Complex sentence: The death of his mother, on 19 November 1796, set him free to follow the bent of his genius, and severing his official connections, he awaited for an opportunity to fulfill his long-cherished dream of travel.
Split into simpler sentences: The death of his mother, on 19 November 1796, set him free. After severing his official connections, he awaited an opportunity to fulfill his long-cherished dream of travel.