182 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



Audubon to Edward Harris 



Edikburgh, 14 Sep'., 1838. 

 My Dear Friend: 



Not having her.rd anything from you in answer to my last, 

 I suppose that you may yet be away from Glasgow, but as we 

 ourselves are going off tomorrow to the "Highlands," with a 

 view to be at Glasgow on Thursday next, I write to you now, 

 with the hope of meeting you then. Nothing of importance has 

 occurred here since my last, but the book has considerably 

 swollen in its progress towards completion. 



We all unite in best wishes to you and I remain as ever 

 your most truly attached and sincere friend, 



John J. Audubon 

 We intend being home again on Saturday next. 



[Addressed] To Edward Harris Esq r . 



Comrie's Royal Hotel, 

 Glasgow. 



With MacGillivray as guide, Audubon and his fam- 

 ily visited Stirling, Doun and Callander, where they 

 "marched in a body to the Falls of Bracklin, guided by 

 a rosy-cheeked Highland lassie, stopping now and then 

 by the way to pick up a wild flower, — a blue-bell, a 

 'gowan,' or a dog-rose, or to listen to the magpies and 

 titmice." From Callander they ascended to Loch Kat- 

 rine, and explored the Trossachs, "admired by many, 

 chiefly or entirely on account of Scott's description of 

 them"; at the tavern there, said Audubon, "with that 

 most curious innate desire which there is in us of becom- 

 ing older, for the purpose of enjoying the morrow, I 

 went to rest, anxious to see the morn, and discover what 

 existed beyond the crags that had bounded my view." 



From the wild and beautiful scenes about Loch 

 Katrine, which stirred the naturalist's emotions and 



