io6 Life of Auduhon, 



and free from anxiety about the future. On arriving at 

 New York a cart took our luggage to our lodgings, and 

 about one hundred passengers perched about us, as I 

 have seen chimney-swallows perched on a roof before 

 their morning flight. I felt happy and comfortable in 

 the city, and sauntered about admiring its beautiful 

 streets and landings. I found most of the parties to 

 whom I carried letters of introduction absent, and I 

 already began to regret leaving Philadelphia so hur- 

 riedly. I began to consider whether I should visit 

 Albany or Boston, in the hope of improving my financial 

 position. 



^^ August 2. Met Joseph Buonaparte, and his two 

 daughters, and his nephew, Charles, Prince of Canino. 

 Visited the museum at New York, and found the speci- 

 mens of stuffed birds set up in unnatural and constrained 

 attitudes. This appears to be the universal practice, and 

 the world owes to me the adoption of the plan of drawing 

 from animated nature. Wilson is the only one who has 

 in any tolerable degree adopted my plan. 



"August 3. Called on Vanderlyn, and was kindly 

 received by him. Examined his pictures with pleasure, 

 and saw the medal given him by Napoleon, but was not 

 impressed with the idea that he was a great painter. 



" August 4. Called on Dr. Mitchell with my letters 

 of introduction, who gave me a kind letter to his friend 

 Dr. Barnes, explaining that I wished to show my draw- 

 ings to the members of the Lyceum, and become a mem- 

 ber of that institution. 



" August 9. I have been making inquiries regarding 

 the publication of my drawings in New York ; but find 

 that there is little prospect of the undertaking being 

 favorably received. I have reason to suspect that 

 unfriendly communications have been sent to the pub- 

 lishers from Philadelphia, by parties interested in Wilson's 



