106 WILD SCENES AND WILD HUNTERS. 



they cherished him — how could it be otherwise among a culti- 

 vated people ? — for to such there is in genius a compelling 

 sense that will bear through its purposes in their love. 



But it. is not on his triumphal progress through Europe, 

 that we prefer to accompany him. Nor is it of so much inte- 

 rest to us to hear that such men as Cuvier and Humboldt — 

 who alone were his peers — pronounced his work on Birds the 

 most magnificent monument art had yet erected to ornitho- 

 logy. The world has long ago taken charge of his fame. It 

 is of the man, the Hunter-Naturalist, out in the wilderness 

 highways and byways of the unreclaimed earth that we would 

 know more intimately. It is rather the methods of the work- 

 man that we would now see — ^for it is well enough known that 

 never, in the annals of individual, achievement,, did unaided 

 enthusiasm, through poverty and neglect, accomplish so much 

 single-handed against such tremendous odds. 



The world, by the way, has been told many times of the im- 

 mense pecuniary difficulties to be overcome by him from the 

 commencement — but not yet, perhaps, in his own touching 

 language, have they heard some of the effects of these struggles 

 upon his temper and feelings. He says in the introduction 

 to the third volume — 



Ten years have now elapsed since the first number of my 

 Illustrations of the Birds of America made its appearance. 

 At that period I calculated that the engravers would take 

 sixteen years in accomplishing their task ; and this I announed 

 in my prospectus, and talked of to my friends. Of the latter 

 not a single individual seemed to have the least hope of my 

 success, and several strongly advised me to abandon my plans, 

 dispose of my drawings, and return to my country. I listened 

 with attention to all that was urged on the subject, and often 

 felt deeply depressed, for I was well aware of many of the 

 difficulties to be surmounted, and perceived that no small 

 sum of money would be required to defray the necessary 

 expenses. Yet never did I seriously think of abandoning the 



