THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 



209 



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qucntly fear the coatinj^ being so thin, and that time preys 

 on these parts more powerfully than on those unglazed, so 

 that the work is sooner destroyed by its application than 

 without it. I am confident Sir Joshua Reynolds' pictures 

 fade so much in consequence of hi.i constant glazing. 

 Lord Hay, who has only one arm, called this morning, and 

 promised me White Pheasants by Saturday morning. So 

 many people have called that I have not put a foot out 

 to-day. 



January 31, Wednesday. I had the delight of receiv- 

 ing letters from home to-day ; how every word carried me 

 to my beloved America. Oh, that I could be with you 

 and see those magnificent forests, and listen to sweet 

 Wood Thrushes and the Mock-Birds so gay ! 



February 1. I have just finished a picture of Black 

 Cock sunning and dusting themselves, with a view in the 

 background of Loch Lomond, nine feet by six, for which 

 I am offered two hundred guineas. It will be exhibited at 

 the Royal Institute rooms next week, and the picture of 

 the Pheasants, the same size, at the Scottish Society of 

 Artists, of which I am now an associate member. 



February 5. None of my promised White Pheasants 

 have come, but I have determined the picture shall be 

 finished if I have to paint in a black Crow instead. Dr. 

 Brewster spoke to me of a camera lucida to enable me to 

 outline birds with great rapidity. I would like such an 

 .instrument if merely to save time in hot weather, when 

 outlining correctly is more than half the work. At eight 

 o'clock I entered the rooms of the Royal Society. I opened 

 my large sheets and laid them on the table ; the astonish- 

 ment of every one was great, and I saw with pleasure many 

 eyes look from them to me. The business of the society 

 was then done behind closed doors ; but when these were 

 opened and we were called into the great room, Captain 

 Hall, taking my hand, led me to a seat immediately oppo- 

 site to Sir Walter Scott ; then, Lucy, I had a perfect view of 



VOL. I. — 14 



