lyS Life of Audubon. 



he felt a great pleasure in subscribing to the work of an 

 American ; that he had been kindly treated in the United 

 States, and would never forget it. When the portfolio 

 was opened, and I held up the plate of the Baltimore 

 oriole, with a nest swinging amongst the tender twigs of 

 the yellow poplar, he said, ' This surpasses all I have 

 seen, and I am not astonished now at the eulogium of M. 

 Redoutd' He spoke partly in English and partly in 

 French, and said much of America, of Pittsburg, the 

 Ohio, New Orleans, the Mississippi and its steamboats j 

 and then added, * You are a great and noble nation, a 

 wonderful nation ! ' The duke promised to write to the 

 Emperor of Austria for me, and to the King of Sweden, 

 and other crowned heads, and to invite them to subscribe, 

 and requested me to send a note to-day to the Minister 

 of the Interior. I remained talking with him and his 

 nephew more than an hour. I asked him to give me his 

 own signature on my list of subscribers. He smiled, 

 took it, and wrote, in very legible letters, * Le Due d'Or- 

 leans.' I now thought that to remain any longer would 

 be an intrusion, and thanking him respectfully, I bowed, 

 shook hands, and retired. As I passed down the serv- 

 ants stared at me with astonishment, wondering, doubt- 

 less, what could have obtained me so long and intimate 

 an interview with their master. 



" October i. Called to-day on M. Gerard, of whom 

 France may boast without a blush. It was ten o'clock 

 when I reached his hotel ; but as he is an Italian, 

 born at Rome, and retains the habits of his country- 

 men, keeps late hours, and seldom takes his tea be- 

 fore one o'clock in the morning, I found him just up, and 

 beginning his day's work. When I entered his rooms 

 they were filled with persons of both sexes, and as soon 

 as. my name was announced, Gerard, a small, well-formed 

 man, came towards me, took my hand, and said, 'Wei- 



