68 JOHN JAMES AUDUBON 
‘¢ Tuesday, February 18. This was 
the grand, long promised, and much 
wished-for day of the opening of the 
Exhibition at the rooms of the Royal 
Institution. At one o’clock I went, 
the doors were just opened, and in a 
few minutes the rooms were crowded. 
Sir Walter Scott was present; he came 
towards me, shook my hand cordially, 
and pointing to Landseer’s picture 
said: ‘Many such scenes, Mr. Audu- 
bon, have I witnessed in my younger 
days.’ We talked much of all about 
us, and I would gladly have joined 
him in a glass of wine, but my foolish 
habits prevented me, and after inquir- 
ing of his daughter’s health, I left him, 
and shortly afterwards the rooms; for I 
had a great appetite, and although there 
were tables loaded with delicacies, and I 
saw the ladies particularly eating freely, 
I must say to my shame I dared not lay 
my fingers on a single thing. In the 
evening I went to the theatre where I 
