HISTORY OF BRITISH BIRDS 91 



Previously to this Prince Albert had subscribed 

 for two copies of the book, and it was probably one 

 of these that he afterwards presented to the library 

 of Wellington College, in which institution he took 

 a deep interest. In a letter written in 1852 the Prince 

 expressed himself as greatly pleased with the work, 

 adding that the manner in which it was got up was 

 " highly creditable to the town of Driffield." 



It is hard to say whether the author of the book 

 was more gratified by communications of this kind 

 than by those which he received from quite poor 

 working men, some of whom assured him that they 

 denied themselves their pipe and beer in order to 

 be able to take in the parts as they appeared from 

 month to month. He received letters from people 

 of every class, from the highest to the humblest, 

 expressing the pleasure which the "History of British 

 Birds " gave them as they took it in. 



If, however, it gave pleasure to the thousands who 

 read it, not less was the pleasure which it afforded 

 to the author himself to write it. Frequently, years 

 after its completion, would he take up one or other 

 of the volumes and pore over its pages. Beyond a 

 few exceptional passages, the style of the writing 

 was unstudied and natural. One of such exceptions 

 was in the case of the last pages of all, which give 

 the account of the Stormy Petrel. On the writing 

 of this article evident pains was bestowed. To no 

 part of the volumes did he more frequently turn 

 than he did to these last pages. He seemed to 

 linger repeatedly with a pardonable fondness over 



