276 AUDUBON 



gloomy ; during the morning the light was of a deep 

 yellow cast. 



January 9. Had a long letter from John Chorley, and 

 after some talk with my good friend J. G. Children, have 

 decided to write nothing more except the biographies of my 

 birds. It takes too much time to write to this one and that 

 one, to assure them that what I have written is fact. When 

 Nature as it is found in my beloved America is better 

 understood, these things will be known generally, and 

 when I have been dead twenty years, more or less, my 

 statements will be accepted everywhere ; till then they may 

 wait. 1 I have a violent cough and sore throat that ren- 

 ders me heavy and stupid ; twenty-five years ago I would 

 not have paid it the least attention ; now I am told that 

 at my age and in this climate (which, God knows, is indeed 

 a very bad one), I may have trouble if I do not take some 

 remedy, I walked out at four this morning, but the air 

 was thick and I did not enjoy it. 



January 10. I am going to surprise thee. I had a 

 dentist inspect my teeth, as they ached ; he thought it was 

 the effect of my cold, as all are quite perfect and I have 

 never lost one. My throat continuing very sore, I remained 

 in my rooms, and have had Havell, Robert Sully, and Mr. 

 Children for companions. 



January 1^. I feel now much better, after several fever- 

 ish days, but have not moved from the house; every one of 

 my friends show me much kindness. 



January 17. A long morning with Havell settling ac- 

 counts ; it is difficult work for a man like me to see that I 

 am neither cheating nor cheated. All is paid for 1827, and 

 I am well ahead in funds. Had I made such regular settle- 



1 This decision was made in consequence of various newspaper and per- 

 sonal attacks, which, then as now, came largely from people who knew 

 nothing of the matter under consideration. It was a decision, however, never 

 altered except in so far as regards the Episodes published in the " Ornitho- 

 logical Biography." 



