JOHN JAMES AUDUBON. 189 



Natural History Society, and of the Eoyal Society. 

 He was pleased, and said, " So, poor Audubon, if 

 not rich, thou wilt be honored at least, and held in 

 high esteem among men." 



No wonder he wrote to his wife : " My success 

 in Edinburgh borders on the miraculous. My book 

 is to be published in numbers, containing four birds 

 in each, the size of life, in a style surpassing any- 

 thing now existing, at two guineas a number. The 

 engravings are truly beautiful ; some of them have 

 been colored, and are now on exhibition. ... I ex- 

 pect to visit the Duke of Northumberland, who has 

 promised to subscribe for my work. . . . One hun- 

 dred subscribers for my book will pay all expenses. 

 Some persons are terrified at the sum of one hun- 

 dred and eighty guineas for a work," nearly a 

 thousand dollars, " but this amount is to be 

 spread over eight years, during which time the 

 volumes will be gradually completed. I am feted, 

 feasted ; elected honorary member of societies, 

 making money by my exhibition and by my paint- 

 ings. It is Mr. Audubon here, and Mr. Audubon 

 there, and I can only hope that Mr. Audubon will 

 not be made a conceited fool at last." There was 

 no fear of this. He always remained the modest, 

 earnest, devoted student of nature. 



He read before the Natural History Society a 

 paper on the habits of the wild pigeon. He says, 

 " I began that paper on Wednesday, wrote all day, 

 and sat up until half-past three the next morning ; 

 and so absorbed was my whole soul and spirit in 



