692 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



of the families, in which Mrs. Audubon was a governess during this pe- 

 riod, has furnished Dr. Shufeldt with a childhood's reminiscence of 

 the naturalist. " He was with us," she says, " eight months, hut during 

 the greater part of the time was wandering all over the State, walking 

 almost the entire time ; no insect, worm, reptile, bird, or animal escaped 

 his notice. He would make a collection, return home and draw his 

 crayon-sketches, when his son John would stuff the birds and such 

 animals as he wished to preserve." 



In the spring of 1824, Audubon, with two hundred drawings, rep- 

 resenting about a thousand birds, went to Philadelphia in order obtain 

 help to complete his ornithological work. He was soon satisfied, it is 

 said in Mrs. Audubon's " Life," that the venture would be successful. 

 Having purchased a new suit of clothes and dressed himself with ex- 

 treme neatness, he called upon Dr. Mease, an old friend, and was intro- 

 duced by him to several artists, who paid him pleasant attentions. He 

 was also introduced to Prince Canino, son of Lucien Bonaparte, " who 

 examined my birds," Audubon writes, " and was complimentary in his 

 praises. He was at the time engaged on a volume of American birds, 

 which was soon to be published ; but this did not prevent him from 

 admiring another naturalist's work. April 12th. Met the prince at 

 Dr. Mease's, and he expressed a wish to examine my drawings more 

 particularly. I found him very gentlemanly. He called in his car- 

 riage and took me to Peale, the artist, who was drawing specimens of 

 birds for his work ; but from want of knowledge of the habits of birds 

 in a wild state, he represented them as if seated for a portrait, instead 

 of their own lively, animated ways when seeking their natural food or 

 pleasure. Other notable persons called to see my drawings, and en- 

 couraged me with their remarks. The Prince Canino introduced me 

 to the Academy of Arts and Sciences, and pronounced my birds superb 

 and worthy of a pupil of David. I formed the acquaintance of Le 

 Sueur, the zoologist and artist, who was greatly delighted with my 

 drawings." Audubon was engaged by Prince Canino to superintend 

 his drawings intended for publication ; but his terms being much 

 dearer than Alexander Wilson's, he was asked to discontinue his work. 

 "I had now," he writes, "determined to go to Europe with my 'treas- 

 ures,' since I was assured nothing so fine in the way of ornithological 

 representations existed. I worked incessantly to complete my series 

 of drawings. On inquiry, I found Sully and Le Sueur made a poor 

 living by their brush. I had some pupils offered at a dollar per lesson ; 

 but I found the citizens unwilling to pay for art, although they affected 

 to patronize it. I exhibited my drawings for a week, but found the 

 show did not pay, and so determined to remove myself." 



Thus, notwithstanding the pleasant social aspect of his reception 

 in Philadelphia, he does not appear to have been encouraged in its 

 material promise ; and he met with a misfortune which would have 

 depressed the spirits of the bravest and most sanguine. His plates, 



