106 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 



P. S. I had a long letter from Chas. Bonaparte the other 

 day, Vigors is gone to Rome!! 

 [Addressed] J. J, Audubon 



c/o Mr. Thomas Fowlek, Bookseller, 

 Manchester. 

 [Endorsed by Audubon:] Answered 29th Aug. 1830. J. J. A. 



Audubon's next letter, which was written from Man- 

 chester on August 29, must have been distinctly pro- 

 vocative, to judge from the following caustic reply ^^ 

 which it drew forth; this is dated, "Tittenhanger Green, 

 2d October, 1830": 



William Swains on to Audubon 

 My de Sir 



I have refrained from replying to your letter until I 

 thought you had returned to London. 



Either you do not appear to have understood the nature of 

 my proposition on supplying scientific information for your 

 work, or you are very erroneously informed on the matter in 

 which such assistance is usually given. Dr. Richardson, and 

 a hundred others, similarly situated, might with equal jus- 

 tice say that no name should appear but their own ; as it would 

 rob them of their fame, because notes are furnished by one or 

 two other persons, your friends would tell you, if you enquired 

 of them, that even my name would add something to the value 

 of the "The Birds of America" You pay me compliments on 

 my scientific knowledge, and wished you possessed a portion ; 

 & you liken the acquisition of such a portion to purchasing the 

 sketch of an eminent painter — the simile is good, but allow 

 me to ask you, whether, after procuring the sketch, you would 

 mix it up with your own, and pass it off to your friends as 

 your production? I cannot possibly suppose that such would 

 be your duplicity and I therefore must not suppose that you 



"First published by Elliott Coues (Bibl. No. 203), The Auk, vol. xv, 

 p. H (1898); reproduced by Theodore Gill (Bibl. No. SOS), The Osprey, 

 vol. V, p. 23 (1900). 



