Letter from Anna Mary Howitt, London, to Barbara Leigh Smith Bodichon, 1855 January 8 : autograph manuscript signed.

Describing how she cannot write on a whole sheet of paper, so she is writing on half sheets; noting that she heard from Bell that it is better not to pre-pay letters to Rome so she sends her letters unpaid; describing her visit to the Mall winter exhibition and how she came away disgusted; describing a water-color sketch, "Fair Rosmunda" (1854) by Mr. (Arthur) Hughes, who is a friend of Rossetti's (Arthur Hughes, 1832-1915); describing the watercolor's details, including "Rosamunda's embroidery frame with its gold violet embroidery"; describing another picture that gave her pleasure by "young Linnell" (either William Linnell, John Linnell Jr., or most probably James Thomas Linnell, all sons of the well-known artist John Linnell, 1792-1882); describing a picture by Martha Mutrie (1824-1844) or Annie Murtrie (1825-1893), sisters who regularly exhibited at the Royal Academy and were known for their flower paintings; describing an article in the Westminster Review from January 1855; reflecting on landscape school; remarking on the Ladies' Guild, or the Ladies Co-Operative Guild, and how Ruskin is helping them to form a class to teach women how to paint on vellum. Letter continues on January 10: Describing their happy season at the Hermitage; nothing that her father is home and has a cozy room to write in; noting that they have all settled down into their quiet life once again.