The Cotman Letters 1834

March 20th/34.
My dear Brother
You cannot deny being a silly fellow or that you deserve blowing up. Have you quite forgotten all that you said about Cattermoul? That he had studied six years? And do you suppose that you are such a Genius or whatever else you like to call it that you are at once to do what others have spent years to accomplish. To state it more clearly – do you expect to succeed as you wish at once? you who have not drawn at all – more than two or three years and perhaps in that time may have drawn about as many Figures and Heads. Do you I must again ask, do you John upon the strength of all this study expect to come up to those who have done ten times as much? you have good taste and have seen enough to know what is good but have not yet acquired execution, enough to put what you do know on paper. you ought not to expect it. I may be wrong, but ask yourself how many figures you have drawn? I think the answer will be two or three - only six say – what a many!!! and on having made six drawings you expect to rival in execution (for I will not allow you to fail in ought else) men who have made six hundred? I have said this over twice on purpose to impress it on you and to convince you how wrong you are in being (as you say in Mr. Geldart’s letter) a down pin. That must not be!! You must not allow yourself to be discouraged. You must make up your mind to have a few failures and you will succeed. Not at once throw down the pencil and say I cannot make myself an artist but go on draw, draw through thick and thin, you will find the benefit of it.
I had intended to send only the best study I had made