Morse spent three or four days more in trying to perfect the work, and again handed it to his teacher, who, after again praising it, said: "Well, sir, go and finish it." "I cannot finish it," said Morse, by this time thoroughly disheartened. "Well," replied Mr. West, "I have tried you long enough. Now, sir, you have learned more by this drawing than you would have accomplished in double the time by a dozen half-finished beginnings. It is not numerous drawings, but the _character of one_, which makes a thorough draughtsman. _Finish_ one picture, sir, and you are a painter." After four years of study, Morse returned to Boston. But in the meantime, like Fulton, he had gradually turned his thought from painting to invention. His energies were now, for many years, divided between the two. During these years Morse had to depend for a livelihood mainly upon drawing and painting. He travelled through New Hampshire and Vermont, and even as far as South Carolina, everywhere painting miniatures on ivory, and establishing his reputation as an artist. In 1829 he went once more to Europe for study and remained three years; but upon his return, although painting occupied much of his time, his career as an artist ended. His change of vocation turned upon an incident of his voyage home. On the ocean steamer the conversation at dinner one day was about recent experiments with electricity. The special question of inquiry was this: "Does the length of wire make any difference in the velocity of the electric current passing through it?" One of the men present, Dr. Jackson, said that so far as experiments yet indicated, electricity passed through any length of wire in an instant. "Then," said Morse, "thought can be transmitted hundreds of miles instantaneously by means of electricity. For if electricity will go ten miles without stopping, I can make it go around the globe." What a wonderful idea, in an instant to send thought thousands of miles and make a record of it there! That is what the telegraph was to do! When once the possibility of this great achievement entered Morse's mind it took complete possession of him, and he could think of nothing else through the busy days and sleepless nights that followed. His note-book was ever at hand to outline the new instrument and to jot down the signs in sending messages. In a short time he had worked out on paper the whole scheme of transmitting thought over long distances by means of electricity. And now began twelve toilsome years of struggle to devise machinery for his invention. To provide for his three motherless children, Morse had to devote to painting much time that he otherwise would have spent in perfecting the mechanical appliances for his telegraph. His progress therefore was slow and painful, but he persistently continued in the midst of discouraging conditions.