2o6 Life of Audubon, 



and their habits, that in my sleep I continually dreamed 

 of birds. I found Mr. McGillivray equally industrious, 

 for although he did not rise so early in the morning as 1 

 did, he wrote much later at night (this I am told is a 

 characteristic of all great writers) ; and so the manu- 

 scripts went on increasing in bulk, like the rising of a 

 stream after abundant rains, and before three months had 

 passed the first volume was finished. Meanwhile your 

 mother copied it all to send to America, to secure the 

 copyright there. 



^' I made an arrangement with Mr. Patrick Neill, the 

 printer, who undertook the work, for I was from neces- 

 sity my own publisher. I offered this famous book to 

 two booksellers, neither of whom would give me a shil- 

 ling for it, and it was fortunate that they would not ; and 

 most happy is the man who can, as I did, keep himself 

 independent of that class of men called the * gentlemen 

 of the trade.' Poor Wilson, how happy he would have 

 been, if he had had it in his power to bear the expenses 

 oi his own beautiful work ! 



''^ March 13, 183 1. My book is now on the eve of be- 

 ing presented to the world. The printing will be com- 

 pleted in a few days, and I have sent copies of the sheets 

 to Dr. Harlan and Mr. McMurtrie, at Philadelphia, and 

 also one hundred pounds sterling to Messrs. T. Walker 

 & Sons, to be paid to Dr. Harlan to secure the copy- 

 right, and have the book published there. 



''^ March 20, 183 1. Made an agreement with Mr. J. 

 B. Kidd, a young painter whom I have known for the last 

 four years, to copy some of my drawings in oil, and to 

 put backgrounds to them, so as to make them appear 

 like pictures. It was our intention to send them to the 

 exhibition for sale, and to divide the amount between us. 

 He painted eight, and then I proposed, if he would paint 

 the one hundred engravings which comprise my first vol- 



