Encouraging/discouraging

I just got the sweetest note from an agent turning my book down. Said it sounded "incredibly good." Apparently he just sold an airship trilogy by someone else after a really long search, and he's all airshipped out. He closed by asking me if I was getting lots of agents asking to read, and saying he'd think I would be and that he was rooting for me.

Arrrrgh so close. So frustrating. But at the same time, it was really, really nice of him--he didn't have to take the time to write at all. Now I just want to write him something he would like just because I want to work with him.

Sigh.