AUDUBON AND MACGILLIVRAY 139 



Professor John Wilson gave the third volume of the 

 Ornithological Biography a very handsome notice in 

 Blackwood's Magazine, and on New Year's Day, 1836, 

 Audubon acknowledged the compliment in the follow- 

 ing letter: 10 



Audubon to John Wilson {"Christopher North") 



My Dear Friend : — 



The first hour of this new year was ushered to me sur- 

 rounded by my dear flock, all comfortably seated around a small 

 table in middle-sized room, where I sincerely wished you had 

 been also, to witness the flowing gladness of our senses, as from 

 one of us "Audubon's Ornithological Biography" was read from 

 your ever valuable Journal. I wished this because I felt as- 

 sured that your noble heart would have received our most grate- 

 ful thanks with pleasure, the instant our simple ideas had con- 

 veyed to you the grant of happiness we experienced at your 

 hands. You were not with us, alas ! but to make amends the 

 best way we could, all of a common accord drank to the health, 

 prosperity, and long life, of our generous, talented, and ever 

 kind friend, Professor John Wilson, and all those amiable beings 

 who cling around his heart ! May those our sincerest wishes 

 reach you soon, and may they be sealed by Him who granted 

 us existence, and the joys heaped upon the "American woods- 

 man" and his family, in your hospitable land, and may we 

 deserve all the benefits we have received in your ever dear coun- 

 try, although it may prove impossible to us to do more than 

 to be ever grateful to her worthy sons. 



Accept our respectful united regards, and offer them to 

 your family, whilst I remain, with highest esteem, your truly 

 thankful friend and most obedient servant, 



John J. Audubon. 



Wilson had said in his earlier review: 



10 See Mrs. Gordon, "Christopher North:" A Memoir of John Wilson 

 (BibL No. 44). 



