THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 



313 



to Baron 

 the first, 

 :iences in 

 /ork. As 

 ime to us, 

 I gave me 

 idious lec- 

 , ani^ounc- 

 y work; it 

 quested to 

 Poor Au- 

 mg a crowd 

 so are the 



lem. llef^ 

 who wished 



gate, where no such challenge was given, and reached the 

 Grand Gallery. Here amongst the Raphaels, Corrcggios, 

 Titians, Davids, and thousands of others, we feasted our 

 eyes and enlarged our knowledge. Taking Mrs. Swainson 

 homo, I then made for L'Institut de France by appoint- 

 ment, and gave my prospectus to the secretary of the 

 library. Young Geofifroy, an aimable and learned young 

 man, paid me every attention, and gave me a room for 

 Swainson and myself to write in and for the inspection of 

 specimens. How very different from the public societies 

 in England, where instead of being bowed to, you have to 

 bow to every one. Now, my Lucy, I have certainly run the 

 gauntlet of England and Paris, and may feel proud of two 

 things, mat I am considered the first ornithological painter, 

 and the first practical naturalist of America; may God 

 grant me life to accomplish my serious and gigantic work. 

 September 10. Breakfast over, I made for the Boule- 

 vards to present the letters from good friends Rathbone 



and Melly. I saw Mr. B , the banker, who read the 



letter I gave him, and was most polite, but as to ornithol- 

 ogy, all he knew about it was that large feathers were 

 called quills, and were useful in posting ledgers. From 

 there to the Jardin du Roi, where I called on Monsieur L. 

 C. Kicncr, bird stuffer to the Prince of Massena (or Ess- 

 ling), Mvho wished me to call on the Prince with him at 

 two, the Prince being too ill to leave the house. Mr. and 

 Mrs. Swainson were to go with me to see the collection he 

 had made, of many curious and beautiful things, and when 

 we reached the house we were shown at once to the 

 museum, which surpasses in magnificence and number of 

 rare specimens of birds, shells, and books, all I have yet 

 seen. This for a while, when I was told the Prince would 

 receive me. I took my pamphlet in my arms and entered 

 a fine room, where he was lying on a sofa ; he rose at once, 



' Son of Andr^, Prince d'Essling and Due de Rivoli, one of the marshals 

 of Napoleon. 



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