8o LEADING AMERICAN MEN OF SCIENCE 



as the term was then understood. Indeed, John Cassin who was 

 of much the same school as Ord says of Audubon upon meeting 

 him many years later, "I do not particularly admire him, he is 

 no naturalist, positively not by nature, but an artist, no reason- 

 able doubt of it! 1 " 



It was in art circles that Audubon profited most during the five 

 months that he remained in Philadelphia. He took lessons from 

 Thomas Sully and saw much of Rembrandt Peale for both of 

 whom he had a high regard. 



Passing on to New York he was much more enthusiastically 

 received but got no more encouragement in the project that he 

 had in view than he did in Philadelphia, and thoroughly convinced 

 of the impossibility of publishing his plates in America, he deter- 

 mined to abandon the attempt until his resources would permit 

 of his going to Europe. 



Returning to Bayou Sara after a trip along the great lakes he 

 set about painting and giving lessons in drawing, music and danc- 

 ing and endeavored by every means in his power to raise money. 

 His success was phenomenal and his wife contributing her savings 

 to his fund, he was enabled to realize his hopes and sailed from 

 New Orleans April 26, 1826, with his precious paintings. 



He spent just three years in England and Scotland and accom- 

 plished much. His striking personality and the size and orginality 

 of his bird paintings attracted wide attention. He exhibited them 

 at various places and realized considerable profit from the admis- 

 sion fees, while he sold a large number of oil paintings and so 

 managed to support himself. After some difficulty he arranged 

 for the engraving and coloring of the sample plates and secured 

 enough subscribers to warrant the continuation of the work. 



Mr. Lizars of Edinburgh, the engraver of the plates for Selby's 

 British Birds engraved the first plates of Audubon's work, but the 

 main portion of them was done by Havell of London. By the 

 close of the year 1830, one hundred plates had been issued. They 

 were elephant folio, about three by two and a half feet, large enough 

 to allow of the presentation of all the birds natural size, and with 

 1 Letter to Spencer F. Baird. 



