The Audubon Reader (35 page)

I have wished for thee every day, every moment; and yet at my present age I have postponed daily because of what
thou
callest prudence to write for thee positively to come. I feel quite convinced that it is thy wish to join me; did I think differently for a moment, my travels would cease and my happiness would be only a vapor. No, my dear wife, I assure thee I never have doubted thy goodwill towards me, but have more than once sighed and deeply too at thy fears of suffering
as much as me
by being together … Were thou here I only would have to work a very little harder than I do now and the comforts I would really feel, I am afraid my Lucy
will never feel
. How often have I told thee how dearly I love thee? Well, my Lucy, I am convinced that I feel more attached and truly devoted to thee than ever. Honors—hopes of wealth—even the education of our children—is all in my soul for thy own sake and for thy own sake only.

Come or stay, I must live thy friend, thy lover, thy faithful husband. I write a close
journal every day of all my deeds & thoughts, merely with the hope that it may make thee spend a few moments in the belief that what I say here is true when thou wilt see that every night since we parted I wished thee well, blessed, happy. Now, my love, read this hurried letter and answer if or not. I wish & long for thee—in thirty days I will write either in full confidence for thee to come or leave it for thee to consider …

To those who have not seen any portion of the author’s splendid collection of original drawings, it may be proper to explain that their superiority consists in every specimen being of the full size of life, portrayed with a degree of accuracy as to proportion and outline, the result of peculiar means discovered and employed by the author, and lately exhibited to a meeting of the
Wernerian Society. Besides, in every instance where a difference of plumage exists between the sexes, both the male and the female birds have been represented. The author has not contented himself with single profile views of the originals, but in very many instances he has grouped them, as it were, at their natural avocations, in all sorts of attitudes, either on branches of trees, or amidst plants or flowers: some are seen pursuing with avidity their prey through the air, or searching diligently their food amongst the fragrant foliage; whilst others of an aquatic nature swim, wade or glide over their allotted element. The insects, reptiles or fishes that form the food of the birds have been introduced into the drawings; and the nests of the birds have been frequently represented. The plants are all copied from Nature, and the botanist, it is hoped, will look upon them with delight. The eggs of most of the species will appear in the course of publication.

The great interest which has been excited by the exhibition of these drawings, and the flattering praise which has been bestowed upon them in Edinburgh, Liverpool and Manchester, have induced the author to publish engravings of them upon a scale of elegance never before attempted in this or any other country. He has been encouraged to commence such an arduous undertaking at the suggestions of some of the most eminent naturalists both in America and Great Britain; and he is proud to acknowledge that their patronage has been extended to him towards the encouragement of the work; and he trusts to their support, and that of the public,
enabling him to complete one of the most splendid publications which has ever appeared.

The particulars of the plan of the work will be found detailed below:

1. The engravings in every instance to be the exact dimensions of the drawings, which without any exception represent the birds of their natural size.

2. The plates will be colored, in the most careful manner, from the original drawings.

3. The size of the work will be Double Elephant, and printed on the finest drawing paper.

4. Five plates will constitute a Number; one plate from one of the largest drawings, one from one of the second size and three from the smaller drawings.

5. There are 300 drawings; and it is proposed that they shall comprise three volumes, each containing about 100 plates, to which an Index will be given at the end of each, to be bound up with the volume.

6. Five Numbers will come out annually.

7. The price of each Number will be two guineas; payable on delivery.

Six Numbers being now completed, will give an exact idea of the nature and style of the work. All the other Numbers will at least equal these in interest and execution. It would be advisable for the subscribers to procure a portfolio, to keep the Numbers till a volume is completed. Persons desirous of becoming subscribers are requested to apply to Mr. Audubon, 90 Great Russell Street, Bedford Square, or Mr. R. Havell, Jun., Engraver, 79 Newman Street, Oxford Street, London; Messrs. Robinsons, Booksellers, Liverpool; Mr.
T. Sowler, Bookseller, Manchester; Mr. M. A. Barclay, Bookseller, York; Messrs.
Hernaman and Robinson, Leeds; Mr. E. Charnley, Bookseller, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and
S. Highley, Bookseller, 174 Fleet Street, London
.—May
1828.

St. Francisville, Louisiana

15 June 1828

My dear child,

Yours of May 10th received yesterday; where it has been all this time I cannot conceive, but welcome at last. You say you hope I have received all your letters. That I cannot possibly tell, but I was, for about six weeks, expecting [at] every mail to hear from you, and more anxiously because you said in a previous letter you were going to tell me some particulars relative to yourself which I did not get, unless you mean the $25 for separate bookkeeping, which I do not exactly understand, but I’m satisfied provided you take care of yourself, which I have yet to learn … I have been terribly imposed upon this last six months, and for the next year I must make a more fair, as well as an advantageous arrangement; these people are selfish beyond my calculations …

John will have reached you in safety, I trust, long before this. I determined in a moment almost upon sending him up, for I delayed on account of not having funds in my hands at the moment, but [her brother] William’s letter made me feel assured that for his sister he would
advance
which is all I ask. Your music box ought to have reached you by this time and I hope its sweet strains will keep your mother and her advice before your mind. If I could see you both supporting yourselves and put $2,000 at interest here, I need not work so hard and could afford to live near you all. This is a prospect to which I turn my thoughts and hopes.

