THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 



201 



SO much so that I conceived him to be fully aware of his 

 weight in society. His looks were shrewd, but I thought 

 his eyes almost cunning. He talked a great deal and very 

 well, yet I did not like him ; but he may prove better than 

 I think, for this is only my first impression. Mrs. Jeffrey 

 was nervous and very much dressed. If I mistake not 

 Jeffrey was shy of me, and I of him, for he has used me 

 very cavalierly. When I came I brought a letter of intro- 

 duction to him ; I called on him, and, as he was absent, left 

 the letteV and my card. When my exhibition opened I 

 enclosed a card of admittance to him, with another of my 

 own cards. He never came near me, and I never went 

 near him ; for if he was Jeffrey, / was Audubon, and felt 

 quite independent of all the tribe of Jeffreys in England, 

 Scotland, and Ireland, put together. This evening, how- 

 ever, he thanked me for my card politely. At dinner he 

 sat opposite to me and the conversation was on various 

 topics. America, however, was hardly alluded to, as when- 

 ever Captain Hall tried to bring that country into our 

 talk, Mr. Jeffrey most skilfully brought up something else. 

 After coffee had been served Mr, Jeffrey made some in- 

 quiries about my work, and at ten I took my leave, having 

 positively seen the little man whose fame is so great both 

 in Scotland and abroad. I walked home briskly ; this was 

 the eve of a New Year, and in Edinburgh they tell me it 

 is rather a dangerous thing to be late in the streets, for 

 many vagabonds are abroad at this time, and murders and 

 other fearful deeds take place. To prevent these as far as 

 possible, the watch is doubled, and an unusual quantity of 

 gas-lif:;hts arc afforded. I reached my room, sat down and 

 outlined a Pheasant, to save daylight to-morrow, and was 

 about going to bed, when Mrs. Dickie came in and begged 

 I would wait till twelve o'clock to take some toddy with 

 her and Miss Campbell, my American boarding com- 

 panion, to wish all a happy New Year. I did so, of course, 

 and had I sat up all night, and written, or drawn, or sat 



