JOHN JAMES AUDUBON. 191 



experience. Noble-hearted Audubon ! God had 

 indeed "smiled on him." Hereafter he was to 

 walk in the sunlight of that smile. He was to 

 work, of course, for there is no approbation for 

 idleness, but he was to know want no more. 



March 17, 1827, he issued the prospectus of his 

 book, which was to cost him over one hundred 

 thousand dollars. Here was courage, but he had 

 been fighting obstacles all his life, and he believed 

 he could succeed. In this he said, " The author 

 has not contented himself, as others have done, 

 with single profile views, but in very many in- 

 stances has grouped his figures so as to represent 

 the originals at their natural avocations, and has 

 placed them on branches of trees, decorated with 

 foliage, blossoms, and fruits, or amidst plants of 

 numerous species. Some are seen pursuing their 

 prey through the air, searching for food amongst 

 the leaves and herbage, sitting in their nests, or 

 feeding their young ; whilst others, of a different 

 nature, swim, wade, or glide in or over their 

 allotted element." 



Leaving Edinburgh, Audubon visited Newcastle, 

 Leeds, York, Shrewsbury, and Manchester, securing 

 a few subscribers to his work, at one thousand 

 dollars each. It seemed difficult enough to spend 

 a lifetime in preparing the book, without being 

 obliged to perform the irksome and trying task of 

 selling it ; but fame asks Herculean labors of its 

 votaries. 



Often he was pained by ill-mannered refusals. 



