LETTER TO MR. EATHBONE. 101 



"Much troubled with anxious thoughts about the purport 

 and expectations of my voyage to England. I had obtained 

 many favourable letters of intrdduction to friends in England, 

 which I believed would prove of material assistance, and among 

 these was the following : — 



" ' New Orleans, May 16, 1826. 



"'DeaeSie, 



" ' I have ventured to put in the hands of Mr. John J. Audubou, 

 •d gentleman of highly respectable scientific acquirements, these 

 iatroductory lines to you, under the persuasion that his acquaint- 

 ance cannot fail to be one of extreme interest to you. Mr. 

 Audubon is a native of the United States, and has spent more 

 than twenty years in all parts of theui, devoting most of his 

 time to the study of ornithology. He carries with him a col- 

 lection of over four hundred drawings, which far surpass any- 

 thing of the kind I have yet seen, and afford the best evidence 

 of his skill, and the perfection to which he has carried his 

 researches. His object is to find a purchaser or a publislier for 

 them, and if you can aid him in this, and introduce him either 

 ill person or by letter to men of distinction in arts and sciences, 

 you will confer much of a favour on me. He has a crowd of 

 letters from Mr' Clay, De Witt Clinton, and others for England, 

 which will do much for him ; but your introduction to Mr. 

 Eoscoe and others may do more. His collection of ornitho- 

 logical drawings would prove a most valuable acquisition to 

 any museum, or any monied patron of the arts, and, I should 

 think, convey a far better idea of American birds than all the 

 stuffed birds of all the museums put together. 



" ' Permit me likewise to recommend Mr. Audubon to your 

 hospitable attentions; the respectability of his life and liis 

 family connections entitle him to the good wishes of any 

 gentleman, and you will derive much gratification from his 

 conversation. 



" ' I am, dear Sir, 



" ' With sincere regard, 



" ' Must truly yours, 



" ' Vincent Notte. 



" ' To RioHABD Rathbonb, Esq., 

 '"Liverpool."' 



