better than our own salted beef and pork. Accordingly gulls, shags, and sharks, muscels, limpets and land crabbs, are seldom rejected if nothing better is to be had. Not that we are by any means insensible to our present excellent fare, which consists of geese, ducks, snipes and beef in the greatest plenty.

...... It would be useless here to attempt a description of all the out of the way places, wild scenes, and still wilder inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego and Patagonia. Something of the kind will be found in my letter to ---. I should, rather, like to convey to you and my friends in North St a tolerable idea of the snug way in which I am domiciled on board this small little craft. Suppose me then where I am now writing, in my cabin, which by the by I must tell you is allowed to be a pattern of neatness and convenience, the door of which opens into the gunroom. It is lighted by two bulls eyes from the upper deck in the manner of a skylight, and as I am upon too familiar a footing with my messmates ever to think of shutting the door, a good deal of light comes in that way also. A tasty blue cloth curtain, however, is drawn at night, closing likewise a small window alongside it. Facing the door, built in as it were and occupying the whole length of the cabin, is a nest of drawers of 3 tiers, above which is the bed place, particularly well adapted for those who like to lie high, being at least 4 1/2 feet from the deck. The dimensions of the cabin is 6ft long by rather more than 5 ft wide and 6 ft high. The bedplace is not very wide, being of course only intended for one person. Now fancy yourself there, and the sketch will at once finish the description. On the left of the door is my table, desk, lamp, and drawing materials. The end which is seen in perspective is occupied by books, guns, pistols, my plate, a picture, and sundry other useful articles, arranged and fixed in such a manner that the utmost motion of the vessel will not disturb. the whole is painted in imitation of oak the same as your own pretty parlour, with the exception of the drawers, which are of mahogany...."

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St.Leonards Oct.25 1849 My Dear Mitchell,

I received your box by favor of Miss Rogers, safe and sound, and am much obliged to you for the contents, and which I certainly should have acknowledged by the return of the "Emma" had there been time, but having no business whatever just now to call me to Sydney I did not get either box or letters till about an hour before the closing of the return mail by the above vessel. The Prout is light and pretty but I consider the tint of the sky and distance decidedly wrong. It is not pure air color. It is greenish and should have warm high lights. The rest of his colors are of the purest kind or which only as are seen at midday. Neither can I bring myself to think the handling of the sky to be right, and upon that point I will quote "Burnet on Light and Shade". He says - It is of the utmost importance to have a sharp edge to the lights and half-shadows throughout the whole... And again the light pictures of Teniers and Cuyp are full of this precision in the touch; a flatness in the shades; a sharpness in the handling; and a distinctness in the approximate colors. By this alone a general breath can be preserved, and the most splendid light even of a sky filled with a multitude of forms. So much for that. We artists, you see, do not spare each other whatever we say about the performances of amateurs.

I shall not pretend however to cram you with compliments about your two drawing in pencil - sketches they are not - would that they were, they would pass muster the better, but you know more about the thing now I think - In the larger one the horizon is much too high, Upon the whole it is well tried at and shew clearly that at that time you knew very little about it. Now do not take this in dudgeon, because I value your friendship and would rather never say anything more to you upon the subject than lose it. This is, in fact, the queer way I have of showing mine to you. Those pieces of bird's eye looking wood must I am sure work up beautifully. Thank you for them. I have finished my slide rest, and am satisfied with the performance of it. It is now firm at all points but the upper movement is not adapted for deep cutting in parallel work.

I shall do myself the pleasure of sending you a sketch or something of the kind in return for the Prout, and now I think of it let me acknowledge the receipt of 5 pounds. being in point of fact some shillings more than I ought to have.

Remember me kindly to Bessie and she was quite right to stick to her husband, and so she is at home safe and well.

We are all well except Tommy, and he has got a cough

Believe me My Dear Mitchell Yours sincerely C.M.

