268 John Bachman. 



Victor Audubon to Mrs. Bachman : 



New York, January 28th, 1849. 



My Dear Aunt Maria : Your letter was received 

 day before yesterday, and, I assure you, that it was 

 read with no ordinary satisfaction. May you en- 

 joy every blessing. 



Now I feel assured of the completion of our hopes 

 and wishes in regard to the letter-press of the 

 " Quadrupeds." * * I hope that the task of 

 completing the work will not prove too irksome to 

 vou and to our friend, your husband. * "*' 



V. G. A. 



On the second day of January, according to 

 promise. Dr. Bachman and his wife, were to be 

 found in the study, surrounded by stuffed speci- 

 mens, papers and books, employing every leisure 

 moment in the preparation of the Second Volume 

 of " The (Quadrupeds of North America." An 

 author has said, " Time is fertile in deceptions, and 

 never gives us the fourth as much leisure as he 

 promises." It did not prove otherwise in tliis case. 



One rule the Pastor of St. John's had laid down 

 for himself, viz : Pastoral duties — what he called 

 " the imperative duties," always first ; scientific labors 

 in the second place. Still, b}^ early rising and syste- 

 matic labor, the work on the "Quadrupeds " steadily 

 went forward. Mrs. Bachman, under the direction 

 of her husband, carefully took the measurements of 

 the specimens. Besides, her artist e^-e was invalua- 

 ble to him in deciding the exact shades of color. 



When the Spring came, however, and the March 

 winds began to blow, we find him languid and 



