| Description | Letter to Macdonald from Effie Millais, 2 Palace Gate, Kensington, regarding letter from her son Everett full of gratitude to the Macdonalds for their hospitality, thanks for his long letter, for his interest in Everett, and 'for all the valuable and sensible advice you give in your letter which I will read when I have an opportunity to Mr. Millais … he should get as clear a promise as can be got from Lord Salisbury only I know Ld. S. will say just what he said before that to state the time a vacancy occurs of a Q. Messengership is not possible as they do not happen often', uncertainty of Everett's future without it, Everett's desire to have such a post, other possibilities, including the Foreign Office and a counting-house, rain on Derby day, George collecting all his things from Cambridge, 'Dr. Andrew Clarke and Mr. Morgan give a good opinion of George but I do not consider him nearly so well as when I left him in March and think he is in a most delicate condition', he and Mary are to go to Scotland for the air, Millais pleased to be back from Paris and can give amusing accounts of his life there, 'he says he did not see one lady and was glad he left Effie behind all the people seedy and illbred', snubbed by French artists, 'he thinks the Communes and Republic have ruined the manners of a people so clever and so industrious', he only enjoyed a day with Rosa Bonheur and a visit to Sarah Berhardt, 'artist, composer, dramatist and sculptress', answers to his query about Mrs. Tom Taylor whom she has known since they were girls, she is a distinguished musician, and writer of 'small detached poems', her maiden name was Laura Barker, the daughter of a Yorkshire clergyman, sisters accomplished painters, descended from Wycliff on her mother's side, 'a strong minded woman', she has not seen Mrs. Langtry for some time, 'everyone tries to say unkind things about her', Millais going to Epsom with Lord Anglesea, intentions of going north but not sure where yet, though Macdonald has offered to speak to the Duke's factor for them, 5 June 1878 |