188 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON. 



thence to Edinburgh. Here he met the naturalist 

 Professor Jameson, who promised to introduce his 

 book to the public in his " Natural History Maga- 

 zine." Professor Wilson (Christopher North) vol- 

 unteered to introduce Audubon to Sir Walter Scott. 

 Audubon was asked to sit for his portrait. The 

 Royal Institution offered their rooms for the ex- 

 hibition of his drawings, and the receipts were 

 from five to fifteen pounds a day. 



Truly things had changed since those desolate 

 days in America, when he slept on the deck of a 

 steamboat, because unable to pay for a bed, and 

 could not summon the courage to ask the loan of 

 three pounds. 



Invited to dine with the Antiquarian Society, 

 he met Lord Elgin, who presided, and was obliged 

 to respond to a flattering toast, which made him 

 "feel very faint and chill. I was expected to 

 make a speech," he says, "but could not, and 

 never had tried. Being called on for a reply, I 

 said, ' Gentlemen, my incapacity for words to 

 respond to your flattering notice is hardly exceeded 

 by that of the birds now hanging on the walls of 

 your institution. I am truly obliged to you for 

 your favors, and can only say, God bless you all, 

 and may your society prosper/ I sat down with 

 the perspiration running over me." 



Professor Wilson prepared an article upon 

 Audubon and his work for "Blackwood's Maga- 

 zine." His picture was hung in the Exhibition 

 room. He was made a member of the Wernerian 



