190 AUDUBON 



Tuesday, December 19. My writing takes me full two 

 hours every morning, and soon as finished to-day, I dressed 

 to go to breakfast with Sir William Jardine and Mr. Selby 

 at Barry's Hotel. It was just nine, the morning fine and 

 beautiful, the sun just above the line of the Old Town, the 

 horizon like burnished gold, the walls of the Castle white 

 in the light and almost black in the shade. All this made 

 a beautiful scene, and I dwelt on the power of the great 

 Creator who formed all, with a thought of all man had 

 done and was doing, when a child, barefooted, ragged, and 

 apparently on the verge of starvation, altered my whole 

 train of ideas. The poor child complained of want, and, 

 had I dared, I would have taken him to Sir William Jar- 

 dine, and given him breakfast at the hotel ; but the world 

 is so strange I feared this might appear odd, so I gave the 

 lad a shilling, and then bid him return with me to my 

 lodgings. I looked over all my garments, gave him a 

 large bundle of all that were at all worn, added five shil- 

 lings, and went my way feeling as if God smiled on me 

 through the face of the poor boy. The hotel was soon 

 reached, and I was with my friends; they had brought 

 Ducks, Hawks, and small birds for me to draw. After 

 breakfast we all went to my room, and I showed these 

 gentlemen how I set up my specimens, squared my paper, 

 and soon had them both at work drawing a Squirrel, 

 They called this a lesson. It was to me like a dream, that 

 I, merely a woodsman, should teach men so much my 

 superiors. They worked very well indeed, although I per- 

 ceived at once that Mr. Selby was more enthusiastic, and 

 therefore worked faster than Sir William ; but he finished 

 more closely, so that it was hard to give either the su- 

 premacy. They were delighted, especially Mr. Selby, 

 who exclaimed, " I will paint all our quadrupeds for my 

 own house." They both remained with me till we could 

 see no more. At their request I read them my letter on 

 the " Carrion Crow ; " but Dr. Brewster had altered it so 



