150 Life of Auduhon. 



favorably, and I was surprised to find him dressed as if 

 for the whole day, in a simple but clean garb. He shook 

 my hand, read my letters, and so gave me time to glance 

 at the marble figures in the room and to examine his face. 

 It did not show the marks of genius that I expected in one 

 so eminent, but looked pale and pensive. After reading 

 my letters he said he was pleased to meet another Ameri- 

 can introduced to him by his friend Sully, adding, that 

 he wished much to see the drawings of a man so highly 

 spoken of, and appointing next Thursday to call on me. He 

 took a large card and wrote the appointment on it, and 

 put it back in its place. 



" Sir Thomas is no ornithologist, and therefore could 

 not well judge of the correctness of the detail of my draw- 

 ings, which can be appreciated fully only by those who 

 are acquainted with the science of which I myself am yet 

 only a student. But I found that he had a perfect idea of 

 the rules of drawing any object whatever, as well of the 

 forms and composition, or management of the objects 

 offered for the inspection of his keen eyes. I thought 

 from his face that he looked at them with astonishment 

 and pleasure, although he did not open his lips until 

 I had shown the last drawing, when he asked if I ' paint- 

 ed in oils ? ' On answering him in the affirmative, he in- 

 vited me to examine his rooms. The room where he 

 painted, to my utter astonishment, had a southern light : 

 upon his easel was a canvas (kitcat), on which was a per- 

 fect drawing in black chalk, beautifully finished, of a no- 

 bleman, and on a large easel a full-sized portrait of a no- 

 ble lady, represented in the open air ; and on the latter 

 he went to work. I saw that his pallet was enormous, 

 and looked as if already prepared with the various tints 

 wanted by some one else, and that he had an almost in- 

 numerable number of brushes and pencils of all descrip- 

 tions. He now glazed one part of his picture, and then 



