AUDUBON IN LONDON 413 



that he was actually now writing the report on my 

 work! 1 " 22 Cuvier's published report, which was ex- 

 tremely laudatory, showed little signs of haste. After 

 speaking of Audubon's talents and accomplishments he 

 said: 



The execution of these plates, so remarkable for their size, 

 seems to us equally successful in the drawing, the engraving, 

 and coloring, and though it may be difficult to represent relief 

 in a colored print with as much effect as in painting proper, 

 this is no disadvantage in works on natural history ; natural- 

 ists prefer the true color of objects to those accidental shades 

 which result from the diverse inflections of light ; necessary 

 though these be for completing the truth of a picture, they are 

 foreign as well as prejudicial to scientific accuracy. 23 



By November Audubon was once more in London, 

 busy at painting to fill his orders and his purse. On 

 the 11th of the month, we find Swainson, whose own 

 exchequer was empty, writing to Audubon for a loan; 

 this letter, and one soon to follow, illustrate some of the 

 characteristics to which we have referred: 



William Swainson to Audubon 



Tuesday 11 Nov. 1828. 



I had written the enclosed, my dear Mr. Audubon, before 

 "your letter of Monday reached me. It has come this instant, 

 Dreams, you know, must always be interpreted contrawise, we 

 might have lifted up our arms, as you saw in your dream but, 

 if you had not awoke, it was no doubt to have shaken hands ! 

 But that my regard for you may be evinced, I will bring myself 

 to lay under an obligation, which I would only ask for one of 

 my own family. I was that moment thinking to which I should 



1 Maria R. Audubon, op. cit., vol. i, p. 323. 

 1 See Bibliography, No. 93a. 



