68 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 



" Tuesday, February 13. This was 

 the grand, long promised, and much 

 wished- for day of the opening of the 

 Exhibition at the rooms of the Eoyal 

 Institution. At one o'clock I went, 

 the doors were just opened, and in a 

 few minutes the rooms were crowded. 

 Sir Walter Scott was present ; he came 

 towards me, shook my hand cordially, 

 and pointing to Landseer's picture 

 said : l Many such scenes, Mr. Audu- 

 bon, have I witnessed in my younger 

 days.' We talked much of all about 

 us, and I would gladly have joined 

 him in a glass of wine, but my foolish 

 habits prevented me, and after inquir- 

 ing of his daughter's health, I left him, 

 and shortly afterwards the rooms ; for I 

 had a great appetite, and although there 

 were tables loaded with delicacies, and I 

 saw the ladies particularly eating freely, 

 I must say to my shame I dared not lay 

 my fingers on a single thing. In the 

 evening I went to the theatre where I 



