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
Hearing the family were out and would not return for two
hours, I asked to be shown to the library, and told my name. The man
said not a word, went off, and about ten minutes after, whilst I was
reading the preface of William Roscoe to his "Leo X.," returned and
said his master would be with me in a moment. I understood all this.
Mr. Selby came in, in hunting-dress, and we shook hands as hunters do.
He took me at once out in his grounds, where Mrs. Selby, his three
daughters, and Captain Mitford his brother-in-law were all engaged
transplanting trees, and I felt at home at once. When we returned to
the house Mr. Selby conducted me to his _laboratory_, where guns,
birds, etc., were everywhere. I offered to make a drawing and Captain
Mitford went off to shoot a Chaffinch. We had supper, after which the
eagerness of the young ladies made me open my box of drawings; later
we had music, and the evening passed delightfully. I thought much of
home I assure thee, and of Green Bank also, and then of my first sight
of thee at Fatland, and went to bed thanking God for the happy moments
he has granted us. The next morning I felt afraid my early habits
would create some disturbance in the repose of the family, and was
trying to make good my outing at five, and thought I had already done
so, when to my surprise and consternation the opening of the hall door
made such a noise as I doubted not must have been heard over the whole
establishment; notwithstanding, I issued into the country fresh air,
and heard all around me the Black-birds, Thrushes, and Larks at their
morning songs. I walked, or rather ran about, like a bird just escaped
from a cage; plucked flowers, sought for nests, watched the fishes,
and came back to draw. All went well; although the _shooting season_
(as the English please to call it) was long since over, we took
frequent walks with guns, and a few individuals were the sufferers
from my anxiety to see their bills, and eyes, and feathers; and many a
mile did I race over the moors to get them. More or less company came
daily to see my drawings, and I finished a drawing for Mr. Selby of
three birds, a Lapwing for Mrs. Selby, who drew fully as well as I
did, and who is now imitating my style, and to whom I have given some
lessons. Also I finished a small picture in oil for the charming elder
daughter Louise; the others are Jane and Fanny. So much at home did we
become that the children came about me as freely as if I had long
known them; I was delighted at this, for to me to have familiar
intercourse with children, the most interesting of beings, is one of
my greatest enjoyments, and my time here was as happy as at Green
Bank; I can say no more. The estate is well situated, highly
ornamented, stocked with an immensity of game of the country, and
trout abound in the little rivulets that tumble from rock to rock
towards the northern ocean. To-morrow I leave this with Captain
Mitford for his country seat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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