CHAPTER XXX 



AUDUBON AND MACGILLIVRAY 



In London once more — MacGillivray's assistance continued— Return to 

 Edinburgh — MacGillivray's character and accomphshments — Audubon's 

 acknowledgments — Tributes of "Christopher North" — Results of over- 

 work — Fusilades from "Walton Hall" — Progress of the large plates. 



Audubon's return voyage, begun in mid-April, 

 lasted twenty days, and was one of the uneventful, "not 

 unpleasant sort." Liverpool was reached in early May, 

 and later in the month the Audubons were again settled 

 in London, where on June 1, 1834, the naturalist wrote 

 to Edward Harris : 



We found Victor at home in the evening of our arrival; I 

 thought that the very sight of him was a restoration of life to 

 me, and our happineg^ was as complete as it may ever be ex- 

 pected on this Earth. 



After all, I long to be in America again, nay, if I can go 

 home to return no more to Europe, it seems to me that I shall 

 ever enjoy more peace of mind, & even Physical comfort than 

 I can meet with in any portion of the world beside.* 



While at Charleston in the previous winter, Audu- 

 bon had worked diligently at his letterpress, and no 

 doubt, before returning to Europe had his "biographi- 

 cal" materials well in hand. We have seen that at Edin- 

 burgh in the autumn of 1830 he entered upon a busi- 

 nesslike arrangement with William MacGillivray to as- 



* From letter written at 73 Margaret Street, Cavendish Square, and 

 sealed with turkey-cock seal. (Jeanes MSS.) 



125 



