134 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



to wonder who the devil I could be, that Lady Spencer should 

 shake me by the hand, and accompany me to the door. 



"From there I went to Mr. Ponton's, and met Dr. Dibdin, 

 and twenty ladies and gentlemen, who had assembled to see my 

 drawings. Here four more subscribers were obtained. This, I 

 thought, was a pretty good day's work ; but on returning home 

 I found a note from Mr. Vigors, giving the name of another sub- 

 scriber, and informing me of the arrival of Charles Bonaparte 

 in the city. I walked to the lodgings of the Prince of Musignano : 

 he was out. I left my card, and soon after my return a servant 

 told me he was below ; I was not long in getting down stairs, 

 and soon grasped his hand ; we were mutually glad to meet on 

 this distant shore. His mustachios and bearded chin and his 

 fine head and eye were all unchanged. He wished to see all 

 my drawings, and for almost the only time in England I opened 

 my portfolio with intense pleasure. He said they were worthy 

 to be published, and I felt proud of his opinion. 



"As soon as he had gone my thoughts returned to the 

 colourers, and I started off at once to find some, but no success ; 

 all the establishments of the kind were closed from want of 

 employment But happening to pass a print-shop, I inquired if 

 the proprietor knew of any colourers, and be at once gave me 

 the name of one, who offered to work cheaper than I was paying 

 in Edinbui'gh ; and I wrote instantly to Mr. Lizars to send me 

 twenty-five copies ; and so I hope all will go on well again. 

 After a long hunt I entered a long dark alley in search of the 

 eolourer's house to which I had been directed. It was ten 

 o'clock, and after mounting two stories in search of the man, I 

 knocked and a little door was opened. The family were sur- 

 prised by the appearance of a stranger, as much as I was by 

 what I saw. A young man was sitting by a small window 

 drawing ; a woman whom I took to be his mother was washing 

 a few potatoes in hot water ; a younger woman nursed a child, 

 leaning on the only bed in the room ; and six little children, 

 mostly girls, shabby in appearance and sallow in complexion, 

 showed that hunger was not a stranger there. The young man 

 arose, offered me bis seat, and asked me politely what I wanted. 

 I told him I was looking for a colourer. He replied that he 

 had once worked at it, but had abandoned the business, because 