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Nov. 19th 49. To Henry Martens

My Dear Brother,

I received yours of May 1.49. some time in the latest end of September. I have hitherto delayed writing partly because in the mean time I wrote to Mary Ann, and partly in the hopes that I might have to speak of more cheering prospects for us here. But such is not the case yet. Indeed I have never known so great a depression in business of all kinds than there is at present. The people are leaving the country by hundreds for California by every ship that goes; and charter a vessel for that place is now, I believe, one of the best specs going. When this mania will end or how it will end I cannot even guess. It is true the ups and downs have always succeeded each other in pretty quick succession, but as the artist is perhaps the last to feel the depression so is he also the last to benefit by the improvement of the times. The money will indeed be most acceptable when it domes. I am certainly not inclined to look upon emigration to California as the cause but rather as the effect in part of the want of employment in and about Sydney as the decrease is, I believe, not universally to go to the mines but rather to obtain the high wages reported to be given at San Francisco. I am truly sorry to hear that you still lack employment. I wish indeed that I could give you more encouragement to come out here but I feel that I have said all I dare say to you on that subject; some of which account if in strictness is already too favourable must be attributed to the very natural desire of having you near us.

I cannot help looking out somewhat anxiously for the arrival of the cash you mention; indeed I should have been fairly aground some time since had it not been for a haul of about 60 pounds. which I made by the Art Union Exhibition which was, I think, about to take place when I last wrote. It was as good an exhibition of colonial talent as I could have expected, but in all other respects a decided failure that is to say, firstly, the proprietors of good pictures would not lend them, Visitors were not so numerous as might have been expected, and subscribers to the Art Union did not number more than, I think, 62. There was not a single picture sold during the Exhibition, but fortunately for me, the prize holders were almost unanimous in selections from my works, so that were I could not meet them with a picture of exactly a corresponding figure to the amount of their ticket the balance was paid. This occurred in two instances and gave me and extra 10 pounds, my share of the actual Art Union tickets being 50 pounds.

Since that time however I have sold but one drawing; nor have I at present any pupils; in short something else must be thought of to keep the pot boiling till better times come round. I think I can say for certain that I shall not leave this place for any neighbouring colony desirable tho' it might appear to be for the time.

I am glad to find J.W.M. is doing well. It would be hard indeed if none of us could succeed. I believe for myself I do not work so hard as some would do when the wind is the right way. But of this I feel quite certain that had I laid by any considerable sum some years ago when perhaps by great squeezing I might have been able to do, it would have been invested to a dead certainly in shares of the Bank of - the escape from which I can never be too thankful.

I have been busy the most part of today in guarding against the bush fires which are burning on both sides of us. The danger amounts to little more than the destruction of the fences. These must be well cleared from all grass or combustable matter lying near them.

The effect of the fire among the trees is at times very good even at mid-day when the sun is at intervals obscured by the smoke causing a sudden and unnatural darkness over the scene which was perhaps but a minute before in brilliant sunshine.

Mr. Stephens I called upon soon after his arrival but altho', at first he appeared respectable which gave promise of a valuable acquisition to our artist Society, I soon found myself disappointed. There is a very great deal of sly dodgery and humbug about him. He would not talk about artists. That made me suspect something. Neither would he show me any of his pictures, until the time came when he blazed forth - a grand raffle, at the request of several gentlemen - of a thousand pounds worth of paintings by himself, along with a parcel of engravings upon all of which he trebled the selling price. Of course he has failed in his object, and I have doubt will very soon make himself scarce. His pictures, as you would say, would make uncommon fine teaboards.

It appears by the advertisements of the Art Union Committee that they will select pictures for winners of prizes who may be out of England if requested to do so. This I have done thro' Mr.Ford who is their agent here if I should be a fortunate one but I do not intend to subscribe this year.

The engravings being so little worth buying and cash at the same time so scarce.

My colored print continues to sell. I have in the long run made a very good thing of it. I sell none not colored. They sell at a guinea but I allow Ford and others 25 p.c. if they choose to pay me cash. I do not however think it would be possible to raise anything like 50 pounds at this time for a similar publication. I intend to see what can be done in Lithogy here; something that would do to colour might perhaps be got up.

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Decr. 7th 1849 To Mr.Carter.

Dear Sir,

Mr. Bell has brought some wine which he says is by your orders, but without a note or message of any kind. In the absence therefore of any communication from you on the subject I beg leave to return it. Yours truly C.M.

Memo. The wine was sent on to the Crow's Nest the same evening by Mark.

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To J. Mitchell Esq. Hobart Town. Nov.28th 1849.

