SIDELIGHTS ON CONTEMPORARIES 119 



thology, the last volume of which was not published 

 until 1833, and was therefore, in a degree, a rival of 

 Audubon in the ornithological field. Audubon did his 

 best to smooth over the difficulty but with little success. 

 In writing to his son, Victor, from New York in 1833,^* 

 he referred to the following letter which he was about to 

 send "by duplicate, to try to correct that error" of his 

 early friend: 



Audubon to Charles Lucien Bonaparte 



To Chakles Bonapakte, 



Prince of Musignano, &c., &c., &c. 

 My dear Sir: — 



I am sadly grieved to hear through our friend, Wm. Cooper, 

 of this city, that you have taken umbrage to a passage in the 

 Introduction to my first volume of Ornithological Biographies. 



To tell you that not even a thought of disparagement ever 

 existed in my mind towards you, would not be enough. I have 

 always repeated to all my Friends, nay, to all persons who 

 have ever spoken of you, of the superior talents you possess, 

 and of the Intrinsic value connected with all your ornithologi- 

 cal or otherwise scientific productions. 



I am a plain sailing man. You know full well that I derive 

 no knowledge from classical education, and that being the 

 case, connected with my being honest, I always try to say what 

 I think truth, at once. Could I have praised you at one place, 

 and attempted to lower you in the estimation of the Scientific 

 World at another.? If so — I would acknowledge myself un- 

 worthy the good wishes of any one, much less of the good wishes 

 of Charles Bonaparte ! the very being who brought me forward 

 into worldly notice by his kind advice. Nay, Nay ; take me for 

 what I am in truth 



Your Friend & ever your well wisher, as well as your 



obt. Sert. 



John J. Audubon. 



«See Vol. II, p. 40. 



