John Constable to Maria Bicknell

John Constable (June 11, 1776 - March 31, 1837) was born in East Bergholt, a village on the River Stour in Suffolk, England. He became a great landscape painter.

"The Cornfield", painted 1826The area of Dedham Vale in Suffolk is known as 'Constable Country'. Flatford Mill, the subject of one of his most famous paintings, The Haywain, was owned by his father, a brewer who was doing well in trade. Nearby Bridge Cottage is a National Trust property.

He fell in love with Maria Bicknell, a local girl whose solicitor father was personally acquainted with the king, and did not consider Constable good enough. After five years, he finally gave his consent to the marriage in 1816. After giving birth to seven children, Maria died of consumption (tuberculosis) in 1829, an event which devastated her husband.

East Bergholt. February 27, 1816

I received your letter my ever dearest Maria, this morning. You know my anxious disposition too well not be aware how much I feel at this time. At the distance we are from each other every fear will obtrude itself on my mind. Let me hope that you are not really worse than your kindness, your affection, for me make you say...I think...that no more molestation will arise to the recovery of your health, which I pray for beyond every other blessing under heaven.

Let us...think only of the blessings that providence may yet have in store for us and that we may yet possess. I am happy in love--an affection exceeding a thousand times my deserts, which has continued so many years, and is yet undiminished...Never will I marry in this world if I marry not you. Truly can I say that for the seven years since I avowed my love for you, I have...foregone all company, and the society of all females (except my own relations) for your sake.

I am still ready to make my sacrifice for you...I will submit to any thing you may command me--but cease to respect, to love and adore you I never can or will. I must still think that we should have married long ago--we should have had many troubles--but we have yet had no joys, and we could not have starved...Your FRIENDS have never been without a hope of parting us and see what that has cost us both--but no more. Believe me, my beloved & ever dearest Maria, most faithfully yours, John