“As to industry, in which mama fears I am falling off, I gave you an account in my last letter (by Mr. Ralston) of the method I use in parcelling out my time.  Since writing that letter the spring and summer are approaching fast, and the days increasing.  Of course I can employ more of the time than in the winter.  Mr. Leslie and myself rise at five o’clock in the morning and walk about a mile and a half to Burlington, where are the famous Elgin Marbles, the works of Phidias and Praxiteles, brought by Lord Elgin from Athens.  From these we draw three hours every morning, wet or dry, before breakfast, and return home just as the bustle begins in London, for they are late risers in London.  When we go out of a morning we meet no one but the watchman, who goes his rounds for an hour and a half after we are up.  Last summer Mr. Leslie and I used to paint in the open air in the fields three hours before breakfast, and often before sunrise, to study the morning effect on the landscape.

“Now, being conscious of employing my time in the most industrious manner possible, you can but faintly conceive the mortification and sorrow with which I read that part of mama’s letter.  I was so much hurt that I read it to Mr. Allston, and requested he would write to you and give you an account of my spending my time.  He seemed very much astonished when I read it to him, and authorized me to tell you from him that it was impossible for any one to be more indefatigable in his studies than I am.

“Mama mentions in her letter that she hears that Mr. Leslie supports his mother and sisters by his labors.  This is not the case.  Leslie was supported by three or four individuals in Philadelphia till within a few months past.  About a year ago he sold a large picture which he painted (whilst I was on my fruitless trip to Bristol for money) for a hundred guineas.  Since that he has had a number of commissions in portraits and is barely able to support himself; indeed, he tells me this evening that he has but L20 left.  He is a very economical and a most excellent young man.  His expenses in a year are, on an average, from L230 to L250; Mr. Allston’s (single) expenses not less than L300 per annum, and I know of no artist among all my acquaintance whose expenses in a year are less than L200.”

Returning now to the former chronological order, I shall include the following vehement letter written from London on December 22, 1814:—­

MY DEAR PARENTS,—­I arrived yesterday from Bristol, where I have been for several months past endeavoring to make a little in the way of my profession, but have completely failed, owing to several causes.

First, the total want of anything like partiality for the fine arts in that place; the people there are but a remove from brutes.  A “Bristol hog” is as proverbial in this country as a “Charlestown gentleman” is in Boston.  Their whole minds are absorbed in trade; barter and gain and interest are all they understand.  If I could have painted a picture for half a guinea by which they could have made twenty whilst I starved, I could have starved.