136 Life of Audubon. 



have been , but what a difference exists between the 

 drawing of one bird and the composition of a group, 

 and harmonizing them with a landscape and sky, and 

 well-adapted foreground ! Who that has ever tried to 

 combine these three different conceptions in a single 

 picture, has not felt a sense of fear while engaged in his 

 work ? I looked long and carefully at the picture of a 

 stag painted by Landseer ; the style was good, and the 

 brush was handled with fine effect ; but he fails in copy- 

 ing Nature, without which the best work will be a failure. 

 A stag, three dogs, and a Highland hunter are introduced 

 on the canvas ; but the stag has his tongue out and his 

 mouth shut ! The principal dog, a greyhound, has the 

 deer by one ear, while one of his fore-paws is around his 

 leg, as if in the act of fondling with him. The hunter 

 has laced the deer by one horn very prettily, and, in the 

 attitude of a ballet-dancer, is about to throw another 

 noose over the head of the animal. To me, and my friend 

 Bourgeat, or Dr. Pope, such a picture is quite a farce ; 

 but it is not so in London, for there are plenty of such 

 pictures there, and this one created a great sensation 

 among the connoisseurs. 



" Captain Hall invited me to take some of my draw- 

 ings to show Lady Mansfield, who is his particular friend, 

 and who expressed a desire to see them. Unfortunately 

 she was not at home when we called ; but her three 

 daughters and several noblemen who were present ex- 

 amined them. The ladies were handsome, but seemed 

 haughty, and wanting in that refinement of manners and 

 condescending courtesy I had seen in the Countess oi 

 Morton ; and the gentlemen evinced a like lack of good 

 breeding. This did not disturb me, but I was troubled 

 and pained for Captain Hall, who is so instinctively a 

 gentleman, because I saw that he felt hurt and mortified. 

 He requested me to leave my drawings, which cost me so 



