SIDELIGHTS ON CONTEMPORARIES 97 



more and an act will be passed to enter my works Paintings etc 

 free of the customs. It is past 5 and I have to pay a penny, 

 I wish I were allowed to write untill time made it a shilling so 

 much do I think I could still trouble you with, however as time 

 and tide wait neither for me or others I must conclude by 

 begging that you will remember me most kindly to your amiable 

 wife kiss your little Folk and believe me 



sincerely your friend 



JOHN J. AUDUBON 



William Swains on to Audubon 



Saturday, 1[10?] May, 1830. 



Welcome once more, my good friend to merry England: 



I had indeed heard from Havell, with the greatest pleasure, 

 that you had safely landed at Liverpool ; and I regret very 

 much that you did not reach London before I had left it; for 

 I am now much seldomer in town than formerly, and I know 

 not when I may have the power to do so again. My old and 

 most valued friend Mr. Burchell has also, to my great delight, 

 just returned to England after six years spent in wandering 

 over the Forests and Andes of South America bringing with 

 him collections, that will make everything else in this country 

 sink into utter insignificance, he too, is longing to see me, and 

 if I possibly can get away for a day next week, with two such 

 desirable objects I will, but my literary engagements bind me, 

 hand and foot. 



You think that I do not know that you are an F. R. S. 

 you are mistaken, furthermore, you will be surprised at know- 

 ing I have been fighting your battles against a rising opposi- 

 tion which originated among some of your Ornithological 

 friends (at least so I strongly suspect) for the purpose of 

 your name being blackballed. But more of this when we meet, 

 such matters had better not be committed to paper. 



The whole of your bundle of young trees reached me as 

 withered sticks, not a spark of life in any one of them. 



