J 30 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



be paid by me to such an artist, I merely said that I thought it 

 the very quintessence of his art. A waiter then entered, and 

 announced that breakfast was ready. He invited me to remain 

 and join him in his ' humble meal,' which I declined, while we 

 walked downstairs together. I remarked on the very large 

 number of unfinished portraits I saw : to which he mildly replied, 

 ' My dear sir, this is my only misfortune ; I cannot tell if I shall 

 ever see the day when they will all be finished.' Insisting on 

 my remaining to breakfast, I went in ; it consisted of a few 

 boiled eggs, some dry toast, and tea and coffee. He took the 

 first, and I the last : this finished, I bid him good-morning. It 

 was ten o'clock when I left, and as I passed out three carriages 

 were waiting at the door ; and had I not been a student in orni- 

 thology I would have wished myself a Sir Thomas Lawrence, 

 for I thought, that after all the superiority of this wonderful 

 man's talents I could with less powers realize more than he by 

 my own more constant industry. 



"Sir Thomas afterwards paid me three visits: two at my 

 boarding house and one at Mr. Havill's, my engraver ; and I 

 will tell you something of each of them to show you the kind- 

 ness of his heart. It was nine in the morning the first time he 

 came ; he looked at some of my drawings of quadrupeds and 

 birds, both finished and unfinished. He said nothing of their 

 value, but asked me particularly of the prices which I put on 

 them. I mentioned the price of several in order, and to my 

 surprise he ?aid he would bring me a few purchasers that very 

 day if I would remain at home : this I promised, and he left me 

 very greatly relieved. In about two hours he returned with 

 two gentlemen, to whom he did not introduce me, but who were 

 pleased with my work, and one purchased the ' Otter Caught in 

 a Trap,' for which he gave me twenty pounds sterling, and the 

 other, ' A Group of Common Babbits,' for fifteen sovereigns. I 

 took the pictures to the carriage which stood at the door, and 

 they departed, leaving me more amazed than I had been by 

 their coming. 



" The second visit was much of the same nature, differing, how- 

 ever, chiefly in the number of persons he brought with him, 

 which was three instead of two ; each one of whom purchased a 

 picture at seven, ten, and thirty-five pounds respectively ; and, 



