Vol iSF n ] Deane > Letters of J. J. Audubon and S. F. Baird. 325 



meet all your dear Parents and Friends quite well ? Did they not 

 receive you with the kindest of welcomes? Were not their hearts 

 and feelings towards you the same as ever? Surely all this was 

 fact, and being so, would you not after all prefer Little Carlisle 1 

 than Great New York with all its humbug, rascality, and immoral- 

 ity? Surely or do I mistake your nature sadly, you do! It is now 

 a good long time since I was young, and resided near Norristown 

 in Pennsylvania. It was then and is now a very indifferent place 

 as compared with New York; but still my heart and mind often- 

 time dwell in the pleasure that I felt there, and it always reminds 

 me that within a few miles of that village, my Mother did live, and 

 it was there also that my good fortune led me to know and to marry 

 the excellent Wife I have yet, at whose hands yourself have tried to 

 be rendered comfortable. Say what you will, "there is nothing 

 like home." But to change the subject, I trust that in good faith 

 you have not spoken of us to your good family in higher terms than 

 we deserve. We have liked you because we have seen that you 

 deserved to be liked, and I hope with the truest sincerity that we 

 will be enabled always to like you equally. Few men were more 

 disappointed at not hearing sooner from you than your Friend, 

 Doer. Goldsmith, 2 and good Major LeConte, 3 all of us, in fact, 

 have wondered oftentimes what could have become of you, but 

 now that I know of your being safely ensconced at "Dear Sweet 

 Home," I will let the news fly town ward. I wish I could be with 

 you, if only for one week, for I then imagine that between your 

 friends of the mountains, yourself, and myself, we could Tree a 

 ■" Catamount" and soon untree him. The tugging part of that 

 far-famed animal, I would cheerfully give up to your youthful 

 shoulders, but not so with the figuring of it, yet for a while. Is 

 there such a Beast in existence ? Do let me know as soon as you 

 can. I am heartily glad that you have procured a wild cat from 

 the mountainous part of Pennsylvania, and that you have pre- 

 served its skin, which I beg of you to forward as soon as you 

 please, along with whatever other quadrupeds you may have in 

 hand, that we may say more on those Beasts of the Central 



1 In 1842 the population of Carlisle was about 4400. 



3 Dr.'Middleton Goldsmith, born 1818, died Nov. 26, 1887. 



3 John Eatton LeConte, born 1784, died 1860. A naturalist who in early life 

 served in the corps'of army topographical engineers with the rank of major. He 

 was father of John L. LeConte of Philadelphia, the distinguished entomologist. 