From your Papa I am quite at a loss to grasp anything. He complains of your silence, says it will be long before he has finished the
Birds
, that in the meantime as soon as he is
able
he will ask me to go over if I like with John, that England is not what it was, that I might not like it, that “if I do not choose to go, he will, when he does come to America, bring me a piano worth having.” What he really means I cannot tell—those are his words, and we must interpret them as we can. The piano you bought is so much better
than the other [Audubon sent her] that I shall keep it exclusively for myself and the other for the girls. The music is not worth a cent, but I cannot tell this to your Papa. Any letter from you, my dear boy, is a treasure that says you are well and well doing. All my anxiety and hope turns to you two; if any good comes from any other quarter, so much the better, but I have ceased to expect it …

London, England 10

August 1828

My dear John,

I wrote a very long letter to your dear Mamma a few days ago, nay 2 days ago, and I merely write to you now to shew you how anxious I am that you should as well as her write to me oftener. I have been nearly 4 months without a word from her and I at last received 3 letters from her about 10 days ago, up to the 24th of May. I am quite well and I think doing well. The 8th Number of my work is out and the 9th nearly finished engraving.

I am most particularly desirous that you should spend 2 hours every day, or more if you can, in skinning birds of all sorts for me. I wish you would send me skins of Wild Turkeys, Ivory-billed Woodpeckers and the large
Black Woodpecker, all kinds of
Hawks,
Owls,
Buzzards,
Carrion Crows &c., &c., all kinds of small birds also, and all kinds of mussels, shells &c., &c. Send all to Mr. Briggs in a box; he will send them on to me. As it is very probable that I will write for Mamma and you on the 1st of January next, try to procure as many birds alive as you can. I was asked 15 dollars the other day for a male redbird. Skins of birds would be worth to you from 50 cents to 5 dollars, and it will all be for you. I should send a violin but I do not know if it is worthwhile now, as I have such great hopes to be able to write for Mamma to come in January.

I would give you 500 dollars per annum were you able to make for me such drawings as I will want. I wish you would draw one bird only, on a twig, and send it to look at as soon as you can after receiving this letter.

I saw Captain [Basil] Hall on Monday last. He saw Victor [on the] last day of May at Shippingport, but Victor did not write by him, which I am very sorry for. How do you manage without my gun? I should like to have a large box filled with branches of trees, covered with mosses &c., such as Mamma knows I want. Now recollect,
all sorts
of birds, males or females, ugly or handsome.

I will write again in a few days. I hope Mamma likes the piano and the dresses I sent to her. Do my dear boy exert yourself for me, as I do here every day of my life for your own sake. Kiss Mamma dearly for me and believe me forever your affectionate father …

London, England

13 August 1828

My dear Mr. Swainson,

I reached my lodging in great comfort by the side of your amiable Dr. Davie, two hours and a half after we shook hands. I wish I might say as much of my journey through life. I have had sad news from my dear wife this morning. She has positively abandoned her coming to England for some indefinite time; indeed, she says that she looks anxiously for the day when, tired myself of this country, I will return to mine and live, although a humbler (public) life, a much happier one.

Her letter has not raised my already despondent spirits in some things and at the very instant I am writing to you it may perhaps be well that no instrument is at hand with which a woeful sin might be committed. I have laid aside brushes, thoughts of painting and all except the ties of friendship. I am miserable just now and you must excuse so unpleasant a letter. Would you go to Paris with me? I could go with you any day that you would be pleased to mention. I will remain there as long and no longer than may suit your callings. I will go with you to Rome or anywhere, where something may be done for either of our advantage and to drive off my very great uncomfortableness of thoughts. My two sons are also very much against coming to England, a land they say where neither freedom or simplicity of habits exist and altogether uncongenial to their mode of life. What am I to do? As a man of the world and a man possessed of strong, unprejudiced understanding, I wish that you would advise me …

Should you not feel inclined to go to France at present, which, by the bye, is the very best season on account of seeing the vintage, &c., &c.—please write to me so or come to town which would be still more agreeable & talk the matter over as I think I would persuade you to absent yourself for a month or so …

London, England

17 November 1828

Since last Sunday … I have received two letters from thee, one dated August 29th and the other (which came first) Sept. 15th. From their general tenor, I think that it is thy wish to come over to me, and I am truly happy at the thought! Although I have not accumulated that
wanted fortune
which on thy account I so much desire to possess, I think that we might live together tolerably comfortable. I am particular in my expressions because I do not in any point of view wish thee to expect too much, and to see thee unhappy and discontented now would infringe on my faculties. Should thou determine on coming,
thou wilt be welcome
and thy husband will do his very best to render thy days and thy nights comfortable—to have thee
willingly
with me will give spur to my industry and I should think all may go on well.

I am now glad of the idea of having John situated as Victor is, and I received thy letter of the last date with great satisfaction on this account. I think it will be better for awhile that thou should come alone and by way of [New] Orleans through the medium of
Charles Briggs as will be directed by Mr. Gordon, to whom hearing to that effect will see that thou are well arranged with a good captain and a good man.

Our absence from our dear sons will I hope be only partial, and to know that they are doing well and are healthy must suffice us for a while. Thy being with me must be of inexpressible value to me and to my ultimate success. It is at the distance impossible to say to thee of what service thou wouldst be to me. I am sorry about the piano &c., &c., but never mind it anymore—thou wilt have a good one here …

Continue to write through my friend Rathbone always. Should thou make up in thy mind to come over to me
write me immediately
by three several letters to that effect and manage to come to Liverpool where I will be sure to be awaiting thy arrival. I have
here, a parlor, a painting room, a bedroom, a kitchen and a servant room, which will do until thou hast seen a little of London, and should thou not like this, we can go anywhere else …