150 LIFE OF AUDUBON. 



nature. Three times did I go to the ' Globe ' office, from places 

 three miles apart, until at last, wearied and brought to bay, I 

 gave up the chase. At last I went to the king's library, and 

 learned from the librarian — a perfect gentleman — that the court 

 had inspected my work, and were delighted with it ; and he 

 told me that kings were not generally expected to pay for 

 works ; and I gave him to understand that I was able to keep 

 the work if the king did not purchase. 



" To-day I saw the original copy of Cuvier's report on my work. 

 It is quite an eulogium, but not as feelingly written as 

 Mr. Swainson's ; nevertheless, it will give the French an idea 

 of my work, and may do good. 



" The following is an extract translated from the report : — 



" ' The Academyof Sciences have requested me to make averbal 

 report on the work of Mr. Audubon, laid before it at a former 

 session, on the " Birds of North America." It may be described 

 in a few words as the most magnificent monument which has 

 yet been erected to ornithology. The author, bom in Louisiana, 

 and devoted from his youth to painting, was twenty-five years 

 ago a pupil in the school of David. Having returned to his 

 own country, he thought he could not make a better use of his 

 talents than by representing the most brilliant productions of 

 that hemisphere. The accurate observation necessary for such 

 representations as he wished to make soon rendered him a 

 naturalist. 



" ' It is in this double capacity of artist and savant that he 

 produced the work, which has been offered to the inspection of 

 the Academy. You have been struck by the size of the book, 

 which is equal or superior to the largest of that kind that has 

 ever been published, and is nearly as large, as the double plates 

 of the description of Egypt. This extraordinary dimension has 

 enabled him to give specimens of the eagle and vulture of their 

 natural size, and to multiply those which are smaller in such a 

 manner as to represent them in every attitude. 



« ' He was thus able to represent on the same plates, and of 

 the natural size, the plants which these birds most commonly 

 frequent, and to give the fullest detail of their nests and 



gs. 



" ' The execution of these plates, so remarkable for their size, 



