Secondly, the virulence of national prejudice which rages now with tenfold acrimony.  They no longer despise, they hate, the Americans.  The battle on Champlain and before Flattsburgh has decided the business; the moans and bewailings for this business are really, to an American, quite comforting after their arrogant boasting of reducing us to unconditional submission.

Is it strange that I should feel a little the effects of this universal hatred?  I have felt it, and I have left Bristol after six months’ perfect neglect.  After having been invited there with promises of success, I have had the mortification to leave it without having, from Bristol, a single commission.  More than that, and by far the worst, if I have not gone back in my art these six months, I have at least stood still, and to me this is the most trying reflection of all.  I have been immured in the paralyzing atmosphere of trade till my mind was near partaking the infection.  I have been listening to the grovelling, avaricious devotees of mammon, whose souls are narrowed to the studious contemplation of a hard-earned shilling, whose leaden imaginations never soared above the prospect of a good bargain, and whose summum bonum is the inspiring idea of counting a hundred thousand:  I say I have been listening to these miserly beings till the idea did not seem so repugnant of lowering my noble art to a trade, of painting for money, of degrading myself and the soul-enlarging art which I possess, to the narrow idea of merely getting money.

Fie on myself!  I am ashamed of myself; no, never will I degrade myself by making a trade of a profession.  If I cannot live a gentleman, I will starve a gentleman.  But I will dismiss this unpleasant subject, the particulars of which I can better relate to you than write.  Suffice it to say that my ill-treatment does not prey upon my spirits; I am in excellent health and spirits and have great reason to be thankful to Heaven for thousands of blessings which one or two reverses shall not make me forget.  Reverses do I call them?  How trifling are my troubles to the millions of my fellow creatures who are afflicted with all the dreadful calamities incident to this life.  Reverses do I call them?  No, they are blessings compared with the miseries of thousands.

Indeed, I am too ungrateful.  If a thing does not result just as I wish, I begin to repine; I forget the load of blessings which I enjoy:  life, health, parents whose kindness exceeds the kindest; brothers, relatives, and friends; advantages which no one else enjoys for the pursuit of a favorite art, besides numerous others; all which are forgotten the moment an unpleasant disappointment occurs.  I am very ungrateful.

With respect to peace, I can only say I should not be surprised if the preliminaries were signed before January.  My reasons are that Great Britain cannot carry on the war any longer.  She may talk of her inexhaustible resources, but she well knows that the great resource, the property tax, must fail next April.  The people will not submit any longer; they are taking strong measures to prevent its continuance, and without it they cannot continue the war.