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.