My Dear Mitchell,

Our friend Mr. Mann (?) is about paying a visit to your part of the world and has kindly consented to br troubled with a small packet. I therefore send you a little bit of color, easy and slight of execution, and an example of two of pencil sketching which I think might be useful ...... and inclination again to try your hand in that way. I have not done anything more in the competition way since I wrote last but have taken to painting out of doors in oil which I find very improving to me in color and shall I hope with a little more practice be enabled to complete a picture, or nearly so, in that way with facility and a happy consciousness that it is very near the truth. But the worst is that I can sell nothing now whatever way it may be done and this complaint, like the influenza, is I am sorry to say, but too general.

Mrs. M. too, has for some time been far from well; so that upon the whole things are not looking well with us at present, A wholesome hint, if we will take it, that we are to look beyond things of this world for real comfort and happiness.

And that such may be sought for and eventually be found by us both and all that are dear to us is the wish of

Your sincere friend.

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Extract from a letter to Miss Moxon. n.d. [?1850]

I have not heard from Octavius Brown lately, neither is there much probability of our meeting, at least as caused by my movements as Port Phillip is not sufficiently picturesque to draw me in that direction.

This letter like most of mine to my friends in England has been written at intervals, and since the last interval I have made a tolerably successful attempt at lithographs having a very large number of sketches which will never be made use of in any other way. I intend publishing in numbers of four each. Unfortunately there is no good printer in Sydney and much work remains to be done by me afterwards in order ot hide his clumsiness notwithstanding which I have grand hopes it will pay me well. In the course of a day or two I shall take my first number to the Governor Sir Chas.Fitzroy on whose patronage I confidently reckon as he never fails, when we meet, to say something kind about his brother with whom I sailed.

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Sept 13th 1850 My Dear Brother

We yesterday received your long expected letter instead of yourself as we have sometimes amused ourselves by fancying might be the case, walking into the cottage some fine morning after losing your way in the bush half a dozen times of so. But your letter is better than nothing. And now I will lose no time in replying to if for I find I have not written to you since Nov. 49, nearly a twelvemonth - no inconsiderable portion of time it must necessarily be of that which is left for us to battle through amidst the humbug and hubbub of the world. But to go at once to the main subject of our late correspondence. I can only allow myself to say that I wish you were here with us. Not that there is any better prospect for an artist now than when I last wrote to you. We still jog on however from hand to mouth and people who do not know where the shoe pinches have an idea that, as they express it, I must "Have a nice time of it trotting here and there upon the pony and taking it so easy". I only hope I may always be able to keep him for I cannot now trot very far upon my own legs without being knocked up. You would no doubt ask how I find it expensive, having five acres of ground. But you must know, or rather I must tell you that the ground here produces trees and bushes but no grass, at least such as would nourish cattle unless it is cultivated. The natural product of our ground however is rocks most admirably adapted, my wife would tell you, for growing cactuses upon, that is to say, if there is some good manure put in between them.

Upon looking over your letter and taking the remarks they come, I find you notice with a dash Capt. King's note of introduction being sealed. All that I have to say however about it is that I wrote it at the Club in his presence and at his own request and that upon my handing it to him he there and then seal'd it himself. - That is a bad account of J.W. 's voyage but I think you need not take alarm at it. You know what the sea is and I should think his case is one in then thousand. I can say but little with certainty upon the subject of supplies for your plunge as you very expressively term it. The prices of things vary so much where the market and the manufactory are at opposite sides of the world. So much so that I think that speculation would have the best chance of being a good hit if made of things which at the time of writing were the most abundant. I should see however that what articles of crockery and hardware you might want viz. knives and forks, teapot and coffee ditto, or any useful things in brittania metal, with tea cups, plates and dishes, would be a good investment. I dont know what price clothing may be in England now, but I have to pay here for a good well cut pair of trousers of what is called does-skin made for me by the best tailor 1.12.0. pounds. Coats are of all kinds and materials now but I should quote them from 2.10.0 pounds upwards.

Of all drawing and painting materials it would be well to bring a good supply, all these things are both bad and scarce. For instance there is not a lithographic drawing book for beginners that is worth twopence to be had, nor has been for years. Neither can I get any paper upon which to print my lithographic sketches in all the colonies but I must wait till that arrives from England which I have sent for. Ford only indentures the book and stationary trade nothing whatever about artists' materials.

