Letter from Frances Hodgkins to Isabel Field
Date
21 Apr 1897
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Date
21 Apr 1897
Transcript
Melrose Wednesday
My dearest Sis
I am afraid I have very selfishly left all the writing to Mother since you left, but I seem to have done nothing but paint since you left, the brush has scarcely been out of my hand. I had no sooner finished my work for the Auckland Exhibition than an art dealer from Chch. appeared on the scene and ordered 3 pictures of mine and 3 of Fathers and also bought the 2 Giffords. Of course I was sorry to part with your old friend the Otira Gorge, but “£10 is £10”. By this time I suppose Annie has left you. How are your faring without her, poor old Girl, I hope Jessie is a comfort to you. I am so glad you finally fixed on Geoffrey for a name. The McGowans are going to call their child Jack and have asked me to be its Godmother, it is a very miserable little thing and about a quarter of the size of your baby at the same age. Poor Alice is still on her back and will be for another month, she is trying to get up her strength for an operation but she is a martyr to asthma and is looking very delicate.
There was a feeble effort made this Easter to renew the old Henley party. Willie promised if all the old members would muster he would come up for it, but it fell through on account of the wives insisting on accompanying their husbands and Mr Ramsden remarked brutally that if women were to be dragged into it he for one wouldn’t go, to which Mrs Edmond retorted “You seem to forget Mr Ramsden, that after all your Mother was a woman.” I think he was quite right, however, for camping out would certainly not be good for Mrs E just now! Father has been much better these last few days and he and Mr Finker are dissipating at Carl Hertz tonight. I went last night with Bert and Charlie Robinson (awful bore that boy) and your innocent sisters maiden cheek was on a blush most of the evening. I was warned in a letter from Georgie Wilford that it was vulgar, but that was putting it mildly.
We see very little of Mrs Scott now that you are gone. I think I have been over there twice since you left. Dr Scott comes over every evening to sit with Father. He has been a good friend to him since he has been needy, and insists on him changing boots and socks whenever it is damp. Father wouldn’t do it for anybody else, but is meekness itself in Dr Scotts hands. Dr S. realises how serious it would be if he didn’t take care of himself – we are so very grateful for his friendly interference. I think it is just as well that you did not leave Girlie behind for Mothers time is a good deal taken up looking after Father and cooking for him. His appetite failed him very much at first but now he is picking up again and if he does not get a chill tonight he will be quite well in a day or two.
Mrs Finker has gone to Melbourne, and Mr Harris to England, and Mr Finker remains where he is and is going to economise and live on Passover bread and smoked fish. I was nearly forgetting to tell you that I am going to Timaru for a fortnight to stay with Edith McLaren. I am going next Thursday, if I can get my pupils pictures and – ahem! underclothes – ready. At present I am in a high old muddle and have a bad cold into the bargain and I feel as much like going to Timaru as going to the moon. To make matters worse I have weakly promised to take part in some theatricals up there. I don’t know a word of my part and I am due at a rehearsal tomorrow at Mrs McKenzies who has promised to coach us. Edith is down here at present and I go back with her 2nd class be it understood. I can’t possibly stay more than a fortnight and I am beginning to feel that it won’t be the best preparation for my Wellington work. I am anxious to send up some good work and my head is like a pumkin [sic] at present. Did you get the sketch I sent you by Mrs Blair? I haven’t forgotten my promise to copy Girlie’s and Baba’s hands for you: you might mention in your next letter how the pastel travelled. I would like to know in case I send to Wellington.
With much love from Mother and myself and hoping the kiddies are all well your ever loving sister Fanny. How about the Hoggert property ?
My dearest Sis
I am afraid I have very selfishly left all the writing to Mother since you left, but I seem to have done nothing but paint since you left, the brush has scarcely been out of my hand. I had no sooner finished my work for the Auckland Exhibition than an art dealer from Chch. appeared on the scene and ordered 3 pictures of mine and 3 of Fathers and also bought the 2 Giffords. Of course I was sorry to part with your old friend the Otira Gorge, but “£10 is £10”. By this time I suppose Annie has left you. How are your faring without her, poor old Girl, I hope Jessie is a comfort to you. I am so glad you finally fixed on Geoffrey for a name. The McGowans are going to call their child Jack and have asked me to be its Godmother, it is a very miserable little thing and about a quarter of the size of your baby at the same age. Poor Alice is still on her back and will be for another month, she is trying to get up her strength for an operation but she is a martyr to asthma and is looking very delicate.
There was a feeble effort made this Easter to renew the old Henley party. Willie promised if all the old members would muster he would come up for it, but it fell through on account of the wives insisting on accompanying their husbands and Mr Ramsden remarked brutally that if women were to be dragged into it he for one wouldn’t go, to which Mrs Edmond retorted “You seem to forget Mr Ramsden, that after all your Mother was a woman.” I think he was quite right, however, for camping out would certainly not be good for Mrs E just now! Father has been much better these last few days and he and Mr Finker are dissipating at Carl Hertz tonight. I went last night with Bert and Charlie Robinson (awful bore that boy) and your innocent sisters maiden cheek was on a blush most of the evening. I was warned in a letter from Georgie Wilford that it was vulgar, but that was putting it mildly.
We see very little of Mrs Scott now that you are gone. I think I have been over there twice since you left. Dr Scott comes over every evening to sit with Father. He has been a good friend to him since he has been needy, and insists on him changing boots and socks whenever it is damp. Father wouldn’t do it for anybody else, but is meekness itself in Dr Scotts hands. Dr S. realises how serious it would be if he didn’t take care of himself – we are so very grateful for his friendly interference. I think it is just as well that you did not leave Girlie behind for Mothers time is a good deal taken up looking after Father and cooking for him. His appetite failed him very much at first but now he is picking up again and if he does not get a chill tonight he will be quite well in a day or two.
Mrs Finker has gone to Melbourne, and Mr Harris to England, and Mr Finker remains where he is and is going to economise and live on Passover bread and smoked fish. I was nearly forgetting to tell you that I am going to Timaru for a fortnight to stay with Edith McLaren. I am going next Thursday, if I can get my pupils pictures and – ahem! underclothes – ready. At present I am in a high old muddle and have a bad cold into the bargain and I feel as much like going to Timaru as going to the moon. To make matters worse I have weakly promised to take part in some theatricals up there. I don’t know a word of my part and I am due at a rehearsal tomorrow at Mrs McKenzies who has promised to coach us. Edith is down here at present and I go back with her 2nd class be it understood. I can’t possibly stay more than a fortnight and I am beginning to feel that it won’t be the best preparation for my Wellington work. I am anxious to send up some good work and my head is like a pumkin [sic] at present. Did you get the sketch I sent you by Mrs Blair? I haven’t forgotten my promise to copy Girlie’s and Baba’s hands for you: you might mention in your next letter how the pastel travelled. I would like to know in case I send to Wellington.
With much love from Mother and myself and hoping the kiddies are all well your ever loving sister Fanny. How about the Hoggert property ?
Pages
8 pages
Sender's address
Melrose
Institutional No.
MS-Papers-0085-05
Credit Line
Letters
from
Frances
Hodgkins.
Field,
Isabel
Jane,
1867-1950
:
Correspondence
of
Frances
Hodgkins
and
family
/
collected
by
Isabel
Field.
Ref:
MS-Papers-0085-05.
Alexander
Turnbull
Library,
Wellington,
New
Zealand.
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23234786
https://natlib.govt.nz/records/23234786