RE VIE IV 93 
many to enumerate; but 1 must go back to Liverpool to name John Chorley, 
to whom 1 feel warmly attached.’’ 
No wonder he was well received. A man whose reputation 
had reached England before him, anti who had letters of intro- 
duction to Baron Humboldt, General Lafayette, Sir Walter 
Scott, Sir Humphrey Davy, Miss Hannah More, Miss Edge- 
worth, Sir Thomas Lawrence and others (vol. i., p. 3), could 
hardly fail to be well received, and to be proud of his reception. 
“ All were extremely polite to me ” (he says) “ a stranger in their 
land; but so have 1 ever found the true English gentleman. 
His own account of his first meeting with Sir Walter Scott is 
noteworthy. He was introduced to him by Captain Basil Hall, 
who on entering the room said, “ Sir Walter, I have brought 
Mr. Audubon.” 
“ Sir Walter came forward, pressed my hand warmly and said he was glad to 
have the honour of meeting me. His long, loose silvery locks struck me: he 
looked like Franklin at his best. He also reminded me of Benjamin West ; he 
had the great benevolence of William Roscoe about him, and a kindness most 
prepossessing. I could not forbear looking at him, my eyes feasted on his 
countenance. His long heavy while eyebrows struck me forcibly. He was 
wrapped in a quilted morning gown of purple silk, and had been at work writing 
on the Life of Napoleon." 
From the Journal of Sir Walter Scott (vol. ii., p. 344) we 
learn what the great novelist thought of his visitor, thus : — 
January 24. — “ Visit from Mr. Audubon who brings some of his birds. The 
drawings are of the first order, the attitudes of the birds of the most animated 
character and the situations appropriate. The feathers are most brilliant and are 
represented with a laborious degree of execution. This extreme correctness is of 
the utmost consequence to the naturalist, but rather gives a stiffness to the 
drawings.” 
Judged by the modern standard of excellence this criticism 
appears a very just one. 
Audubon’s meeting with Professor Wilson (“ Christopher 
North ”) was a pleasant one for both. 
“ The more I look at Wilson,” he says (i., p. 266), “the more I admire his 
originality ; a man not equal to Waller Scott it is true, but in many ways nearly 
approaching him : as free from the detestable stiffness of ceremonies as I am when 
I can help myself ; no cravat, no waistcoat, but a fine frill of his own profuse 
beard, his hair flowing uncontrolled, and in his speech dashing at once at the 
object in view without circumlocution, w ith a countenance beaming with intellect, 
and eyes that would do justice to the ‘Bird of Washington.’ He gives me 
comfort by being comfortable himself. With such a man I can talk for a whole 
day and could listen for years.” 
One more portrait must suffice, and it is one that can 
scarcely be passed unnoticed. This time it is Baron Cuvier, 
the great French naturalist, on whom he called when in Paris 
(i., p. 306). 
“ He had heard much of my friend Swainson, and greeted him as he deserved 
to be greeted ; he was polite and kind to me though my name had never made its 
way to his ears. I looked at him, and here follows the result : Age about 65 ; 
size corpulent, 5 feet 5 inches English measure ; head large, face wrinkled and 
brownish ; eyes grey, brilliant and sparkling ; nose aquiline, large and red ; 