I have done no oil painting for some time my painting room is so cold in the winter that I have been obliged to retreat to another room to draw in but which has no light for painting.

I am indeed mich disheartened about painting. There is no sale for anything in that way. Small drawings and lithographs and teaching have been of late the only way of raising a little cash. Our Exhibition has not been repeated. There is puffing of a fellow here who has been getting up what he calls Art Unions, but I know him too well to have anything to do with him. He gulled the public by saying that he gave prizes to the artists for the best pictures but he kept the pictures and his prizes were, in fact, much below my prices. I have raffled a picture of two but that is disagreeable work and now I am glad to find "a games and wagers bill" has put a stop to anything of the kind, Art Unions and all; only a charter will be given when applied for by a Society of Artists the same as in England. In my opinion there is not talent enough in the colony at present to support a thing of the kind and therefore I do not move in the matter. There are some chaps here however who call themselves artists trying to bring about something of the kind.

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To the Revd. Mr. Cary. Decr.22/50

My Dear Sir

I fear that if I have any difficulty in getting my pay for teaching in your establishment I shall be very disinclined to continue. I beg therefore to make this condition with the parents that I be paid in advance; and also that you will assist me so far as to include it in your account to them. I remain Dear Sir. Yours truly C.M.

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To the Revd. W.B. Clarke

Dear Mr. Clarke

As I have no wish to come into collision with Mr. Fowles nor yet to supplant him in Mr. W's establishment, I must hope that you will take no notice of what was said last night. My feelings of indignation you will, I think, allow to be natural altho' the expression of it might be unguarded.

Decr. 22.1850 C.M.

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Hy. Martens. [1851?] Dear Brother,

Immediately after the despatch of my last letter to you dated Sept. 13/50 the arrival of Mr.Marshall Claxton was duly announced in the Sydney paper and you may easily suppose I lost no time in making acquaintance with him. He said he was the very man he wished to see. Roberson had told him I was the only artist here. "And so you are brother to battle Martin as we call him".

His wife has two brothers settled in this country and himself is inclined to try what may be done with the Sydney people. He brings out with him a good commission from Miss Burdett Coutts, a picture of the dimensions of 18 feet by 12 for a school house of her building somewhere in England. He is to have 500 guis. for it. The subject is Christ blessing little children. This is the chief thing that he is at present engaged upon. Of course he hails for a portrait painter but I have not seen enough yet to form a decided opinion as to his talent in that way altho' I feel convinced that he has much knowledge of art in grouping and drawing the figure. He has a wife and two daughters about the age of ours. I sincerely hope we may always be on friendly terms. He has already been of some use to me. It so happened that I had received a commission from England to paint a work with him so of course I gladly availed myself of the offer and have learned some good dodges in the way of laying on the color. The' we have occasionally great arguments about the necessity of preserving the character and true delineation of the trees, plants, &c in the landscapes of this country, a point which I have ever considered of great consequence so long as it does not amount to absolute servility.

He has studied the old masters, I think, a good deal and says that "Ruskin is a humbug". Since I commenced this letter the picture has been finished and packed to go by the "Blackwall", and I have availed myself of the permission to place in the same case a picture for you. The gentleman to whom it is going is Mr. James Levick formerly of Sydney. A very kind friend whose departure wh have much cause to regret. I intended to have sent you by the same conveyance a set of my lithog. sketches but as they were unfortunately not tied up along with the picture but sent a day or two after to Mr. Levick's agent in Sydney the case was soldered up before they were included. I must therefore send them by another opportunity.

Mr. Stephens, I understand, will return to England by the Blackwall, and a poor account he must necessarily give of the state of arts in N.S.Wales. He has had hard work, and only by dint of raffling and puffing, to get rid of the pictures he brought out with him, and my opinion is that he will congratulate himself when he gets safe back to England if he finds he is not minus any very considerable sum besides his time and pictures.

I should much like to know how Claxton stands at home among his brother artists and with the public. I can see nothing in the Art Union Journal but a few meagre criticisms upon a few pictures besides an account of his affair with the United Service Club about their requesting him to take back a picture - The Burial of Sir John Moore - which he had presented to them.

