and “The Acorn.”  Appended to the new title we retained, as a sub-title, something of what had been previously proposed; and the serial appeared as “The Germ.  Thoughts towards Nature in Poetry, Literature, and Art.”  At this same meeting Mr. Woolner suggested that authors’ names should not be published in the magazine.  I alone opposed him, and his motion was carried.  I cannot at this distance of time remember with any precision what his reasons were; but I think that he, and all the other artists concerned, entertained a general feeling that to appear publicly as writers, and especially as writers opposing the ordinary current of opinions on fine art, would damage their professional position, which already involved uphill work more than enough.

“The Germ,” No. 1, came out on or about January 1, 1850.  The number of copies printed was 700.  Something like 200 were sold, in about equal proportions by the publishers, and by ourselves among acquaintances and well-wishers.  This was not encouraging, so we reduced the issue of No. 2 to 500 copies.  It sold less well than No. 1.  With this number was introduced the change of printing on the wrapper the names of most of the contributors:  not of all, for some still preferred to remain unnamed, or to figure under a fancy designation.  Had we been left to our own resources, we must now have dropped the magazine.  But the printing-firm—­or Mr. George I.F.  Tupper as representing it—­came forward, and undertook to try the chance of two numbers more.  The title was altered (at Mr. Alexander Tupper’s suggestion) to “Art and Poetry, being Thoughts towards Nature, conducted principally by Artists”; and Messrs. Dickinson and Co., of New Bond Street, the printsellers, consented to join their name as publishers to that of Messrs. Aylott and Jones.  Mr. Robert Dickinson, the head of this firm, and more especially his brother, the able portrait-painter Mr. Lowes Dickinson, were well known to Madox Brown, and through him to members of the P.R.B.  I continued to be editor; but, as the money stake of myself and my colleagues in the publication had now ceased, I naturally accommodated myself more than before to any wish evinced by the Tupper family.  No. 3, which ought to have appeared March 1, was delayed by these uncertainties and changes till March 31.  No. 4 came out on April 30.  Some small amount of advertising was done, more particularly by posters carried about in front of the Royal Academy (then in Trafalgar Square), which opened at the beginning of May.  All efforts proved useless.  People would not buy “The Germ,” and would scarcely consent to know of its existence.  So the magazine breathed its last, and its obsequies were conducted in the strictest privacy.  Its debts exceeded its assets, and a sum of L33 odd, due on Nos. 1 and 2, had to be cleared off by the seven (or eight) proprietors, conscientious against the grain.  What may have been the loss of Messrs. Tupper on Nos. 3 and 4 I am unable to say.  It is hardly worth specifying that neither the editor, nor any of the contributors whether literary or artistic, received any sort of payment.  This was foreseen from the first as being “in the bond,” and was no grievance to anybody.