context 1. "This picture*..." as if it is a stand alone comment, and refers only to the picture described in the footnote

In this context 'this picture*' is not 'View of Rochester' and it is not Nixon's picture. In the footnote Miller appears to be describing a genuine early Turner. However, Miller says that it is doubtful that the picture described in the footnote is the first finished (He does not say whether or not he thinks that it is a genuine Turner). What he said previously is unaltered: 'View of Rochester is the first picture started. What follows is also independent and is a statement of Bishop Nixon's claim (as interpreted by Miller) and a statement that the first paints were bought in Rochester.

This creates two possible scenarios:

A. Miller intended the footnote to describe Hering's picture.

It follows that Hering's picture (in Miller's mind) is not 'View of Rochester'

If Miller intended the footnote to refer to Hering's picture then Miller is saying that Hering's picture is not the Rochester (Douglas') picture and also that Hering's picture is not Turner's first oil ie: Miller is contradicting John Burnet (who in the Art Journal, 1852 had written that Turner's first oil was in the possession of Mr. Herring [sic.]); also (Miller was writing in 1854; the Nephew's Letter of 1857 and Archer's article in Once A Week (1862) had not yet been written. However, even if it was not public knowledge, the confrontation between Hering and Turner reported in Once A Week must have been fairly well known to artists and dealers (and of course must have taken place before Turner's death in 1851). Perhaps rumours of the confrontation made Miller doubtful of Hering's claim. To add to his doubts, if the first oil was merely 'View of Rochester' then Miller might have expected a more classical or architectural view.)

B. Miller's footnote is a picture owned by somebody else; it was not Hering's picture

Miller knew that this was not Hering's picture and Miller (in his own mind) knew that it was not Turner's first finished oil.

If, as in B above, Miller did not intend the footnote to refer Hering's picture then Hering's picture may still be regarded as Turner's first finished oil and Miller, whilst not supporting Hering's (and Burnet's) claim, seems to be describing a picture by Turner that was not his first but for which there was another claim (not Hering's or Bishop Nixon's claim) with which Miller disagreed. If so who was in possession of the picture in the footnote and where did the descripton originate? - Miller does not answer this question. (Which may suggest that this was not his intended meaning.)

Hering's or otherwise, Miller doubts 'this picture*' is Turner's first finished oil; that is he doubts either whether it is Turner's first oil (whilst accepting that it may be a later oil by Turner) (or he doubts its authenticity (ie: it is not by Turner at all); but if so why should Miller quote a description that was so clearly intended to show a genuine very early picture by Turner?)

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Miller: 'Turner and Girtin':"This picture"
	*context 1. "This picture..." as if it is a stand alone comment, and refers only to the picture described in the footnote** In this context 'this picture' is not 'View of Rochester' and it is not Nixon's picture. In the footnote Miller appears to be describing a genuine early Turner. However, Miller says that it is doubtful that the picture described in the footnote is the first finished (He does not say whether or not he thinks that it is a genuine Turner). What he said previously is unaltered: 'View of Rochester is the first picture started. What follows is also independent and is a statement of Bishop Nixon's claim (as interpreted by Miller) and a statement that the first paints were bought in Rochester. This creates two possible scenarios: A. Miller intended the footnote to describe Hering's picture.* It follows that Hering's picture (in Miller's mind) is not 'View of Rochester' If Miller intended the footnote to refer to Hering's picture then Miller is saying that Hering's picture is not the Rochester (Douglas') picture and also that Hering's picture is not Turner's first oil ie: Miller is contradicting John Burnet (who in the Art Journal, 1852 had written that Turner's first oil was in the possession of Mr. Herring [sic.]); also (Miller was writing in 1854; the Nephew's Letter of 1857 and Archer's article in Once A Week (1862) had not yet been written. However, even if it was not public knowledge, the confrontation between Hering and Turner reported in Once A Week must have been fairly well known to artists and dealers (and of course must have taken place before Turner's death in 1851). Perhaps rumours of the confrontation made Miller doubtful of Hering's claim. To add to his doubts, if the first oil was merely 'View of Rochester' then Miller might have expected a more classical or architectural view.) B. Miller's footnote is a picture owned by somebody else; it was not Hering's picture Miller knew that this was not Hering's picture and Miller (in his own mind) knew that it was not Turner's first finished oil. If, as in B above, Miller did not intend the footnote to refer Hering's picture then Hering's picture may still be regarded as Turner's first finished oil and Miller, whilst not supporting Hering's (and Burnet's) claim, seems to be describing a picture by Turner that was not his first but for which there was another claim (not Hering's or Bishop Nixon's claim) with which Miller disagreed. If so who was in possession of the picture in the footnote and where did the descripton originate? - Miller does not answer this question. (Which may suggest that this was not his intended meaning.) Hering's or otherwise, Miller doubts 'this picture*' is Turner's first finished oil; that is he doubts either whether it is Turner's first oil (whilst accepting that it may be a later oil by Turner) (or he doubts its authenticity (ie: it is not by Turner at all); but if so why should Miller quote a description that was so clearly intended to show a genuine very early picture by Turner?) This context is tenable in as much as it leaves open the claim by Miller that Turner's first oil was 'View of Rochester' and the counter-claim by the Bishop that Turner's first oil finished was 'View of Snowdon, North Wales' without actually making a decision as to who is correct but at the same time raising the awareness that a picture (albeit by Turner) 'Rochester Castle with Fishermen Drawing Boats Ashore In A Gale of Wind' was not Turner's first oil (as claimed by Hering or Burnet, or another, unknown, collector). In this stand alone context it seems quite likely that Miller believes that Hering's picture is the one described in the footnote and that Miller is aware that Nixon's claim relates to 'View of Snowdon, North Wales'. : :	In this context This sentence stands alone: It follows that what comes before and after also stand alone. Before 'This picture* is not 'View of Rochester'. Miller's statement implies that 'View of Rochester' was the first oil started but the picture that Miller describes in the footnote is not it. After: Nixon's picture is not the one described in the footnote and Nixon's picture is not 'View of Rochester. Miller does not say what Nixon's picture was - but did Miller actually know what it was? If he knew about Nixon's claim there is a very good chance Miller knew what Nixon's picture was.