I write, enclosing money for book and postage, hoping that the 300th copy of this last edition1 of your works has not yet been sold; I am very anxious to possess a copy, and to read and judge you finally for myself by the work you yourself approve best, as hitherto some ill fortune has prevented me from getting anything like a comprehensive survey of your Art.—The latter word is one which may jar on your ear, as suggesting Art—ificiality! But you must know that I am an artist, and am loc.03724.002_large.jpg able, out of my craftman's knowledge, to separate Art as craft from Art as the thing that binds mortals in the bonds of sympathy with Nature.—What a hard thing it is to put down plainly and squarely what one means! I mean that I want to get a better view of you as Artist, apart from Art-craftsman. I don't remember coming across any positive statement of your opinion on the latter, but you must be the former, however much you despise conventional artistic forms.—Forgive some vagueness of statement,—I am still a very young man.—Please send the book, if you still can spare one, to the address, 2. Langland Gardens. Frognal. Finchley Road. London. N. W. England
And believe me Yours sincerely Walter Delaplaine Scull loc.03724.003_large.jpg book sent Walter Delaplaine Scull loc.03724.004_large.jpgCorrespondent:
Walter Delaplaine Scull
(1863–1915), born in Bath, Somerset, was the son of Gideon Delaplaine
Scull and Anna Holder Scull. He was educated at Oxford and later became an
artist and writer.