This was a time of great discouragement to the young artist.  Through the failure of some of his letters to reach his parents in time, he had not received their permission to go to France until it was too late for him to go.  The death of Mrs. Allston cast a gloom over all the little circle, and, to cap the climax, he was receiving no encouragement in his profession.  On March 10, 1815, he writes:—­

“My jaunt to Bristol in quest of money completely failed.  When I was first there I expected, from the little connection I got into, I should be able to support myself.  I was obliged to come to town on account of the exhibitions, and stayed longer than I expected, intending to return to Bristol.  During this time I received two pressing letters from.  Mr. Visscher (which I will show you), inviting me to come down, saying that I should have plenty of business.  I accordingly hurried off.  A gentleman, for whom I had before painted two portraits, had promised, if I would let him have them for ten guineas apiece, twelve being my price, that he would procure me five sitters.  This I acceded to.  I received twenty guineas and have heard nothing from the man since, though I particularly requested Mr. Visscher to enquire and remind him of his promise.  Yet he never did anything more on the subject.  I was there three months, gaining nothing in my art and without a single commission.  Mr. Breed, of Liverpool, then came to Bristol.  He took two landscapes which I had been amusing myself with (for I can say nothing more of them) at ten guineas each.  I painted two more landscapes which are unsold.

“Mr. Visscher, a man worth about a hundred thousand pounds, and whose annual expenses, with a large family of seven children, are not one thousand, had a little frame for which he repeatedly desired me to paint a picture.  I told him I would as soon as I had finished one of my landscapes.  I began it immediately, without his knowing it, and determined to surprise him with it.  I also had two frames which fitted Mr. Breed’s pictures, and which I was going to give to Mr. Breed with his pictures.  But Mr. Visscher was particularly pleased with the frames, as they were a pair, and told me not to send them to Mr. Breed as he should like to have them himself, and wished I would paint him pictures to fit them (the two other landscapes before mentioned).  I accordingly was employed three months longer in painting these three pictures.  I finished them; he was very much pleased with them; all his family were very much pleased with them; all who saw them were pleased with them.  But he declined taking them without even asking my price, and said that he had more pictures than he knew what to do with.