He will certainly find it and awkward job to send home a freshly painted picture measuring upwards of 18 feet by 12. He has never told me why he did not prefer to execute the commission before he left England. Neither do I like to ask him, for I find both him and his wife most extraordinarily tenacious and thin skinned upon all things that may, in the remotest degree, affect his credit as an artist.

"Per Blackwall" March 18/51. ------

To James Mitchell Esq.

Hobart Town April 5th (1851)

My Dear Mitchell

I see by the paper today that the Emma has again arrived in Sydney, I will therefore begin a letter to you at once and hope that before the time is up to advise you of the shipment of some lithographs. Thank you much for your very kind letter and the interest you take in our welfare.

I am happy to say we are still able to keep up the struggle, that is we are all in good health and spirits. I work as much as I well can, but that is certainly not quite so hard as I could (for I am now past fifty). We ask and receive our daily bread from him who is as willing as he is able to give it especially in times when we ourselves know not where to look for the secondary cause that is with us at present.

I touched ground last week when I went to the bank for the weekly supply. This indeed would have been the case some time since had I not just in time received an order from England for a 30 guinea picture which I have just sent off. I am now about collecting subscribers for the next set of Lithographs and disagreeable work it is.

The new artist (Claxton) I very much fear is not the man, neither is his wife the woman for us. Too much flourish was the very appropriate term applied to the lady. He is endeavouring to make a stir upon the subject of art. There will be a great deal of talk no doubt but who, I ask, are to paint pictures worth looking at. And then where are the buyers. Answer An Art Union will get off the pictures no matter how bad; and the result of that, I predict, will be not a taste, but a downright nauseating of the very name of a picture. This at least you will say is a gloomy picture and not yet proved genuine.

The parson, Clarke I mean, has just sent me a specimen of a new kind of lithograph corresponding exactly to mezzotint scraping. I like lithography as an art and my intention at present is to stick to it.

What Harding says about the paper being seen through all the dark shades, to give it transparency, is of course quite right. Otherwise the color would have no more color than it has in the dark cake and that you know is scarcely distinguishable. What I mean by covering or hiding the paper must have applied to the light parts of a picture when working upon white paper. For if the lights are not made to look solid either by emphasising granulation of extreme delicacy of tint, the picture must look poor and thin, and the spectator will be reminded of the material - paper. As a general rule all lights should appear rich, solid, and tangible; and the darks of a perfectly opposite character namely clear, deep, and without substance. And here lies as you will at once perceive, one peculiar difficulty of water painting.

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To James Levick Esq.

My Dear Mr. Levick,

As soon as I received thro' Mr. Piper your proposal about painting a picture of Sydney I requested him to communicate to you my willingness to execute the same and the pleasure I felt by your thus giving me proof of your kind recollection of me. I immediately set about it and opportunity having fortunately occurred at that time of painting it under the inspection of an artist (of) known reputation in London, Mr.Marshall Claxton, who had just arrived in Sydney. It has been much approved by those who have seen it. These however have been fewer than I wished because the opportunity of sending to you occurred at a short interval of time after its completion.

I am tolerably well pleased with it myself and I am now only anxious to hear it meets you approval. This I need scarcely say would give most pleasure by coming from yourself direct, if you do not think it too much trouble to write me a few lines.

I have with the consent of Mr. Piper taken the advantage of your case to enclose a picture for my brother - which I have promised him. I will direct him to call upon you for it and he will thus, at the same time have an opportunity of becoming acquainted with those of my friends whose departure from these shores both Mrs.Martens as well as myself have not ceased to regret.

With kind regards to Mrs.Levick Believe me My Dear Mr.Levick Very sincerely yours C.M.

My brother's address, if it should happen that you require it, is or was 73 Stanhope Street Regents Park.

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1854 Jany 6th Mort's Buildings

Sir

In answer to your proposal of yesterday. I beg to say that I should require 1 guinea a day in addition to all necessary expenses on the road, of course including that of the steamer to and from Maitland.

I also take this opportunity of mentioning I have increased the prices of my pictures since my return from the downs, but that to you only in this instance I should not do so.

I am, Sir Yours faithfully

P.S I think I should be enabled to leave town in about 3 weeks from this time.

