of the size which nature has given to them. As one of the first
ornithologists of the age, who kindly reviewed a few numbers
of the Plates, has spoken upon this subject in a manner which
I cannot here use, I refer you to his observations. The name
of SWAINSON is, doubtless, well known to you. Permit me
also to lead you, for a defence of my resolution in this matter,
to one, who, being the centre of zoological science, is well entitled
to your deference in a question relating to Ornithology.
You will readily apprehend that I allude to the great, the immortal
CUVIER.
Secondly, As to the time necessary for finishing my Work,
I have only to observe, that it will be less than the period frequently
given by many persons to the maturation of certain
wines placed in their cellars, several years previous to the commencement
of my work, and which will not be considered capable
of imparting their full relish until many years after the
conclusion of the " Birds of America."
Since I became acquainted with Mr ALEXANDER WILSON,
the celebrated author of the well-known and duly appreciated
work on American Birds, and subsequently with my excellent
friend CHARLES LUCIAN BONAPARTE, I have been aware of
the keenness with which every student of Natural History
presses forward to describe an object of his own discovery, or
that may have occurred to travellers in distant countries. There
seems to be a pride, a glory in doing this, that thrusts aside
every other consideration; and I really believe that the ties of
friendship itself would not prevent some naturalists from even
robbing an old acquaintance of the merit of first describing a
previously unknown object. Although I have certainly felt very
great pleasure, when, on picking up a bird, I discovered it to be
B
Mr JAMES WILSON, Mr NEILL, Mr HAY, Mr COMBE, MIHAMILTON,
the WITHAMS, the LIZARSES, the SYMES, and
the NICHOLSONS. The Royal Society, the Wernerian Natural
History Society, the Society of Scottish Antiquaries, the Society
of Useful Arts, and the Scottish Academy of Painting,
Sculpture, and Architecture, spontaneously and gratuitously
enrolled me among their members.
In this capital commenced the publication of my ILLUSTRATIONS,
and there it might have been accomplished, had
not unexpected difficulties come in the way. My engraver,
Mr W. H. LIZARS, advised me to seek an artist in London.
There, after many fruitless inquiries, I became acquainted with
Mr ROBERT HAVELL junior, who has ever since continued to
be employed by me, and who, I am happy in saying, has given
general satisfaction to my patrons.
Four years have passed. One volume of my Illustrations,
containing one hundred plates, is before the public. You may
easily see, good-natured reader, that to Britain I owe nearly all
my success. She has furnished the artists through whom my
labours were to be presented to the world; she has granted me
the highest patronage and honours;—in a word, she has thus
far supported the prosecution of my Illustrations. To Britain,
therefore, I shall ever be grateful.
Two objections have been made to the mode in which my
work is published : the great size of the paper upon which the
representations are offered to you, and the length of time necessary
for their completion.
As to the size of the paper, which has been complained of
by some, it could not be avoided without giving up the desire
of presenting to the world those my favourite objects in nature,