Audubon and His Journals, Volume 1Audubon, John James
History
Audubon and His Journals, Volume 1
Audubon, John James
Audubon, John James, 1785-1851 -- Diaries; Birds -- North America; Naturalists -- United States -- Diaries
an evening's entertainment, will be the principal use made of it, and
that if it needs so much room as to crowd out other things or encumber
the table, it will not be purchased by the set of people who now are
the very life of the trade. If large public institutions only and a
few noblemen purchase, instead of a thousand copies that may be sold
if small, not more than a hundred will find their way out of the
shops; the size must be suitable for the _English market_" (such was
his expression), "and ought not to exceed that of double Wilson." This
conversation took place in the presence of Dr. Traill, and both he and
Mr. Roscoe are convinced it is my only plan. Mr. Bohn told Dr. Traill,
as well as myself, that exhibiting my pictures would not do well; that
I might be in London a year before I should be known at all, but that
through the scientific periodicals I should be known over Europe in
the same time, when probably my first number would be published. He
strongly advised me to have the work printed and finished in Paris,
bring over to England say two hundred and fifty copies, to have it
bound and the titlepage printed, to be issued to the world of England
as an English publication. _This I will not do_; no work of mine
shall be other than true metal--if copper, copper, if gold, gold, but
not copper gilded. He admitted it would be a great undertaking, and
immensely laborious, but, he added, my drawings being so superior, I
might rest assured success would eventually be mine. This plan,
therefore, I will pursue with the same perseverance that since
twenty-five years has not wavered, and God's will be done. Having now
determined on this I will return to Manchester after a few days, visit
thy native place, gaze on the tombs of thy ancestors in Derby and
Leicester, and then enter London with a head humbly bent, but with a
heart intently determined to conquer. On returning to this abode of
peace, I was overtaken by a gentleman in a gig, unknown to me quite,
but who offered me a seat. I thanked him, accepted, and soon learned
he was a Mr. Dearman. He left me at Green Bank, and the evening was
truly delightful.
[Illustration: FROM A PENCIL SKETCH OF AUDUBON.
DRAWN BY HIMSELF FOR MRS. RATHBONE.
Now in the possession of Mr. Richard R. Rathbone, Glan-y-Menai,
Anglesey.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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