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66 the meeting and spent an hour with me. We all went out into the gallery and looked at the collection which the Academicians have given and which is to be sold at auction tomorrow night to help pay off the mortgage. There were a good many people there and the pictures looked well. I think they will bring $7,000. Wilson came to see me. He wants me now to paint the picture larger 32x39 and we have agreed on the price $1350. He took the two studies to show his wife. I didn't quite like to let him do it but could not well refuse. Tuesday Dec. 21. 1875. Attended the sale at the Academy which was a most beautiful affair. The bidding was utterly spiritless and none of the pictures brought anything like their value. The fact is the artists are to blame. They did not contribute their best except in a few cases and many leading men sent nothing. A few earnest men cannot make head against such an utter lack of spirit. Eastman Johnsons', W. T. Richards', Whittredge' and my own picture brought the nearest to decent prices. We are all discouraged and dont know what to try next. The sale amounted to about $3600. Wednesday 22. Ran about doing lots of errands. It has grown warm again. Met Nate Sterling in the street today. They sail for Europe today. Painted a little on a watercolor but it dont go well. Downing came to dinner and Fred Norton also. I expected John McEntee but he did not come. Fred Norton bought a little picture of me to give Annie for a Christmas present, for $200. I let him have it for a hundred dollars less than my price. Mr. Hoe was in was in to see me. I am quite sure he wants my picture I painted last Spring the "Autumn Idyl." He admires it very much and was very complimentary about my pictures. I have offered to take back a picture 18x28 I painted three years ago and paint him a new one for which he may pay me anything additional he pleases, but I think eventually he will like the larger one if someone does not buy it meanwhile. Had a capital letter from Weir this evening. He is one of the real artists.
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