Next day he asked the price of Hunt's "Two Gentlemen of Verona," and Millais' "Return of the Dove." On the 13th his letter appeared in _The Times_, and on the 26th he wrote again, pointing out beauties, and indications of power in conception, and observation of Nature, and handling, where at first he, like the rest of the public, had been repelled by the wilful ugliness of the faces.

Meanwhile the Pre-Raphaelites wrote to tell him that they were neither Papists nor Puseyites.

The day after his second letter was published he received an ill-spelt missive, anonymously abusing them.

This was the sort of thing to interest his love of poetical justice.

He made the acquaintance of several of the Brethren.