€LOSE OF HIS JAREER. 208 
rious sun arose, gladdening the earth with its 
rays, starting to his feet, invigorated by health. 
ful repose, the naturalist was urged to the pur- 
suits of the day, by the delighting prospect of 
the successful termination of his toils, Fancy 
would then load the breeze with the praises of 
admirers. Or with the sweet serenity of even- 
ing, the flower-perfumed air, and the ‘declining 
melodies of forest warblers, thoughts of home 
and friends would arise, awakening the dear 
anticipation of joyful meeting. 
Incited ever onwards by pleasing images and 
hopes such as these, Audubon found himself, he 
tells us, “furnished as it were with large and 
powerful wings, when, cleaving the air like an 
eagle, he would fty off, and by a few joyous © 
bounds overtake the object of his desire.” 
With no partial achievement could his am- 
bition be content, for the ideal of true genius 
through the slightest detraction is destroyed. 
“ How often,” he exclaims, “I long to see the 
day on which my labours should be brought te 
an end”—when hope should be converted into 
assurance, that devotion to nature so enthusi- 
astic, so untiring, had not been in vain, Thus 
incited and sustained, the wanderer toiled on, till 
at length in the completion of his great work, he 
beheld his rich and abundant reward. This was 
in the sixty-ihird year of .his age. Once more 
