 In 1840 he visited Germany, and in 1842 the Shetland Islands - the latter journey inspiring him to produce a series of illustrations for Sir Walter Scott's novel "Pirate", which were published in the "Waverley" edition of the book.In 1846 Collins' "Early Morning" was exhibited.Ruskin said of it "I have never seen the oppression of sunlight in a clear, lurid, rainy atmosphere more perfectly or faithfully rendered, and the various portions of reflected and scattered light are all studied with equal truth and solemn feeling."