4-4 Auduho7i's Birds of America, 



shared the same fate ; have been neglected while living, and 

 have sunk to the grave in obscurity or want. Yet no sooner 

 are they placed beyond the joys or the sorrows of this world, 

 than men's minds undergo a sudden change ; they discover 

 exalted merit in what was before ordinary talent; they lament 

 over " departed genius," follow its poor remains, perhaps 

 ostentatiously, to the grave, recite eulogiums on the departed, 

 and finally erect a splendid monument over his ashes — a me- 

 morial of unavailing honours to the dead, and of silent re- 

 proach to the living. 



Such has been the usual fate of genius, in every age and 

 in every country. The observation may be trite; but, like 

 many other things, we require to have it forced on our recol- 

 lections. That there are great and striking exceptions, where 

 genius, during life, has been appreciated and rewarded, 

 is a gratifying fact. The more so, as it goes far to account 

 for its frequent neglect, when living. Mankind, in general, 

 are prone to acknowledge merit when it becomes strikingly 

 conspicuous : more particularly in matters that are within 

 the comprehension of the many; or where it concerns the 

 comforts, amusements, or interests of the whole commu- 

 nity. The safety-lamp immediately raised its discoverer to 

 eminence : and the perfecting of the steam-engine secured 

 wealth and honour to him who achieved it. But where genius 

 is employed on pursuits of a less popular nature, pursuits 

 which belong solely to our intellectual gratification, it is less 

 perceived, for its merits can be known to few. Even among 

 these, it has not unfrequently to contend against party feeling, 

 personal envy, or secret jealousy. In matters of taste, the 

 great bulk of mankind, not having the power to judge for 

 themselves, rely on the opinion of those few who can point out 

 what is excellent. They may be often, indeed, misled by such 

 guides ; but the public, in the end, generally arrive at a just 

 conclusion. If once their attention is awakened to unques- 

 tionable merit, they are seldom backward in acknowledging 

 and rewarding it. To awaken this attention, however, is the 

 great difficulty. So many are the candidates, and so numerous 

 are their claims, that, unless a writer has the influence of the 

 press, or the patronage of the booksellers, he has but little 

 chance of success. Besides, people in general are so taken up 

 with their own immediate pursuits, that they can seldom afford 

 attention to other matters, unless they are actually brought 

 before them. 



I must confess that such has been my case with the work 

 I am to notice. I never saw it announced in the booksellers' 

 lists, exhibited in the London print-shops, or lauded in the 



