DECISIVE HOURS 17 



the art of coloring from David, and this art was essen- 

 tial to help him fulfil the purpose of his soul. 



So he studied under the painter of bloody revolutions 

 with his own purpose in view. 



He was not overawed by the great fame of David; 

 he kept his own purpose. And herein again was a secret 

 of his success. He wished to do perfect work, and he 

 kept to his ideal. Amid the luxuries and splendors of 

 the French capital he dreamed of the mighty forests of 

 America that he would one day reveal to mankind through 

 perfect pictures of its birds. 



His chosen subject for life was American birds. His 

 dream was to do perfect work. 



He probably did not see at this time what the value 

 of this work would be to the world. He may not then 

 have had a vision of a stupendous book on ornithology. 

 No, he was not thinking of himself, but only of this — 

 that God had made him a lover of nature, and given 

 him power to see her secret, and he must do perfect work 

 for the birds of the forest and field. Perfect work — 

 herein is the great lesson of his life. 



Herein was the key-note of his ultimate success — per- 

 fect work. To do anything but perfect work would be 

 an injustice to the winged pilgrims of the air. He had 

 set himself to paint birds. He must be true to the bird, 

 and he must destroy his pictures until they presented the 



truth. 



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