TO EUROPE AND SUCCESS 369 



their wings"; yet he added that were it not for the facts 

 it contained, he would not give a cent for it, "nor any- 

 body else, I dare say." Four days later, at the Wer- 

 nerian Society, he read his paper on the rattlesnake, 

 but the torrent of abuse which soon rewarded his efforts 

 in this direction finally led him to reserve all literary 

 efforts for a future and more propitious time. 1 ' 



A large painting begun in January of this year, 

 called "Pheasants attacked by a Fox," was probably a 

 variant of the "Pheasants attacked by a Dog" (illus- 

 trated at page 394), the original of which is now in the 

 American Museum of Natural History, New York 

 City. This canvas, which was exhibited by the Scottish 

 Society of Artists in February, 1827, measured nine by 

 six feet, and was the largest piece he had ever attempted. 

 "Sometimes I like the picture," he said, and : 'then a 

 heat rises in my face and I think it a miserable daub." 

 "As to the birds," he added, "so far as they are con- 

 cerned I am quite satisfied, but the ground, the foliage, 

 the sky, the distance, are dreadful." 17 



In the spring of 1827 Audubon enjoyed the novel 

 sensation of going to church in a sedan chair, and of 

 hearing Sidney Smith preach. "He pleased me at 

 times," he said, "by painting my foibles with care, and 

 again I felt the color come to my cheeks as he por- 

 trayed my sins." Later there was an opportunity to 

 meet the famous preacher with his fair daughter, and 

 to show them his drawings of American birds. 



The following letter 18 was sent at this time to his 

 wife in America: 



16 See Chapter XXVIII. 



"Maria R. Audubon, op. cit., vol. i, p. 204. 



18 Which I owe to the kindness of his granddaughter, Miss Maria R. 

 Audubon; it is superscribed "Mrs. Audubon, St. Francisville, Bayou Sarah, 

 Louisville, p Wm Penn;" it reached New Orleans on June 13, and is 

 endorsed as answered on June 23. 



