1873 July 14 Dear. little Murray I'm a long time writing as / usual, but that you are prepared for / - finally a letter comes you see, though / whether it reaches you I don't know / - first here's all the news of us all / up to to-day. / All well. / Mr. Morris half way to Iceland / and no more news in detail worth / sending - which shows an excellent / state of things. I can't work with / much spirit this year - whether my / Ravenna fever has crippled me / or for what reason I cannot tell, but / I drag myself to work and do / very little and that not well - I / find myself pining to be back again / and thinking of little else than / high up cities and old pictures / - I want you to tell me if / you can remember how many / copies of any red chalk heads / of mine you made for Howell / they go about the world and turn / up to worry me and I should / like to know for a certain purpose / how many there are and all you / can remember about them - a / disreputable affair has happened / about one of them lately. and I / want the history of it. / I liked all you told me / about your Siena work - then / if it is not unbearable write / oftener to me even if I / correspond badly - for any / news is welcome to me of / what you are doing. / I shall stay in London as / far as I can for all the rest / of the year - for a month / after I got back the fever / still held me or at least / the weakness that came of / it so that I could take / but small enjoyment in life / but now I am well and / strong, only the spirit of work / has gone for a time - I shall try to get to / Italy next year so that we must meet / if possible. / as for Mr. Stanhope he is radiantly happy / - he brought back books & books full of sketches / and health unseen before in this world, so that / he is in the climax of prosperity - most of our / other friends have been disgracing themselves on the walls of the Royal Academy or that / if they had any shame they could never again / appear there or show here. / All send love to you Your Affect / E.B-J.