AUDUBON IN LONDON 401 



review the latter so as to have your opinion in writting in time 

 for the first no. of the magazine that will appear next month. — 

 you also desire that I should send you a sett of the works as far 

 as publishing which you wish to keep provided I will let you 

 have it at the price it costs me. I assure you my Dear Sir, that 

 was I to take you at your word it would be a sore bargain for 

 you as the a/m would be very nearly double that for which it 

 is sold to my subscribers. — therefore you will permit me to 

 alter your offer and to say that if it suits you to pay 35 

 shillings per number I will be contented ; I would be still more 

 so was I rich enough to present it to you. — 



It is the only set on hand at present except one which I 

 must have to exhibit. — 



The answer respecting the Shrieke [Shrike] has I hope met 

 with your wishes. — 



Ever since I became acquainted with our mutual friend Dr. 

 Fraill [Traill] I have had a great desire to see and speak to 

 you & I regret that I never have had an opportunity. My time 

 is so completely taken up that it is with difficulty that I can 

 enjoy a day's rest- — Should you come to town pray call on me 

 when I may have the pleasure of shaking your hand and to as- 

 sure you verbally that I am truly and sincerely 



yours ob e st 



John J. Audubon 

 95 Great Russell St. 



Bedford Sq. 



Thus began an intimate friendship between William 

 Swainson and John James Audubon which lasted until 

 1830, and their intercourse did not wholly cease before 



From the context of the nine letters which are here reproduced with- 

 out change, it is evident that Audubon paid little attention to grammar, 

 syntax, or orthography, but if the reader will compare the letters written 

 before and after 1830, or before and after his first serious discipline in 

 English composition (see Chapters XXIII and XXIX), he will find marked 

 improvement in all these respects. 



