The Librarian presented the following copy of a manuscript memorandum preserved in the first volume of Audubon's Ornithological Biography, formerly belonging to the late J. Prescott Hall,[171] and now in possession of David G. Francis, Esq.: "This work is presented to J. Prescott Hall by his poor Friend and sincerely attached servant JOHN J. AUDUBON" "New York April 4, 1844." "Mr Audubon told me in the year 184— that he did not sell more than 40 copies of his great work in England, Ireland, Scotland, and France, of which Louis Phillippe took 10. "The following received their copies but never paid for them: George IV., Dutchess of Clarence, Marquis of Londonderry, Princess of Hesse Homburg. "An Irish lord whose name he would not give, took two copies and paid for neither. Rothschild paid for his copy, but with great reluctance. "He further said that he sold 75 copies in America, 26 in New York and 24 in Boston; that the work cost him £27,000 and that he lost $25,000 by it. "He said that Louis Phillippe offered to subscribe for 100 copies if he would publish the work in Paris. This he found could not be done, as it would have required 40 years to finish it as things were then in Paris. Of this conversation I made a memorandum at the time which I read over to Mr. Audubon and he pronounced it correct. "J. PRESCOTT HALL." As regards the subscription of Rothschild the following account of his interview with the famous banker has been recorded by Audubon himself.[172] The naturalist, it appears, received a letter to Baron Rothschild from the American banking-house of Prime, Ward & King, and presented it in the summer of 1834. The banker was not in when Audubon and his son, Victor, called upon him, but "soon a corpulent man appeared, hitching up his trousers, and a face red with the exertion of walking, and without noticing any one present, dropped his fat body into a comfortable chair, as if caring for no one else in this wide world but himself." When Audubon presented his credentials, the banker asked: "Is this a letter of business, or is it a mere letter of introduction?'" As Audubon had not read the letter, he was obliged to answer rather awkwardly that he could not tell. "The banker then opened the letter, read it with the manner of one who was looking only at the temporal side of things, and after reading it said, 'This is only a letter of introduction, and I expect from its contents that you are the publisher of some book or other and need my subscription.'" Audubon continues: