The dispute in the trade continuing undecided, he returned to London after an absence of two months, and was regularly apprenticed to his brother's landlord, in order to secure him at all events from the effects of the litigation. It was understood, however, that no advantage should be taken of the indentures, and he continued to work with his brother till he had acquired a complete knowledge of his business; his leisure hours being occasionally employed in learning to play on the violin.
At this time his brother left London for Bury St. Edmund's; and about five years afterwards, Robert, who had continued to follow his trade, informed him by letter that "he had sold his fiddle and got a wife." Her name was Mary Anne, daughter to Joseph Church, a boat-builder in the dock-yard at Woolwich. The marriage was solemnized on the 12th of December 1790.
The early years of this alliance were in some respects imbittered by the cares of livelihood, and the sickness of a young family, which interrupted his literary amusements, and for a time made considerable ravages on his health.
Soon came the days that tried a faithful wife,
The noise of children, and the cares of life.