After this in a second note I explained that the prices of the pictures had no reference to sum above mentioned which was to be considered as only a remuneration for time.

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To. S.A. Bryant Esq, Melbourne

Sydney Jan. 10th./54

Dear Sir

As I have twice written to you concerning the picture, viz. before and after the sailing of the vessel by which it was sent, one of which contained the bill of lading and as I have some time since heard of the arrival of the vessel I am somewhat at a loss to account for your silence, having as yet received no communication from you on the subject. I am therefore again induced to trouble you fearing that there may be some letter which has not reached its destination.

In hopes soon to hear that all is right

I am Yours faithfully

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To W.M. Brownrigg

Sir

In consequence of a new arrangement, which I have made with Mr. Mort respecting the two rooms I have hitherto rented from him, I shall have no right to the room you occupy after the 30th of this month. I am under the necessity therefore of giving you notice hereby to vacate the same on this day week unless an arrangement be made on your own part with him.

I am. Sir. Yours truly.

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1854. Jany 22

Dear Brother,

A lady who has been for some five months past residing with us, a governess, has been good enough to take charge of a parcel which is addressed to you to the care of D. Colnaghi & Co Pell Mell East, the place in which I suppose they still reside. As I cannot avoid having at all times some misgivings as to the safe delivery of parcels by private hands I have not made it one of much value being merely impressions of the work which I had commenced in lithography some time ago. But which (as it did not progress to my satisfaction nor to that of the very deserving public of Sydney I abandoned (erased) ) on account of the diggings I was obliged to abandon. I am now however too well employed in my usual way to think of resuming it even tho' it might be more profitable as there is so much uncertainty attending the proper execution of the printing by the bunglers of this place. The name of the ship is the "Vimera" Capt. Neatby. I have lately received a letter from cousin Fred, dated from Lausanne. and containing his own portrait in photography. The likeness however I cannot recognise and it is moreover indifferently done. I have enclosed along with the lithographs, in the parcel addressed to you, a set for him which I hope it will not give you much trouble to forward to Paris. By him I heard of the death of his brother Louis and of the legacy in shape of a family of young children left to Fred's care. It seems however that he is doing well for himself with his photographic machine.

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My Dear Browne

Your pictures have been long since finished but as I have not hurried the frame maker, who has too much work, a great deal to do, they have not yet been despatched. He tells me now that all will be ready in a few days. When they are actually despatched I shall of course write you all particulars. My object in doing so now is more particularly to request a favor which otherwise than as a matter of friendship I could not ask. It is to ask for and receive the money due to me for a picture I some time since painted for and sent to Mr.S.A.Bryant of Melbourne but from whom, since it was despatched, I have received no communication tho' I have several times written to him. He is an old acquaintance of mine in this place where he long resided. I enclose a not if you will first read and then cause it to be handed to him, will I am inclined to hope have the desired effect. I believe he only wants jogging.

Since your pictures have been done and shown in my rooms I have twice received orders for duplicates of both, to which I hope you will have no objection as they will in all probability be widely dispersed.

------Note to S.A. Bryant.

Dear Sir,

As my friend Mr. Octavius Browne, of Melbourne, will shortly have to transmit money to me it has occurred to me that the sum due to me for your picture & might at the same time be include and save you the trouble of doing so. I have therefore requested him to hand you this which will be sufficient authority for both parties.

I am Dear Sir Yours faithfully

Picture 20 guineas 21. Frame,packing, case &c 6. Freight paid 10 27.10.0

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To the Revd. Mr. Creyke.

Dear Mr.Creyke

I send a pamphlet which you must have heard of and indeed most probably have seen, if not you will know be glad to see. I send it because I am desirous to have your opinion upon it. Should not those who think alike upon the subject make it known to each other. Have you read the King of the East. ( My opinion is formed. I like not his manner but in the motive I think he is not much out. Many of my acquaintances, and among them the "Herald" say that those who are not stupid can see that the writer is wrong. Some as you may suppose call it a mass. So that I want support on the one hand or at least something approaching conviction on the other (erased) Do not trouble yourself to write much but let me hear from you. The room is unoccupied and we shall be very glad to see you in it.

Yours very sincerely.

