EARLY DRAWINGS 175 



to end his career as an exile from France, and died in 

 Brussels in 1825. 



Audubon has said but little of this Paris experience, 

 but he remarked: "At the age of seventeen when I re- 

 turned from France, whither I had gone to receive the 

 rudiments of my education, my drawings had assumed 

 a form. David had guided my hand in tracing objects 

 of large size." An interesting sidelight is thrown upon 

 this incident by the fact that, not many years before, 

 David had been warmly welcomed in the city of Nantes, 

 when it is not unlikely that the naturalist's father was 

 one of the throng of citizens who made his acquaintance. 

 The occasion to which I refer was so noteworthy in the 

 annals of Audubon's paternal city as to make a digres- 

 sion at this point of our narrative inevitable. In March, 

 1790, Daniel de Kervegan, a wealthy merchant who was 

 then serving his second term as mayor, had aroused so 

 much enthusiasm by his public spirit and sterling char- 

 acter that the citizens had voted the sum of 300 livres, 

 or about $60, for his portrait, to be executed in oils 

 and placed in one of their public buildings. The com- 

 mission was offered to David, who accepted it, and with 

 such enthusiasm did he set to work, that upon reaching 

 Nantes he asked the privilege of paying his respects 

 to the Municipal Assembly, which was in session. Upon 

 being admitted to the Chamber, on the 24th of March, 

 he expressed these sentiments : 



If ever my art has brought me any gratification, or any 

 success, never before have I had better excuse for boastful- 

 ness. 



I have made it a duty to respond to the worthy invitations, 

 inspired by patriotism and gratitude, that hallow this most 

 timely and most astounding revolution. 



8 Ornithological Biography (Bibl. No. 2), vol. i, p. viii. 



