VISIT OP albxandeh wilson. 21 



plates, and liad already taken a pen to write my name in his 



favour, when my partner rather abruptly said to me in French, 



' My dear Audubon, what induces you to subscribe to this work ? 



Your drawings are certainly far better ; and again, yoa must know 



as much of the habits of American birds as this gentleman.' 



Whether Mr. Wilson understood French or not, or if the 



suddenness with which I paused, disappointed him, I cannot 



tell ; but I clearly perceived that he was not pleased. Yanity 



and the encomiums of my friend prevented me from subscribing. 



Mr. Wilson asked me if I had many drawings of birds. I rose, 



took down a large portfolio, laid it on the table, and showed 



him — as I would show you, kind readeV, or any other person fond 



of such subjects — the whole of the contents, with the same patience 



with which he had shown me his own engravings. His surprise 



appeared great as he told me he never had the most distant 



idea that any other individual than himself had been engaged 



in forming such a collection. He asked me if it was my intention 



to publish, and when I answered in the negative, his surprise 



seemed to increase. And, truly, such was not my intention ; 



for, until long after, when I met the Prince of Musignano in 



Philadelphia, I had ncrt the least idea of presenting the fruits of 



my labours to the world. Mr. Wilson now examined my drawings 



with care, asked if I should have any objections to lending him 



a few during his stay, to which I replied that I had none. He 



then bade me good morning, not, however, until I had made an 



arrangement to explore the woods in the vicinity along with 



him, and had promised to procure for him some birds, of which 



1 had drawings in my collection, but which he had never seen. 



It happened that- he lodged in the same house with us, but his 



retired habits, I thought, exhibited either a strong feeling of 



discontent or a decided melancholy. The Scotch airs which he 



played sweetly on his flute made me melancholy too, and I felt 



for him. I presented him to my wife and friends, and seeing 



that he was all enthusiasm, exerted myself as much as was in 



my power to procure for him the Specimens which he wanted. 



We hunted together, and obtained birds which he had never 



before seen ; but, reader, I did not subscribe to his work, for, 



even at that time, my collection was greater than his. Thinking 



that perhaps he might be pleased to publish the results of my 



