CHAPTEK XIX 



AUDUBON VISITS BARON ROTHSCHILD 



Audubon acted as his own agent. The portfolio is still 

 seen in which he used to carry his drawings from place to 

 place, to show them to people whom he thought able to 

 subscribe for them. 



He shared the friendship of some of the most notable 

 people of the world, among them the leading minds of 

 courts and of scientific societies. His visits to rich and 

 penurious people were in a few cases amusing. 



In 1834 he and his wife and son John sailed for Liver- 

 pool in a packet, and had what was then deemed a won- 

 derfully favorable voyage of only nineteen days. His son 

 Victor was found to have conducted his business very suc- 

 cessfully. Audubon had taken out letters of introduction 

 from leading Americans to notable people; these he now 

 proceeded to deliver. 



One of these letters was to Baron Rothschild, the 

 money-king of Europe. The baron had arisen to his power- 

 ful position as a money-lender from comparative poverty. 



His position in Europe became so powerful that Wendell 



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