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Ruskin tells Heaton she is most tolerant person he knows. He goes on to advise her on her writing style, suggesting she makes her use of pronouns consistent, better utilizes the active voice and makes her sentences more concise. He objects to her anthropomorphization of animals and the weather. He advises Heaton to make her caterpillar "full of Caterpillar faults - like a poor mortal" and suggests she change the caterpillar's characterization. Ruskin says he hasn't acquired her Venice photos yet but that he will be able to now that he has finished "something" [Notes on the Turner Gallery at Marlborough House, 1856]. He ends by saying that her Turner piece, Aldborough, is "a trump of a drawing" and that she "will never tire of it, it's glorious.".

Ruskin tells Heaton he does not have any works by William Holman Hunt and advises her to get as many Turners as possible while they are on the market, although he won't let her have his Corinth. He tells Heaton that they will rise in value and that he is "buying all I can afford" suggesting that she can "help Pre Rs after present opportunities are gone for Turner." He gives Heaton further advice on her writing. Ruskin gives Heaton prices at which he can acquire works by Turner for her and says he can recommend one for her, if Heaton can afford it. [Date provided by Surtees: January 1857]

Ruskin tells Heaton he will send her the drawings on Monday. He has bought her two drawings by Turner, at £95. He asks if she could pay him the money by Tuesday morning. He describes the works' dimensions and subject matter ("studies from nature") and says that "they will be nearly unique out of the national collection.". [Date provided by Surtees: ? Tuesday, 20 January 1857]

Ruskin begins by asking Heaton for a further £5. He says he will not send her recently purchases vignettes by railroad "because they are wholly unreplaceable" but says that he will send the sketch, once it is insured. He tells Heaton that he is negotiating to change one of the pieces "the golden grey, for a blue one" which he thinks she will like better. In a postscript, he tells Heaton not to try to secure Rossetti's appearance at the Manchester Art Treasures Exhibition as Ruskin is trying to get him to stand for election to the Water-colour Society, where Heaton can display her Rossetti alongside Ruskin's Beatrice. Ruskin says that £84 more is all he will ask Heaton to spend this year. [Date provided by Surtees: Thursday, January 22nd 1857]

Ruskin tells Heaton it is too wet to send her drawings today. Ruskin has negotiated a vignette for Heaton at 40 guineas and two sketches at "55 each", a little more than Ruskin had expected. Ruskin says he will send a letter with a full account of the negotiations, which he has not posted so as "not to take up [Heaton's] head with business on Sunday.". Ruskin says that if Heaton tells him whether she's going to take the vignette, the drawings will arrive on Tuesday. [Date provided by Surtees: Saturday [January 24th 1857]

This letter outlines Ruskin's negotiations for two sketches and a vignette, all by Turner, on Heaton's behalf. He begins by reiterating that it is too wet to send the works to her today. Ruskin goes into to great detail about the course of the negotiations. Ruskin ends by praising Turner's Calais depictions and gives Heaton further advice on preserving, mounting and exhibiting the works in her collection. Ruskin details the price for the three works and asks Heaton to let him know as soon as possible whether she would like to take them.

"Alls safe. I have the ½ notes and you shall have no yellows or browns, but scarlet and blue -- or golden grey.-- I haven't yet dispatch'd the things because I have not yet decided on choice between two -- it will be settled today & fairly off tomorrow." [Date provided by Surtees: Monday, January 26th 1857]

"I despatch [sic] today by fast train, the folio with two sketches & vignettes. If you are at all disappointed at first, with the first, remember what value attaches to them as what Turner did for his own delight in his best time; All the finished drawings were more or less got up -- the subjects forced on him by public or publisher. But these two records of his evening walk on Calais sands were done for his own delight before he went to bed -- for nobody to see but himself." [Date provided by Surtees: Tuesday, (January 27th 1857)]

"My dear Ellen, I'm tired of writing Miss H ; & as I've two or three lady correspondents who let me use their Xtrian names I dare say you will too -- I hope you have got all safe. The plan of keeping vignettes for exchange is just right ... I was only afraid you might be put to inconvenience for the money or I should have advised this at once -- I have the half notes all right." [Date provided by Surtees: Wednesday, January 28th 1857]

Ruskin confirms he has received Heaton's notes and says he is glad that she is less disappointed with the sketches than she is with the vignette as "the former are first-rate -- the latter second rate." He admits that the vignette's sky is "very fine" and praises Turner's use of light and representation of storm clouds. He remarks to Heaton that she has "been spoiled by having those toppers of vignettes first" and that he "grudged [her] that Lochmaben exceedingly." Ruskin asks Heaton to find out the story behind the Lochmaben and the identity of the "lady being stabbed.". Ruskin knows of a Lochmaben ballad about a stolen mare but states that it is not the tale represented in the Turner work. Ruskin ends: "Great purchase not concluded yet -- You shall hear soon." [Date provided by Surtees: Thursday, January 29th 1857]