116 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 



Edinburgh — The Royal Society — Pcott — The Webnekian Society — 

 LiTEBAEY Undertakings — Edinburgh People — Sydney Smith and 

 A Sermon — Learned Company— Correspondence with Scott — Miss 

 O'Neill the Actress — Mrs. Grant — High Company — Prospectus op 

 THE Great Work — Obituary Notice of the Hero's Hair. 



" February 3. Dr. Brewster proposed that I sliould exhibit the 

 five plates of my first number of the Birds of America at the 

 Royal Society this evening. He is a great optician, and advises 

 me to get a camera-lucida, so as to take the outline of my birds 

 more rapidly and correctly. Such an instrument would be 

 useful in saving time, and a great relief in hot weather, since 

 outlining is the hardest part of the work, and more than half of 

 the labour. I visited the Royal Society at eight o'clock, and 

 laid my large sheets on the table : they were examined and 

 praised. After this we were all called into the great room, 

 and Captain Hall came and took my hand and led me to a seat 

 immediately opposite to Sir Walter Scott, the President, where 

 I had a perfect view of this great man, and studied nature from 

 nature's noblest work. A long lecture followed on the intro- 

 duction of the Greek language into England, after which the 

 President rose, and all others followed his example. Sir Walter 

 came and shook hands with me, asked how the cold weather of 

 Edinburgh agreed with me, and so attracted the attention 

 of many members to me, as if I had been a distinguished 

 stranger. 



" Febriiary 10. Visited the Exhibition at the Royal Institution. 



