He was making rapid progress in his studies and was receiving the encomiums of his fellow artists and of the critics.

His parents were denying themselves in order to provide the means for his support, and, while he was duly appreciative of their goodness, he could not help taking it more or less as a matter of course.

He was optimistic with regard to the future, falling into the common error of gifted young artists that, because of their artistic success, financial success must of necessity follow.

He had yet to be proved in the school of adversity, and he had not long to wait.

But I shall let the letters tell the story better than I can.