Chapter III: Letter I

DANTE ROSSETTI TO MARGARET POLIDORI,
SWITHLAND, LEICESTERSHIRE.

This childish epistle from Dante Gabriel would have little or no claim to appear here, were it not for the fact (as noted in a few accompanying words by his mother) that it is “the second letter of his writing--the first was to his Grandmother.” It is written on lines, in a large text-hand--childish, of course, but correctly formed. Dante Rossetti must have been backward rather than otherwise--or one might say lazy--at letter-writing, for at this date he was close upon seven years of age. I add a second childish letter, of nearly similar date. Margaret Polidori, his eldest maternal aunt, was at this date a governess in Leicestershire; Eliza Polidori, a younger aunt, addressed in the second letter, lived at home with her parents.

38 Charlotte Street, London.
7 April 1835.

Dear Aunt M.

Papa has bought two shawls for Maria and Christina. Dr. Curci,
a great friend of papa’s, came from Naples, and has given
Christina a little locket without hair, of the Virgin Mary with
Jesus Christ in her arms; it has a rim of mother-of-pearl. Papa
introduced Dr. Curci to a party where there was the Turkish
Ambassador, who asked papa to improvise.

I remain
Your affectionate nephew,
GABRIEL ROSSETTI.

LETTER II.

TO ELIZA POLIDORI, HOLMER GREEN, BUCKS.

38 Charlotte Street, London.
9 July 1835.

Dear Aunt Eliza,

We went to a fancy fair in the Regent’s Park, where I bought a
box of paints, Maria an album, and Christina two fishes and a
hook. The fair was for the benefit of a Charity School. I have
been reading Shakespeare’s _Richard the Third_ for my amusement,
and like it exceedingly. I, Maria, and William, know several
scenes by heart. I have bought a picture of Richard and Richmond
fighting, and I gilded it, after which I cut it out with no
white. My Aunt[1] came yesterday, and gave Maria a pretty little
basket: it was worked in flowers of green card.

I remain, my dear Aunt,
Your affectionate nephew,
GABRIEL C. D. ROSSETTI.