TO EUROPE AND SUCCESS 365 



frigate, "wore around Long Island Sound, and reached 

 New York by Hell Gate." It was at Captain Hall's 

 home that Audubon met Francis Jeffrey. The indom- 

 itable critic and reviewer was described as "a small (not 

 to say tiny) man," who entered the room "with a woman 

 under one arm, and a hat under the other." "His looks 

 were shrewd," said the naturalist, his eyes "almost cun- 

 ning" and though he talked much, he appeared unsym- 

 pathetic. Their meeting was productive of no friendry 

 feelings on either side. 



Three months after reaching Edinburgh, the long 

 awaited opportunity of meeting the greatest literary 

 figure of the day came to Audubon unexpectedly, for 

 he did not wish to be introduced in a crowd. Under 

 date of January 22, 1827, he wrote that Captain Hall 

 came to his rooms and said: "Put on your coat, and 

 come with me to Sir Walter Scott: he wishes to see you 

 now." "In a moment," said Audubon, "I was ready. 

 . . . My heart trembled ; I longed for the meeting, yet 

 wished it over." When they were ushered into Sir 

 Walter's study, the great Scot came forward, and 

 warmly pressing the hand of his visitor, said he was 

 glad to have the honor of meeting him. Audubon's 

 record of the meeting continues : 



His long, loose, silvery locks struck me; he looked like 

 Franklin at his best. He also reminded me of Benjamin West; 

 he had the great benevolence of William Roscoe about him, and 

 a kindness most prepossessing. I could not forbear looking at 

 him ; my eyes feasted on his countenance. I watched his move- 

 ments as I would those of a celestial being; his long, heavy, 

 white eyebrows struck me forcibly. His little room was tidy, 

 though it partook a good deal of the character of a laboratory. 

 He was wrapped in a quilted morning-gown of light purple 

 silk; he had been at work writing on the "Life of Napoleon.'* 



