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 professional companions later on & you will be able to estimate your relative powers – (remembering that if 2 or 3 in the school at any one time are ever heard of as artists in 10 or 20 years time, it is about as much as you can expect). And without a full, general art education you can hardly tell yet in what line you are likely to succeed. For the rest, you must keep yourself fit. You say you find it a strain – well you must do the best you can by sharing your spare time between art study & exercise & other recreations. I myself used to chafe at being able to give comparatively so little time to it while my companions were giving their whole time. But for your comfort I may say that I believe the brain goes on developing on artistic lines in an enthusiastic nature almost as quickly in spite of the shorter time given to actual performance.

‘Then in 5 or 6 years you may find that your proved ability justifies you in joining the ranks of professional artists. And if, as is within the bounds of possibility, it doesn’t, you will be far happier living by your business, and practising art as an enthusiastic amateur than as a disappointed, pot-boiling professional.

‘Is this a very disappointing letter? – you needn’t regard it so – for whether you are a genius or not there is only one way of discovering it – it can’t be done without years of study – in art as in any other profession (only perhaps more in art than in any other profession). If you have ability, in 10 years you’ll have shewn it, & you will be, professionally, a mere youth with the future before you. And you will not have burnt your boats too soon.

‘So stick to your business for the present.

‘Go to the best school of art in your neighbourhood, enjoy your art education, the competition of the schools. Don’t waste time attempting to earn money at it now, it’s not worth it. Wait till you can go into the arena properly trained. Carry a sketch book – at least I did & have never regretted the assiduous thoughtful sketching I did. It is the most splendid training for brain, hand, & eye.