Even though they often quarrelled, Charles Brereton continued to provide Trelawny with an allowance. He received an allowance of £300 a year, which was roughly the same amount as retired captains received as a pension at that time. He began to present himself as Captain Edward Trelawny, Royal Navy, Retired. He decided to leave England to find a cheaper place to live. After initially considering a move to Buenos Aires, he decided to move to Switzerland. In Switzerland he was not directly affected by the inflation that was occurring in England. After moving to Geneva he soon became bored by the city and spent much of his time on hunting and fishing expeditions. In the summer of 1820, while staying in Lausanne, Trelawny befriended a local bookseller. The bookseller soon recommended to him that he read "Queen Mab" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. This was the first time that he had heard of Percy Shelley. He read "Queen Mab" and he greatly enjoyed the work.