142 Life of Audubon, 



he tells her of his election as a member of the Royal 

 Society, and says : " So poor Audubon, if not rich, thou 

 wilt be honored at least, and held in esteem among men. 



" March 6. Finished my picture this morning, and 

 like it better than any I have painted." [He does not 

 say what this picture is, but it is evidently the one men- 

 tioned as begun with young Kidd.] " Mr. Ritchie, editor 

 of the ' Scotsman,' asked for a copy of the first number of 

 my birds, to notice it in his paper. Went to the Society 

 of Arts, and saw there many beautiful and remarkable in- 

 ventions, among them a carriage propelled by steam, 

 which moved with great rapidity and regularity. I always 

 enjoy my visits here more than to the literary societies. 

 The time for leaving Edinburgh is drawing near, but I 

 am yet undetermined whether to go first to Glasgow or 

 Dublin, or else to Newcastle, and then to Liverpool, Ox- 

 ford, Cambridge, and so on to London ; but I shall soon 

 decide and move. 



" March 7. Having determined to leave Edinburgh, 

 my first course is to settle up all my business affairs, and 

 make preparations for the future, and to this end I set 

 about collecting the letters promised me by friends to the 

 different places I proposed to visit. Professor Jameson 

 and Dr. Brewster have made me promise occasionally to 

 contribute some articles for their journals. I mentioned 

 to Dr. Brewster the desire I had for a line from Sir Wal- 

 ter Scott. He told me he was to dine with him that day, 

 and he would mention the subject to him, and he had no 

 doubt he would kindly grant it. Passed the evening at 

 a large party at Mr. Tytler's, where, among other agreea- 

 ble ladies and gentlemen, I was introduced to Sydney 

 Smith, the famous preacher of last Sunday. Saw his fair 

 daughters, and heard them sweetly sing ; and he and his 

 daughters appointed next Saturday to examine my draw- 

 ings. 



