visit. For these acts of kindness and encouragement, without
which my researches would have been more arduous and less
efficient, I am much indebted, and gratefully offer my acknowledgments,
to Major-General M'COMB, General JESSUP, General
GRATIOT, the Honourable Messrs M'LEAN, LIVINGSTON,
and WOODBURY, to Colonel JOHN ABERT, and others, whose
frank and prompt attentions will never be forgotten by me. I
need not say that towards our President and the enlightened
members of the civil, military, and naval departments, I felt
the deepest gratitude for the facilities which they thus afforded
me. All received me in the kindest manner, and accorded to
me whatever I desired of their hands. How often did I think
of the error committed by WILSON, when, instead of going
to Washington, and presenting himself to President JEFFERSON,
he forwarded his application through an uncertain medium.
He, like myself, would doubtless have been received with favour,
and obtained his desire. How often have I thought of
the impression his piercing eye would have made on the discriminating
and learned President, to whom, in half the time
necessary for reading a letter, he might have said six times
as much as it contained. But, alas! WILSON, instead of
presenting himself, sent a substitute, which, it seems, was not
received by the President, and which, therefore, could not have
answered the intended end. How pleasing was it to me to find
in our Republic, young as she is, the promptitude to encourage
science occasionally met with in other countries. Methinks I
am now bidding adieu to the excellent men who so kindly received
me, and am still feeling the pressure of their hands indicative
of a cordial wish for the success of my undertaking. May
He who gave me being and inspired me with a desire to study
on the 1st of April, we had the pleasure, after a voyage of
twenty-five days, of landing in safety at Liverpool, and finding
our friends and relations well. When I arrived in London, my
worthy friend J. G. CHILDREN, Esq. presented me with a Diploma
from the Royal Society. Such an honour conferred on
an American Woodsman could not but be highly gratifying to
him. I took my seat in the hall, and had the pleasure of pressing
the hand of the learned President with a warm feeling of
esteem. I believe I am indebted for this mark of favour more
particularly to Lord STANLEY and Mr CHILDREN.
And now, kind reader, having traced my steps to the period
when I presented you with my first volume of Illustrations and
that of my Ornithological Biographies, allow me to continue my
narrative.
Previous to my departure from England, on a second visit
to the United States, I had the honour and gratification of being
presented to his Royal Highness the DUKE OF SUSSEX,
who graciously favoured me with a general letter of recommendation
to the authorities in the British colonies. With others
of a similar nature I was also honoured by the Noble Lords
STANLEY, PALMERSTON, HOWICK, and GODERICH.
We sailed on the 1st of August 1831, and landed at New
York, where 1 spent a few days only, and proceeded to Philadelphia.
There I found my old and firm friends HARLAN,
WETHERELL, PICKERING, SULLY, NORRIS, WALSH, and
others, a few subscribers, and some diplomas. I had now two
assistants, one from London, Mr WARD, the other a highly
talented Swiss, Mr GEORGE LEHMAN. At Washington I received
from the heads of our Government letters of assistance
and protection along the frontiers, which it was my intention to