About a month ago I received a note from Mr. Phillips to say that he had received the Plates of the first number of your work on the Quadrupeds of America—would I come and look at them, and would I exhibit them at the meetings of the Societies I belonged to for the promotion of Natural History. I went to see them, and have with pleasure exhibited them at the Linnean Society on the third Tuesday in Novr. and at the Scientific evening, as well as the monthly general meeting of the Zoological Society, both of which occurred early in Decr. and I then returned the 5 Plates to Mr. Phillips—They were very much admired but I did not obtain any request for a supply. In reference to your next request, I must decline any connection with the sale or publication of this, or indeed any other foreign work, in this country. The truth is, that having now been in the business nearly forty years, I begin to be tired of work; the last part of my History of British Birds will be published on the 1st of June 1843; with that part I shall give up my pen, and write for money no more. You are kind enough to give me some credit for experience as a publisher, and some knowledge of the persons who are likely to be purchasers of works on Natural History here—My conviction is that you would gain more by paying full commission to an established Bookseller in London who would by advertising make your works known, and where they might be obtained—than you will by the best efforts of any private friend, even though his kindness should induce him to take all the trouble for nothing. You say nothing about your family. I hope they are all well. I remain, Dear Sir, Yours very truly Wm YARRELL. J. J. AUDUBON Esqr. 77 William Street. New York. In the following letter to Spencer Baird, Audubon was able to outline more fully his final plans for the western journey: _Audubon to Spencer Fullerton Baird_ NEW YORK, _Nov. 29, 1842_. MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND, It seems to me as if an age had already elapsed since I have heard from you or your whereabouts. Neither do I know clearly whether in the way of correspondence, you are in my debt, or I am in yours. Nevertheless I now write to you, and request you to read this letter more than once, and think deeply on the purport of its contents that you may be the [more] able to form a true Idea of what I intend to say [to] you, and for yourself to give me a true answer, on which I can depend, no matter whether it is to my liking or not.