John Constable: Toward a Complete Chronology. - Reed College

1798 summer Probably in summer 1798, J.C. first meets Canon (later
Bishop) Fisher . (JCC VI, p. 5)
1798 autumn J.T. Smith visits J.C. at East Bergholt. (JCC II, p. 14)
1798 Nov 12 Letter from J.T. Smith to J.C. (JCC II, p. 15)
1798 Dec 2 Letter from J.C. in East Bergholt to J.T. Smith. (JCC II, pp.
15-16)
1798 Receives a pen drawing from J.T. Smith, an "imitation of an
elegantly touched drawing by Waterloo." (JCC II, p. 14)
1798 Pen and wash drawing of the monument to Sir John Brewse
at Little Wenham Church, Suffolk, signed and dated by J.C.
(JC: FDC, p. 198)
1798 "A copy in watercolours by Constable dated 1798 from a
print of Versailles." (JCC II, p. 16)
1798 prob. Probably in summer 1798, J.C. introduced to Dr. John Fisher
at Dedham by his friends the Hurlocks. (JCC II, p. 1)
1799 Leaves East Bergholt for London, to try his fortune as an
early in year artist. (JCC VI, p. 5; see also JC: FDC, p. 143)
1799 Jan 29 Entry in Priscilla Wakefield's diary, in Ipswich: "Spent the
evening at Mrs Cobbold's—met there Mr. J. Constable a
pleasing modest young man—who had a natural genius for
painting." She gives him the introduction to Farington. Leslie
mistakenly dates 1795. (JC: FDC, pp. 129, 143, and JCC II p.
163)
1799 Feb 4 See 1799 March 4
1799 Feb 25 Farington records: "Mr J. Constable of Ipswich calld, with
letter from Mrs. W. devoted to art therefore not necessary to
profess it." (Farington IV, p. 1164; see also JC: FDC, pp. 129,
143, 269, and JCC I pp. 11, 14)
1799 Feb 26 Farington records: "Constable calld. and brot. his sketches of
Landscapes in neighberoud of Dedham. Father a Merct. who
has now consented that C. shall devote his time to the study