THOUGHTS IN SOLITUDE. 159 
by the dread of illness, which should quell for 
ever his aspirations, and destroy all hope of 
further achievement. The fancied yell of the 
Indians and their murderous threats would tor 
tare him, or visions of loathsome snakes entwin 
ing him with fatal embrace, while vultures im- 
patiently eyed the scene, or dreams would re- 
enact the sorrowful realities of the past. For 
actual poverty had more than once compelled 
him to entertain the idea of throwing away 
his pencils, destroying his drawings, and _be- 
taking himself at once to some more immediately 
lucrative engagement. 
Added to these physical trials, were those of 
‘a moral influence—the objections, the incredu- 
lity, the persuasions or the censures of others. 
These, though unable to deter him from his de- 
signs—ever warmly cherished—had yet the ill 
result of increasing the actual difficulties of the 
case. The effect of their perpetual representa- 
tion, moreover, was naturally to depress and an- 
noy. 
“ At one period,” says Audubon, “nota single 
individual seemed to have the least hope of my 
success.” On delivering his first drawings to 
the engraver, he had not a single subscriber. 
Nevertheless, he persevered, and with what suc- 
cess has been seen. Nor did prosperity persuade 
him to relax in his endeavours. ° 
