Edward Burne-Jones letter to Cormell Price, 1852 January 24

Burne-Jones jokingly chastises Price for his last "skinny" letter and promises that "now [he]'ll be revenged" in his response. Burne-Jones describes at length how he spends his time in the River Wye area, which he says is like "Elysium." He describes his daily routine of walking in the countryside, reading and going to the cathedral. He says in his time in the area he has "endured two" parties and complains about the questioning he receives from guests, commenting "girls are such -- hm -- hang 'em they do quiz so, and I [Burne-Jones] make such a capital subject." Burne-Jones asks Price how he is finding reading "Fasti" but admits that he himself has begun the book. He states that, on the "urgent orders of [sic] eminent physician," he is returning home in the next week. He asks his friend if he might see him upon his arrival at Worcester. Burne-Jones ends his letter: "I would have sent you a long illustrated letter, if you had behaved like a gentleman to me, but as it is: good bye." In a postscript, he notes "Oh I have fallen in with such cant, but thank heavens I am still alive, aren't [?] you glad - eating sweetmeats till you burst."

In an additional sheet, Burne-Jones asks Price to visit Faulkner and draws for Price "an illustration to his article." The drawing is titled "Faulkner's Improved Sewerage" and depicts a set of many bottles and instruments connected to an underground pipe. Burne-Jones admits that he was "in a fearful state" about his writing. He tells Price that he has received a letter response from "the greatest man alive" [John Ruskin] and says that since receiving the missive he is "a reformed character, [he is] not Ted anymore" but "E.C.B Jones," the "man who wrote to Ruskin and got an answer by return.". He declares that he can "better draw [his] feelings" and sketches Ruskin as a saint at whose feet a figure -- perhaps Burne-Jones himself -- is prostrate. He also draws a pig, captioned "THE MAN etc. as before". He ends by sending his good wishes to Price's family and enquiring after the "pretty hand" which addressed the envelope of Price's last letter.