FIRST VENTURES IN BUSINESS 163 
John James Audubon to Jean Audubon 
[Letter No. 5, inclosed with No. 4, in French, and addressed | 
Mr. Fccis Rozier 
Mercht 
Nantes 
pour Mr. Audubon pére 
aussitét que possible 
My pear Frienp: 
Thou wilt find herewith a bill of lading of a small box con- 
taining nineteen species of seeds, a bottle of reptiles for Mr. 
Derbigny [D’Orbigny], and some dried plants also for the lat- 
ter. I will write thee of Mr. Kauman, by the ship Mentor, 
which is to leave a little while after this one. Adieu, my good 
friend! The box will be addressed to Mr. Audubon, Md,17 
Nantes, with “American seeds” written above; besides two Bs, 
like this which follows B.18 The Capn. promises me to take care 
B 
of it, and of my letters also. If thou findest in my letter any- 
thing which displeases thee, remember that I am thy son. Adieu! 
Farewell, my good friend! Thine for life. 
J. J. Aupuzon. 
New Yorx, May 6, 1807. 
Do not forget, I pray thee, to send me for the good Mrs. 
Bakewell the complete works of Mr. Genlis 1° by the first op- 
portunity, and for me an exact copy of the departments of 
France like that which I made, and which is in thy cabinet. 
I wish thee to copy them for my brother-in-law.?° 
that were very popular in America down to the time of the Civil War, 
or even later. They were manufactured at St. Croix as late as 1880; instru- 
ments of similar type, with dancing figures, have been adapted to the penny- 
in-the-slot machines common in Switzerland to-day. 
17 Marchand, or retail merchant. 
#8 Initials of the head of his firm, Benjamin Bakewell. 
The reference was to Mme. Stephanie-Felicité de Genlis (1746-1830), 
teacher of the children of the Duke of Orleans, Philippe-Egalité, and 
authoress of many works on education, once popular, but now known only 
to the antiquary and the ragman. 
Meaning possibly his prospective brother-in-law, Thomas W. Bake- 
well, a fellow clerk in the office. 
