104 AUDUBON 



the following note: " Mr. Martin, of the Royal Institution 

 of Liverpool, will do himself the pleasure to wait upon Mr. 

 Ambro to-morrow at eleven o'clock." Why do people 

 make such errors with my simple name? 



July 28. A. full grown man with a scarlet vest and 

 breeches, black stockings and shoes for the coloring of his 

 front, and a long blue coat covering his shoulders and back 

 reminds me somewhat of our summer red bird (Tanagra 

 rubra). Both man and bird attract the eye, but the scien- 

 tific appellation of the man is unknown to me. At eleven 

 Mr. Martin (who I expect is secretary to the Royal Insti- 

 tution) called, and arranged with me a notice to the mem- 

 bers of the Institution, announcing that I would exhibit 

 my drawings for two hours on the mornings of Monday, 

 Tuesday, and Wednesday following, at the Institution. 

 Later, feeling lonely and sad, I called on Mrs. R. Rathbone, 

 whom I found putting away in a little box, a dissected 

 map, with which, Edgeworth-like, she had been transmit- 

 ting knowledge with pleasure. She is so truly delightful a 

 companion that had it been possible I should have made 

 my call long instead of short, but I walked home by a 

 roundabout way, and found a note from Mr. Wm. Rath- 

 bone reminding me of my promise to dine with him, and 

 adding that he wished me to meet a brother-in-law of his 

 from London who may be of use to me, so will I bring a 

 few drawings? At the hour named I found myself in 

 Abercrombie Street and in the parlor with two little 

 daughters of my host, the elder about thirteen, extremely 

 handsome. Mrs. Rathbone soon entered and greeted me 

 as if she had known me all my life; her husband followed, 

 and the guests, all gentlemen, collected. Mr. Hodgson, 

 to whom I had a letter from Mr. Nolte 1 was particularly 

 kind to me, but every one seemed desirous I should suc- 

 ceed in England. A Swiss gentleman urged me not to 

 waste time here, but proceed at once to Paris, but he was 



1 Vincent Nolte, born at Leghorn, 1779, traveller, merchant, adventurer. 



