JOHN JAMES AUDUBON. 193 



eigns. I took the pictures to the carriage which 

 stood at the door, and they departed, leaving me 

 more amazed than I had been by their coming. 



" The second visit was much of the same nature, 

 differing, however, chiefly in the number of per- 

 sons he brought with him, which was three instead 

 of two ; each one of whom purchased a picture, at 

 seven, ten, and thirty-five pounds respectively ; 

 and, as before, the party and the pictures left 

 together in a splendid carriage with liveried foot- 

 men. I longed to know their names, but, as Sir 

 Thomas was silent respecting them, I imitated his 

 reticence in restraining my curiosity, and remained 

 in mute astonishment. . . . 



"Without the sale of these pictures, I was a 

 bankrupt, when my work was scarcely begun, and 

 in two days more I should have seen all my hopes 

 of the publication blasted; for Mr. Havell, the 

 engraver, had already called to say that on Satur- 

 day I must pay him sixty pounds. I was then not 

 only not worth a penny, but had actually borrowed 

 five pounds a few days before, to purchase materi- 

 als for my pictures. But these pictures which Sir 

 Thomas sold for me enabled me to pay my bor- 

 rowed money, and to appear full-handed when Mr. 

 Havell called. Thus I passed the Rubicon ! " 



Blessings on thee, Sir Thomas Lawrence, carry- 

 ing out Emerson's divine motto, "Help some- 

 body ! " 



But Aiidubon did something more than try to 

 obtain subscribers for his book. He says : " At 



