The Audubon Magazine 



Vol. I. 



MARCH, 1887. 



No. 2. 



JOHN JAMES AUDUBON. 



II. 



THE journey down the Ohio terminated 

 at Louisville, Kentucky, and, estab- 

 lished here with his young wife in his pleas- 

 ant home, Audubon began his business 

 career. This did not last long, though the 

 prospects for success were very good. The 

 naturalist would not endure the confine- 

 ment of store and office, and most of his 

 time was spent in the open air, the business 

 being thus left more and more in the hands 

 of his partner, Rosier. The planters about 

 Louisville were kindly, hospitable and fond 

 of outdoor sports, and among them Audu- 

 bon, with his similar tastes and habits, be- 

 came at once popular. His chief pursuit 

 was still collecting birds and making draw- 

 ings of them. 



It was here in Louisville, in March, 18 10, 

 that Audubon first met Alexander Wilson, 

 who has been called the Father of Ameri- 

 can Ornithology. Wilson was traveling in 

 the West, collecting material for his work 

 and securing subscribers for it. The meet- 

 ing between the two is described by Audu- 

 bon in the first volume of the "Ornithological 

 Biographies," and is interesting, for it gives 

 us some hints as to the characters of the 

 two men. He says: 



"One fair morning, I was surprised by 

 the sudden entrance into our counting- 

 room at Louisville of Mr. Alexander Wil- 

 son, the celebrated author of the 'American 

 Ornithology,' of whose existence I had 



never until that moment been apprised. 

 This happened in March, 1810. How well 

 do I remember him, as he walked up to me! 

 His long, rather hooked nose, the keenness 

 of his eyes, and his prominent cheek bones, 

 stamped his countenance with a peculiar 

 character; His dress, too, was of a kind 

 not usually seen in that part of the country; 

 a short coat, trousers and a waistcoat of 

 gray cloth. His stature was of the middle 

 size. He had two volumes under his arm, 

 and as he approached the table at which I 

 was writing, I thought I discovered some- 

 thing like astonishment in his countenance. 

 He, however, immediately proceeded to 

 disclose the object of his visit, which was 

 to procure subscriptions for his work. He 

 opened his books, explained the nature of 

 his occupations, and requested my patron- 

 age. I felt surprised and gratified at the 

 sight of his volumes, turned over a few of 

 the plates, and had already taken a pen to 

 write my name in his favor, when my part- 

 ner rather abruptly said in French, 'My 

 dear Audubon, what induces you to sub- 

 scribe to this work ? Your drawings are 

 certainly far better; and again, you must 

 know as much of the habits of American 

 birds as this gentleman.' Whether Mr. Wil- 

 son understood French or not, or if the 

 suddenness with which I paused disap- 

 pointed him, I cannot tell; but I clearly 

 perceived that he was not pleased. Vanity 



