OF AUDUBON. 



13 



me to study them, and to raise my mind toward 

 their great Creator. 



" A vivid pleasure shone upon those days of 

 my early youth, attended with a calmness of 

 feeling, that seldom failed to rivet my attention 

 for hours, whilst I gazed in ecstasy upon the 

 pearly and shining eggs, as they lay imbedded 

 in the softest down, or among dried leaves and 

 twigs, or were exposed upon the burning sand 

 or weatherbeaten rock of our Atlantic shores. 

 I was taught to look upon them as flowers yet 

 in the bud. 1 watched their opening, to see 

 how Nature had provided each different species 

 with eyes, either open at birth, or closed for 

 some time after ; to trace the slow progress of 

 the young birds toward perfection, or admire 

 the celerity with which some of them, while 

 yet unfledged, removed themselves from danger 

 to security. 



" I grew up, and my wishes grew with my 

 form. These wishes, kind reader, were for 

 the entire possession of all that I saw. I was 

 fervently desirous of becoming acquainted with 

 Nature. For many years, however, I was sadly 

 disappointed, and for ever, doubtless, must I 

 have desires that cannot be gratified. The 

 moment a bird was dead, however beautiful 

 it had been when in life, the pleasure arising 

 from the possession of it became blunted ; and 

 a 



