156 John Bachman. 



reserving all this for my return visit. The weather 

 was unpleasant. Pickering and Peale will be away 

 soon, and I spent most of my time at the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences and the Philosophical Hall. I 

 found Nuttall friendly after all there is as much in 

 the manner of men to attract interest, as there is in 

 the spices that render food palatable. In the Phil- 

 osophical Hall, I frequently took a seat in the old 

 chair of Dr. Franklin ; I could not avoid thinking, if 

 knowledge could be communicated in this short 

 way, by touch or sympathy, what a world of Philos- 

 ophers* Franklin's old chair would have produced ! 

 I was invited yesterday, to meet old General Clarke, 

 the companion of Lewis. He is now very aged and 

 in failing health ; he is on a visit to Philadelphia, 

 accompanied by an interesting and beautiful family. 

 I was quite pleased with him. He is intimately 

 acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. Audubon, and spoke 

 in raptures of her talents, and his beautiful taste. 

 He seemed to retain his recollection of past events 

 in a remarkable way. Old Dr. Kurtz and his 

 family send kind regards. Love to your mother, to 

 the children, and to all dear friends. J. B. 



To AUDUBON: 



CHARLESTON, Nov. 7th, 1837. 



My dear Friend : From a letter which Dr. Wilson 

 received a few days ago, I find that }^ou are troubled 

 at not having received one line from me. However, 

 by this time, your heart is at ease, as my two former 

 letters ought, in all fairness, to have been long ago 

 with you. Now I do not mind the frettings of old 

 fellows like ourselves, particularly when there is a 

 good wide ocean between us as the storm subsides 

 and the calm comes, they sit down and say, "Why 

 was I offended?" 



The moment your letter came to hand, I went 



