( 123 > 
Time put me upon endeavouring to draw fome flight Sketches, in order fo reflore to 
my Memory an Idea of what I had feen. The Managery of Verfailles had, when I 
was there, no living Creature in it; the Court not refiding there in the King’s Mino- 
rity, they had been negleded, and were all dead and difperfed, which was a Difap- 
pointment to me, becaufe I always delighted in fueh Things. Without quitting my 
Quarters near Verfailles^ I made two Journies of about a hundred Miles each,, the firft 
to Chalons m Champagne y in May 1720, whither I was accompanied by the Son of 
my Hoft, it being his Father’s native Place : I did not exceed a Month from my 
Setting-out to my Return from this Journey, The fecond Journey was- in OBober the 
fame Year, when I went alone on Foot to Orleans Bloisy in which Journey I 
chofe to make fiich an Appearance as might not tempt Pvobbers,. but found in it ano- 
ther Inconveniency for there had lately been an Order from Court to take up alii 
ftrolling Perfons, who could give no Account of themfelves, in order to tranfport them 
to people the Banks of the River Mlffifftppi > but I efcaped this, after being taken hold 
of, by a ready Compliance, which gave me Opportunity to give them the Slip. I 
did not continue much above a Month on my Journey to Orleans and Blois^ and fliaid 
the Remainder of the Winter .at my Q^rters near FerfailleSy where 1 contracted an 
Acquaintance with Mr. Mulings, an Hibernian Gentleman, and Parifh Fried of 
Gnyencourt, with whom I continued, a Correfpondence by Letter fome Time .after niy 
Return to England. At the latter End of January, 1721, I put myfelf on Board a 
Ship lying at Rouen in Normandy, in order to return to England, having heen about 
21 Months from Home,, where I efcaped linking into the South-Sea ; but by 
dabbling a little in the Grand Game of Mifjijjippi, which had been playing off by all 
Men, I was difablcd from continuing lb long in France as I deflgned. From February' 
172 1, to June of the fame Year, I refided in or near London, when I was invited to make 
a Voyage to NewcaJHe in Northwtiberland by the fame Merchant in wliofe Ship I failed 
to Norway, which I accepted, and after loading the Ship, we returned to London in 
July follov/ing,. where, and in its Neighbourhood, I continued for the Space of ten 
Years without making any foreign Voyage;, during this Time I applied niyfelT 
pretty dole to Drawing and Colouring, and what principally pleafed me was Copying 
flriCtiy after Nature ; and, amongfl Natural Objeds, Birds happened at firfl to fall mod 
in my Way, and getting a few Drawings of thefe together, raifecl in me an Ambition 
to obtain a Collection as great as was in my Power. In a little Time I perform- 
ed fomething that was taken Notice of by the Curious, who promoted the Sal^e 
of w'hat I then did, as well as employed me themfelves. Amongfl: the earliell of my 
firfl: Friends and Promoters I mufl: place James Lheobald, Efq. of Lambeth, wlio al- 
ways had the Promotion of Arts at Heart ; by the Increafe of my Friends, and better 
Encouragement, I fomething mended my Hand, and enlarged my Prices : Tims I went 
on, fliil a little improving, till the Year 1731, when I made a Voyage (accompanied 
by a Brother and Sifter) into Holland and Brabant. In this Voyage I eolledled fome 
Prints and Books which w^ere fuitable to my Turn of Studies, and examined' many 
fine Original Pictures of Flemijh Mafters at Antwerp,. 6cc. 
I was hardly abroad two Months in this Voyage, fetting out In May, and returning 
in July following. In the Itinera there is a Miftake,. the Yciu: there marked 3P 
ihGuldbe3 i. At my Return to followed the fame Employ as. before, and 
Z- daily 
