THE OOLOGIST. 



231 



Notes From Audubon's Biography. 

 Part II. 



America beiog the native land of Au- 

 dubon, he tried to get his drawings en- 

 graved in the United States. Wilson's 

 engraver, among others, gave it as his 

 opinion that the drawings coi;ld never 

 be engraved. In New York other diffi- 

 culties presented themselves, and he ti- 

 nally determined to go to Europe. 

 Great was the despondencey he felt as 

 he approached the shores of England. 

 He had not a single friend or acquain- 

 tance to whom he could go, although 

 he was the bearer of many letters Of in- 

 troduction from eminent American 

 statesmen. As he walked the streets of 

 Liverpool for the tirst time his heart 

 nearly failed him, for not a glance of 

 sympathy did he meet in two days of 

 wandering. But how soon was this 

 changed! The very tirst letter tender- 

 ed procured him a host of friends. 

 His drawings were publicly exhibited 

 and publicly praised. The first diffi- 

 culty was surmounted. The Rubicon 

 was crossed. Honors, which on appli- 

 cation being made through his friends, 

 Philadelphia had refused, Liverpool 

 heaped upon him. He left that empo- 

 rium of commerce, with many a pass- 

 port and additional letter of introduc- 

 tion, bent upon a visit to fair Edina. 

 He arrived at Manchester, and his visit 

 was made very pleasing by the courtesy 

 and friendship of all whom he met. 

 Friends pressed and urged him to visit 

 the beautiful villages of Bakewell, Matt- 

 lock and Buxton. It was a trip of pure 

 enjoyment. 



Audubon's journey to Scotland was 

 performed along the noilhwestern 

 shores of England. He passed in view 

 of Lancaster Castle, and his way led 

 him thi'ough Carlisle. The principle 

 scientific and literary characters of the 

 ancient metropolis of Scotland received 

 him like a brothei . The Royal Society, 



The VVernerian Natural History Socie- 

 ty, The Society of Scottish Antiquaries, 

 the Society of Useful Arts, and the Scot- 

 tish Academy of Painting, Sculpture, 

 and Architecture, spontaneously and 

 gratuitously enrolled him as a member. 

 In this capital commenced the pA.iblica- 

 tion of his 'Illustrations, and there it 

 might have been accomplished had not 

 unexpected difficulties come in the way. 

 His engraver, Mr. VV . H. Lizars, advis- 

 ed him to seek an artist in London, and 

 there after many fruitless inquiries he 

 became acquainted with Mr. Robert 

 Havell, Jr., by whom his work was con- 

 cluded to his complete satisfaction. 



Four years have passed. One vol- 

 ume of Audubon's Illustrations, con- 

 taining one hundred plates, has been 

 placed before the public. T>vo objec- 

 tions were raised to the mode in which 

 the work was published: the great size 

 of the paper upon which the I'epresen- 

 tations were made, and the length of 

 time necessary for their completion. 

 As to the size of the paper, which was 

 complained of by some, it could not be 

 avoided without giving up one of the 

 principal characteristics which Audu- 

 bon wished to give to it. Two of the 

 greatest authoiities on Natural History, 

 — Swainson,the ornithologist, and Cuv- 

 ier, the center of zoological science at 

 that time, — spoke with enthusiasm in 

 favor of this idea. 



Soon after the engraving of his work 

 was commenced Audubon bade adieu 

 to his Edinburgh friends, whose many 

 kindnesses were impressed indelibly 

 upon his heart. The object of his jour- 

 ney was London. At Newcastle-upon- 

 Tyne he made his next halt, and hei'e 

 many, among whom was the venerable 

 Bewick, treated him w'th a great deal 

 of kindness and helped to swell his list 

 of subscribers. It was in this place 

 that as Wilson had done in America, 

 Audubon exhibited some engravings of 

 his work, together with the contents of 

 his portfolio. In speaking of this Au- 



