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
spot! At dinner there were several other guests, among them the widow
of Sir Thomas Stanford Raffles, governor of Java, a most superior
woman, and her conversation with Dr. Horsfield was deeply interesting.
The doctor is a great zoologist, and has published a fine work on the
birds of Java. It was a true _family_ dinner, and therefore I enjoyed
it; Sir Robert is at the head of the business of the Carnatic
association of India.
_Friday, June 2._ At half-past seven I reached Sir Thomas Lawrence,
and found him writing letters. He received me kindly, and at once
examined some of my drawings, repeating frequently, "Very clever,
indeed!" From such a man these words mean much. During breakfast,
which was simple enough and _sans ceremonie_, he asked me many
questions about America and about my work. After leaving him I met Mr.
Vigors[130] by appointment, who said everything possible to encourage
me, and told me I would be elected as a foreign member to the
Athenaeum. Young Kidd called to see me, and I asked him to come and
paint in my room; his youth, simplicity, and cleverness have attached
me to him very much.
_June 18._ Is it not strange I should suffer whole weeks to pass
without writing down what happens to me? But I have felt too dull, and
too harassed. On Thursday morning I received a long letter from Mr.
Lizars, informing me that his colorers had struck work, and everything
was at a stand-still; he requested me to try to find some persons here
who would engage in that portion of the business, and he would do his
best to bring all right again. This was quite a shock to my nerves;
but I had an appointment at Lord Spencer's and another with Mr.
Ponton; my thoughts cooled, I concluded to keep my appointments. On my
return I found a note from Mr. Vigors telling me Charles Bonaparte was
in town. I walked as quickly as possible to his lodgings, but he was
absent. I wrote him a note and came back to my lodgings, and very
shortly was told that the Prince of Musignano was below, and in a
moment I held him by the hand. We were pleased to meet each other on
this distant shore. His fine head was not altered, his mustachios, his
bearded chin, his keen eye, all was the same. He wished to see my
drawings, and I, for the first time since I had been in London, had
pleasure in showing them. Charles at once subscribed, and I felt
really proud of this. Other gentlemen came in, but the moment the
whole were gone my thoughts returned to the colorers, and my steps
carried me in search of some; and this for three days I have been
doing. I have been about the suburbs and dirtier parts of London, and
more misery and poverty cannot exist without absolute starvation. By
chance I entered a print shop, and the owner gave me the name of a man
to whom I went, and who has engaged to color more cheaply than it is
done in Edinburgh, and young Kidd has taken a letter from me to Mr.
Lizars telling him to send me twenty-five copies.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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