[464] Mr. (afterwards Sir Francis) Grant became a member of the Scottish Academy in 1830, an associate of Royal Academy in 1842, and Academician in 1851. His successful career as a painter secured his elevation to the Presidentship of the Academy in 1866. Sir Francis died at Melton-Mowbray in October 1878, aged 75. [465] Patrick Fraser Tytler, the Scottish historian. He died on Christmas-day 1849, aged fifty-eight.--See Burgon's _Memoirs_, 8vo, Lond. 1859. [466] Audubon says in his Journal of the same date:--"Captain Hall led me to a seat immediately opposite to Sir Walter Scott, the President, where I had a perfect view of the great man, and studied Nature from Nature's noblest work." The publication of Audubon's great work, _The Birds of America_, commenced in 1827, and was completed in 1839, forming 4 vols. in the largest folio size, and containing 435 plates. It shows the indomitable courage of the author, that even when the work was completed, he had only 161 subscribers, 82 of whom were in America. The price of the book was two guineas for each part with 5 coloured plates. During the last dozen years its price at auctions runs about £250 to £300. Audubon died in New York in 1851.--See _Life_, by Buchanan, 8vo, London, 1866. [467] Biographical Notices had been sent to the _Weekly Journal_ in 1826, and are now included in the _Miscell. Prose Works_, vol. iv. pp. 322-342. [468] Afterwards included in _The Pilgrimage and other Poems_, Lond. 1856. [469] See Craig Brown's _Selkirkshire_, vol. i. pp. 285-86. [470] Milton's _Lycidas,_ varied. [471] "Death's gi'en the Lodge an unco devel, Tam Samson's dead." _Burns._--J.G.L. [472] For letter and reply see _Life_, vol. ix. pp. 92, 98. [473] Sir Walter at this date returned the valuable MSS. lent him by the Duke of Wellington in Nov. 1826 (see _ante_, p. 306) with the following letter:-- "EDINBURGH, 15_th February_ 1827.