CHAPTER VI 
SCHOOL DAYS IN FRANCE 
Molding of Audubon’s character—Factor of environment—Turning failure 
into success—An indulgent stepmother—The truant—His love of 
nature—Early drawings and discipline—Experience at Rochefort— 
Baptized in the Roman Catholic Church. 
It is now commonly believed that of the three great 
factors which mold character—environment, training 
and heritage, the last is the most important, since it alone 
is predetermined and unalterable. Environment may 
be uncertain or unsuitable, training defective or de- 
ferred, but blood is the one possession of which the 
child cannot be robbed; and since it sets the limits to 
possibility, in no small degree must it determine the ac- 
quisitions and accomplishments of a lifetime. This, 
however, is not the whole truth. Race may account for 
much, but it does not account for everything; the child 
is effectually robbed whenever it is not permitted to 
realize to the full upon its inheritance. To be able to 
convert possibilities into actualities it must receive fit 
training and right incentives, and if at critical times the 
proper spur is wanting, its patrimony may be sadly 
wasted. The “good environment” for the youth, too 
often thought to be the soft conditions of an easy life, 
is in truth that only which provides the proper and 
necessary stimulus. This may be now fear or pride, now 
hard necessity or bitter want; again, an awakened sense 
of responsibility or ambition to excel may be induced 
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