At times we were indulged with the sight of a large pile of pictures such as issued from the London print shops of that day. Among the rest Hogarth’s Industrious and Idle Apprentice made a strong impression on my mind. 
   As soon as peace was declared, the scene was changed to New York. I was put to school and drilled into the study of Latin and  a little Greek. I became a great reader. After devouring all the toy books of Newbury, the first book of any consequence was Aesop’s Fables and the next Dryden’s Virgil, the engravings in which formed no small share of the entertainment. I was full of business, carving little figures, making boats and fitting up a little cellar as a theatre; for I had been favored with the sight of one play and it was an event not to be forgotten. I had my drawing books and my drawings were made by wetting a hair pencil in my mouth, rubbing it on a bit of Indian ink and then imitating prints in line work. One of my school-fellows had access to an Encyclopedia and there we found some instructions for engraving. Small pieces of copper were procured and pennies rolled out in the mill of a friendly silversmith, and when copper was scarce pewter was used. I did a head of Paul Jones and pleased was I when I got an impression