106 AUDUBON 



July 30. It is Sunday again, but not a dull one ; I have 

 become better acquainted, and do not feel such an utter 

 stranger. I went to the church of the Asylum for the Blind. 

 A few steps of cut stone lead to an iron gate, and under a 

 colonnade ; at the inner gate you pay whatever you please 

 over sixpence. Near the entrance is a large picture of 

 Christ healing the blind. The general structure is a well 

 proportioned oblong; ten light columns support the flat 

 ceiling. A fine organ is placed over the entrance in a 

 kind of upper lobby, which contains also the musicians, 

 who are blind. All is silent, and the mind is filled with 

 heavenly thoughts, when suddenly the sublime music glides 

 into one's whole being, and the service has begun. No- 

 where have I ever seen such devotion in a church. In the 

 afternoon the Rev. VVm. Goddard took me to some institu- 

 tions for children on the Lancastrian system ; all appeared 

 well dressed, clean, and contented. I dined with Mr. and 

 Mrs. Gordon ; 1 Anne advised me to have my hair cut, and 

 to buy a fashionable coat. 



July 31. This day has been one of trial to me. At 

 nine of the morning I was quite busy, arranging and dis- 

 posing in sets my drawings, that they might be inspected 

 by the public. The doors were thrown open at noon, and 

 the ladies flocked in. I knew but one, Mrs. Richard 

 Rathbone, but I had many glances to meet and questions 

 to answer. The time passed, however, and at two the 

 doors were closed. At half-past four I drove with Mr. 

 Adam Hodgson to his cottage, where I was introduced to 

 Mrs. Hodgson, a tall young woman with the freshness of 

 spring, who greeted me most kindly; there were three 

 other guests, and we passed a quiet evening after the usual 

 excellent dinner. Soon after ten we retired to our rooms. 



August 1. I arose to listen to the voice of an English 

 Blackbird just as the day broke. It was a little after 

 three, I dressed ; and as silently as in my power moved 

 1 Mrs. Alexander Gordon was Mrs. Audubon's sister Anne. 



