Having made arrangements for meeting the first difficulties,
I turned my attention to the improvement of my drawings, and
began to collect from the pages of my journals the scattered notes
which referred to the habits of the birds represented by them.
I worked early and late, and glad I was to perceive that the
more I laboured the more I improved. I was happy, too, to
find, that in general each succeeding plate was better than its
predecessor, and when those who had at first endeavoured to dissuade
me from undertaking so vast an enterprise, complimented
me on my more favourable prospects, I could not but feel happy.
Number after number appeared in regular succession, until at
the end of four years of anxiety, my engraver, Mr HAVELL,
presented me with the First Volume of the Birds of America?
Convinced, from a careful comparison of the plates, that at
least there had been no falling off in the execution, I looked forward
with confidence to the termination of the next four years'
labour. Time passed on, and I returned from the forests and
wilds of the western world to congratulate my friend HAVELL,
just when the last plate of the second volume was finished.
About that time, a nobleman called upon me with his family,
and requested me to shew them some of the original drawings,
which I did with the more pleasure that my visitors possessed
a knowledge of Ornithology. In the course of our conversation,
I was asked how long it might be until the work
should be finished. When I mentioned eight years more, the
nobleman shrugged up his shoulders, and sighing, said, " I may
not see it finished, but my children will, and you may please to
add my name to your list of subscribers." The young people
exhibited a mingled expression of joy and sorrow, and when I
with them strove to dispel the cloud that seemed to hang over
their father's mind, he smiled, bade me be sure to see that
the whole work should be punctually delivered, and took his
leave. The solemnity of his manner I could not forget for several
days; I often thought that neither might I see the work
completed, but at length I exclaimed " my sons may." And
now that another volume, both of my Illustrations and of my
Biographies is finished, my trust in Providence is augmented,
and I cannot but hope that myself and my family together may
be permitted to see the completion of my labours.
I have performed no long journey since I last parted from you,
and therefore I have little of personal history to relate to you.
I have spent the greater part of the interval in London and
Edinburgh, in both which cities I have continued to enjoy a
social intercourse with many valued friends. In the former, it
has been my good fortune to add to the list the names of W I L LIAM
YARRELL, Esq., Dr BELL, Dr BOOTT, Captain JAMES
CLARK ROSS, R. N., and Dr RICHARDSON. From Mr YARRKLi,
and the two latter gentlemen, both well known to you as
intrepid and successful travellers, I have received much valuable
information, as well as precious specimens of birds and eggs,
collected in the desolate regions of the extreme north. My
anxiety to compare my specimens with those of the Zoological
Society of London, induced me to request permission to do so,
which the Council freely accorded. For this favour I now present
my warm acknowledgments to the Noble EARL of DERBY,
the Members of the Council, their amiable Secretary Mr BENNETT,
and to Mr GOULD, who had the kindness to select for me
such specimens as I wanted. My friend Professor JAMESON of
Edinburgh has been equally kind in allowing me the means of
comparing specimens. From America I have received some