THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 2 57 



am convinced can be but of short duration. His colors 

 were ground, and his enormous palette of white wood 

 well set ; a large table was literally covered with all sorts 

 of brushes, and the room filled with unfinished pictures, 

 some of which appeared of very old standing. I now had 

 the pleasure of seeing this great artist at work, which I 

 had long desired to do. I went five times to see Mr. 

 Havell the colorer, but he was out of town. I am full 

 of anxiety and greatly depressed. Oh ! how sick I am of 

 London. 



June 21. I received a letter from Mr. Lizars that was 

 far from allaying my troubles. I was so struck with the 

 tenure of it that I cannot help thinking now that he does 

 not wish to continue my work. I have painted a great 

 deal to-day and called on Charles Bonaparte. 



June %2. I was particularly invited to dine at the 

 Royal Society Club with Charles Bonaparte, but great 

 dinners always so frighten me that I gave over the 

 thought and dined peaceably at home. This evening 

 Charles B. called with some gentlemen, among whom 

 were Messrs. Vigors, Children, Featherstonehaugh, and 

 Lord Clifton. My portfolios were opened before this set 

 of learned men, and they saw many birds they had not 

 dreamed of. Charles offered to name them for me, and I 

 felt happy that he should ; and with a pencil he actually 

 christened upwards of fifty, urging me to publish them at 

 once in manuscript at the Zoological Society. These 

 gentlemen dropped off one by one, leaving only Charles 

 and Mr. Vigors. Oh that our knowledge could be ar- 

 ranged into a solid mass. I am sure the best ornithological 

 publication of the birds of my beloved country might then 

 be published. I cannot tell you how surprised I was when 

 at Charles's lodgings to hear his man-servant call him 

 " your Royal Highness." I thought this ridiculous in the 

 extreme, and I cannot conceive how good Charles can 

 bear it; though probably he does bear it because he is 



VOL. I. 17 



