Mathematics Was Hard, Dull Work, I Thought;

I Looked Long And Carefully At The Picture Of A Stag Painted By Landseer - The Style Was Good, And The Brush Was Handled With Fine Effect, But He Fails In Copying Nature, Without Which The Best Work Will Be A Failure.

[drawing Should Be] A Journey Of Pleasure. Each Step Must Present To The Travellers' View Objects That Are Eminently Interesting, Varied In Their Appearances, And Attracting To Such A Degree As To Excite In Each Individual Thus Happily Employed The Desire Of Knowing All Respecting All He Sees.

Look At That Mallard As He Floats On The Lake; See His Elevated Head Glittering With Emerald Green, His Amber Eyes Glancing In The Light! Even At This Distance, He Has Marked You, And Suspects That You Bear No Goodwill Towards Him, For He Sees That You Have A Gun, And He Has Many A Time Been Frightened By Its Report, Or That Of Some Other. The Wary Bird Draws His Feet Under His Body, Springs Upon Then, Opens His Wings, And With Loud Quacks Bids You Farewell.

But Hopes Are Shy Birds Flying At A Great Distance, Seldom Reached By The Best Of Guns.

My Heart Swelled With Uncontrollable Delight.