274 AUDUBON 



December 29. This morning I walked to " Lady " Rath- 

 bone's with my fifth number. It is quite impossible to 

 approach Green Bank, when the weather is at all fair, with- 

 out enjoying the song of some birds ; for, Lucy, that sweet 

 place is sacred, and all the feathered tribe in perfect safety. 

 A Redwing particularly delighted me to-day ; I found some- 

 thing of the note of our famous Mock-bird in his melody. 



January 1, 1828, Manchester. How many times since 

 daylight reached my eyes, I have wished thee, my Lucy, 

 our sons, and our friends, a year of comfort, of peace and 

 enjoyment, I cannot tell, for the day is to me always one 

 on which to pray for those we love. Now, my Lucy, when 

 I wished thee a happy New Year this morning I emptied 

 my snufif box, locked up the box in my trunk, and will take 

 no more. The habit within a few weeks has grown upon 

 me, so farewell to it; it is a useless and not very clean 

 habit, besides being an expensive one. Snuff! farewell to 

 thee. Thou knowest, Lucy, well that when I will / ^vill. I 

 came here straight to friend Sergeant's ; I need not say I 

 was welcomed ; and Bentley soon came in to spend the 

 evening with us. 



London, January 5, 1828. At six last evening I was in 

 the coach with three companions; I slept well after we 

 stopped for supper at nine o'clock, but not long enough. 

 I cannot sleep in the morning, and was awake four long 

 hours before day. The moon, that had shone brightly, 

 sunk in the west as day dawned, the frost appeared thickly 

 strewn over the earth, and not a cloud was in sight. I saw 

 a few flocks of Partridges on their roost, which thou know- 

 est well is on the ground, with their heads all turned to 

 east, from which a gentle waft of air was felt; the cattle 

 were lying here and there ; a few large flocks of Starlings 

 were all that interested me. The dawn was clear, but 

 before we left Northampton it rained, snowed, and blew 

 as if the elements had gone mad; strange country, to be 



