SKETCH OF J. J. AUDUBON. 687 



the water-vapor, thus using the remedy twice in twenty-four hours, 

 which will materially hasten the desired effect. 



Among the large number of things that have been recommended, 

 each one has its peculiarities ; some natures derive more benefit from 

 the one ; others, again, from another, a fact which makes it advisable 

 to leave the choice of the agent to be used to some physician who is 

 acquainted with the constitution of the patient ; for all agents which 

 are powerful and useful may cause great injury if indiscreetly applied. 

 Translated for the Popular Science Monthly from Die Garten- 

 laube. 







SKETCH OF J. J. AUDUBON. 



"YTTHEN Audubon's fame was just beginning, " Christopher North " 

 V V (Professor Wilson, of the University of Edinburgh, and editor 

 of " Blackwood's Magazine ") wrote, under the form of a dialogue 

 between himself and the Ettrick Shepherd (James Hogg, the poet), as 

 follows : * 



" North. "What a pity, James, that you were not in Edinburgh in 

 time to see my friend Audubon's exhibition ! 



" Shepherd. An exhibition o' what ? 



" North. Of birds painted to the life. Almost the whole Ameri- 

 can ornithology, true to nature as if the creatures were in their native 

 haunts in the forests, or on the sea-shores. Not stiff and staring like 

 stuffed specimens, but in every imaginable characteristic attitude, 

 perched, wading, or a-wing not a feather, smooth or ruffled, out of 

 its place every song, chirp, chatter, or cry made audible by the power 

 of genius. 



" Shepherd. Where got he sae weel acquaint wi' a' the tribes for 

 do they not herd in swamps and woods where man's foot intrudes not 

 and the wilderness is guarded by the rattlesnake, fearsome watch- 

 man, wi' nae ither bouets than his ain fiery eyne ? 



" North. For upward of twenty years the enthusiastic Audubon 

 lived in the remotest woods, journeying to and fro on foot thousands 

 of miles or sailing on great rivers, great as any seas with his uner- 

 ring rifle, slaughtering only to embalm his prey by an art of his own, 

 in form and hue unchanged, unchangeable and now, for the sum of 

 one shilling, may anybody that chooses it behold the images of all the 

 splendid and gorgeous birds of that continent. 



" Shepherd. Where's the exhibition now ? 



"North. At Glasgow, I believe where I have no doubt it will 

 attract thousands of delighted spectators. I must get the friend who 

 gave a glance over ' Selby's Ornithology ' to tell the world at large 



* "Xoctea Anibrosianre " ("Blackwood's Magazine"), No. XXX, January, 1827. 