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1854 Feb.25th.

My Dear Browne

The pictures have at last been packed and put on board the .... The framing of the prints are I think tolerably well done but the picture frames are bad and dear. It is however downright injustice to shew a picture on which a painter's credit is staked without a frame (erased)

The delay of all this time I will account for in two ways. Firstly that the frames were a long time in bond after both pictures were done. And secondly when the pictures were seen in the frames they procured me orders for 3 copies of one and 2 copies of the other. I mean, by copies, only a representation of the subject, painted again from the first sketch, but possibly with a different effect. Yours of "Coochin" is indeed the second of that subject, for as I saw while in progress that it was likely to turn out better than the first, I at once sold it and then finished the second for you, but with the full knowledge and consent of the party purchasing.

As I have omitted to place the names of them on the back I must tell you that "Coochin Coochin" is a native name and is repeated. It is a cattle station in the Moreton Bay district at the foot of the mountains on the opposite side of which commences the high table land of the Darling Downs country. The other picture is on Mullet Creek between Dapto and Illawarra. The price of them is 15 guis. each. The frames are not so good as I could have wished. I enclose you the bills for the frames &c.&c.

I hope you will pay Sydney a visit before you take your final leave of this part of the world.

Is it you that the papers say are going home with 20,000 a year? I hope it is so, you are just the man who ought to have it.

Yours faithfully

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Wrote again date 28th

Memo. His acct. total 51.10.0 Bryants do. 27.10.0

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Extract, letter to Hy. about lithographs, date June 9th 1854.

Sent per "Queen of the South" sailed July 15th.

I have just been making arrangements for the publication of a new lithograph View of Sydney in partnership with a Mr who will undertake to meet all expenses. My drawing is done and will shortly be sen to the care of Mr. S.A.Donaldson now in London. He is the principal of a Sydney mercantile house. Mr. proposes that you shall superintend the engraving &c. if you are so inclined and that whatever commission you may think right to charge will be paid to you. The choice or selection of a draughtsman will be left to you as well as the printer. Mr.Donaldson alone will be requested to find the necessary funds.

As I suppose you will have no objection to undertake the job, I will proceed to give the few necessary directions about it. I hope in the first place that as you are not restricted in the expense, some one may be found who is more skilful than the Mr.Boyd who made my other lithographic View. The double printing also I hope may be better executed. The paper I wish to be exactly similar to that of mine, namely thick imperial a sample of which will be sent with the drawing. I have tinted the drawing of the color I wish the print to be. The size of the engraving to be that of the drawing which, on imperial paper, will leave a good margin. The paper is, altho' unsized, still fit to take color if done with care; and I am rather pleased than otherwise with the difficulties which it presents to others. It appears to me that the color stone is in some measure a substitute for size. The number of copies are to be 500, but the stone is to be kept till further notice. No impressions are to be left for sale in London.

I have tinted it that it shall look well without color, as well as assist me in that operation. I like the kind of granulation which is in first one but there is rather too much of it in the sky. The drawing also of that is in some places hard and wirey and the distances not well preserved. I certainly hope to see it much better done than that ..... I suppose you will consult Ackerman about it.

If it turns out well we may get up one or two more in the same way. Once more about the print. As the composition is not good on account of its being too much all in one line, I hope the depth of the bays will be particularly attended to, more especially on one over which I have placed a mark . It is called Farm Cove and partly encircles the Botanic Gardens. I have also made some other notes on the margin which I thought necessary.

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St Leonards, 14 September 1863

Dear Sir

I am informed by Mr. Conrad Martens that the situation of Librarian to the Council Chamber is now vacant and that he is a candidate for the appointment. I therefore beg to say that I have known Mr. Martens upwards of a quarter of a century, that he has been my neighbour for twenty years, and I am decidedly of the opinion, that if he obtains the appointment, that he will perform the duties of the office in a zealous efficient and satisfactory manner.

I am, Dear Sir, Your most obedient & faithful Servant, ALEXR. BERRY

To The Honourable T. A. Murray President of the Council

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Copy St Leonards Sydney January 20th/62

T. Chas Darwin Esq.

Many thanks old shipmate for your kind message which I have just recd. by the padre. I thought you had quite forgotten that I was in existence and certainly [when a] the man who voluntarily sets himself down in such a place as this has no right to grumble if he finds such to be the case.

