378 AUDUBON, THE NATURALIST 
besides nearly a trunkful for the Continent, as well as 
general letters from Henry Clay, Andrew Jackson and 
others in America for our consular and diplomatic rep- 
resentatives in Europe. His epistolary basis for the 
acquisition of useful acquaintances could hardly have 
been better, and further testimonials were gathered at 
every stage of his progress to the city of his hopes, but 
Audubon’s best letter of credit, which could be read by 
all the world, was an open, winning countenance. After 
he had wandered over London for the greater part of 
three days without finding a single individual at home, 
he was tempted to consign his valuable documents to 
the post, an error which he did not repeat, as it deprived 
him of the acquaintance of fully one-half of the people 
to whom they were addressed. One of these London 
letters which follows, written by Captain Basil Hall to 
John Murray, the noted publisher and founder of the 
Quarterly Review, is particularly interesting in show- 
ing that Audubon was far from pleased with the prog- 
ress of his work in Edinburgh, and that he was then 
contemplating a change which was later effected. 
Basil Hall to John Murray 
Epins 23rd Feby. 1827 
My Dear Sir 
This will be delivered to you by my friend Mr John Audu- 
bon, an American Gentleman who has been residing here this 
winter, & I beg in the most particular manner to introduce him 
to your acquaintance and to ask for him the advantage of your 
good offices. 
Mr Audubon has spent [a] great part of his life in making 
a collection of drawings of the Birds of North America, & in 
studying their Habits, with the intention of publishing a Com- 
plete Ornithology of America. For such a work his materials, 
both in the shape of drawings and of written notes, are immense 