As it appears however that you have still two of my sketches hanging up in your room, I hope you will not refuse to accept another which I shall have much pleasure in preparing and will send you by the next mail.

Your "book of the season" as the reviewers have it, I must own I have not yet read altho Mr Clarke offered to lend it me. I am afraid of your eloquence and I don't want to think that I have an origin in common with toads and tadpoles for if there is anything in human nature that I hate it is a toady, but of course I know nothing of the subject, and they do make such microscopes now adays. I suppose yours is one of the best that Ross could make.

By the by I got him to make two eyepieces for a reflector telescope just before he died, two metals for which I have succeeded in making of 6 & 7 feet focal length and so now I can shew the good people here the mountains in the moon turned up side down as of course they ought to be when seen from the antipodes.

But I must apologize for I suppose you dont laugh at nonsense now as you used to do in the Beagle or rather I suppose nonsense does not come in your way.

Well, that was a jolly cruize, and I hope you have been well and happy ever since, and that you may continue to be so for [a] long time to come is the sincere wish of your old shipmate.

I wonder whither the Admiral what is now, I should like to send my kind regards, if you should see him, but, don't if you don't like, coffee without sugar, you know.

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Sydney Nov. 20 1862

My dear Martens

My Daughter leaves me next week for Bathurst, where she will be for a few weeks. When she returns she will be very glad to go on with her Drawing lessons and I will communicate with you.

Yours truly Edmund T. Blacket

C. Martens Esq.

{National Library of Australia, MS6868}

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Edmund Blackett (1817-1883) to his daughter Hilda, 28 July 1871, concerning a drawing of one of his churches by Martens (Mitchell Library MS Ab130/4):

Tell Edw that Mr Martens has made a very pretty drawing - he has made a rather dark stormy sky and has put the Top of the Tower in misty shade.....I could believe it to be a drawing of some veritable church in Kent.

Quoted in The Most Useful Art, 1986, p.37. Refer "Account of Pictures", 26 July 1871: `Blacket Architectural Drawing. Shaded with Indian Ink. £2.2.'

------n.d. Conrad Martens to his Sister. MSQ313 Item 2, pp.57-60.

[p57] My Dear Sister

The case per "Albatros containing from & I am happy to say come safe to hand, and I have to thank you in the name of Mrs Martens. Milus desires me to thank you for the very pretty mats you ..... so kind as to send him.

These photographs from Miss Moxon are the best I have yet seen, and for which I should take an early opportunity to make a suitable return. The frames are quite to my taste and will said well suited for this middle size of my drawings.

Pray tell Henry I am much pleased with them. I am glad to hear that you are all in good health. Henry's want of employment is however a heavy drawback to all your ..... and it is with much sadness that I hear such repunted accounts of it

There is one [p58] thing however which I am at a loss to understand and it arises purely from the way you express you anxiety concerning him - tell me therefore plainly, is it not in your power, that is way is it n is not your income sufficient for to keep him out of make him comfortable even without any privation harms way. and yet at the same time to yourself to s supply you with for your own enjoyment. If so (and be surprised I must say I had so expressed to him that it is not) if so be thankful to him through whose goodness you can alone obey this command so ...... down secure it, that it is in your power to and to afford that ..... to your brother which he may stand in need of - and if done under the influence of such conviction it will I will am quite persuaded be accompanied with kindness and cheerfulness and ...... prey pardon me my dear Sister for what I have said, your own letters have prompted me, your duty is plain you cannot but see it. Think not of early indiscretions, but assist him in any

[p59] way that you can, and if in money matters I entreat you to do it voluntarily and with in a kind manner, and for that is will at once double the notice of it, and God will bless you and I will bless and pray for you and be assured you will have more satisfaction in yourself, than can be anything else can give. I shall hear of your doings in that way with infinitely more pleasure and satisfaction than all you can tell me about Bush and di gaities

[p60] x upon such occassions we have even gone so far as to send tents and provisions to a favourite spot, and so pass a night as well as a day mooring our boats in the wild bush at the mouth of our wild and rocky glen This indeed appears to have the greatest ... and is ..... at least by the youngsters

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