Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-01
From The London .NOnthiy Chronicle for Sept.
J.J AUDUBON.
THE AMERICAN oRNrTHoLoGIsT.

glon of primitive forests and foaming rivers,
and giant mountains Great in the unstained
simplicity Of his nature he stands alone among
more than was ever dreamed of by the elegant
Button or the romantic Waterton. He has
science and poetry into one magnificent whole,
hhd produced, in his Birds of America,
work that must re main to the end of time
monument of une iampled perseverance, wor-
thy of an ardent lover of Nature. II is the on
ly work that represents birds as they are, pre-
senting, in single view, their forms, their ha-
bits, and their climates. All other works take
single phases, and at best are nothing better
than Illustrative memoirs; bat here is the bird
in all its ways Of flife=-in pursuit of its prey, if
1t be voracious or flying from pursuit. according
to its nature-buildng its nest, fostering its
young, poised on the tip of spray, lowering
over the scdgy margin Of a lake, covering in a
fen, or sailing in the clouds we have it in
all its characteristic obects-in love, in con-
test, from the shell to the musenm. This is
the ideal Of high ar', carrying us out of the de-
scriptve catalogue into the green woods, and
giving rs the whole history of these races in a
single TABLEAu.
Audubon is exactly the sort of man in whom
this true love of Nature might be expected to
be predominant over all other objects. He
spent h princely fortune on that magnificent
work; and, to the eternal disgrace of England,
~,
not sufficient to pay the expenses Of one Of his
numerous journeys into the far Vest in search
of specimens. BET the courtesy with which he
was received the panegyrics that were
showcred upon him from the highest quarters
the wonder, and curiosity, and admiration
his labors excited these were the rewards
which the living Audubon enjoyed, to be eclips-
ed, no doubt, by marble tributes and literary
memorials, when he shall be called into another
state of existence-a translation which, we
trust, may be far distant. How intensely Au.
dubon despised all this ceremonial fattery and
hollow protestation! With what Unborn pride
of heart he looked down upon the empty gor-
geousness of our artificial society! His life
had been a life Of energy passed in the forests
and on the broad lakes he had communed with
Nature in her grandest soiitudes, and he SICK.
ened at the efeminate pomp and pampered sell
fishnoss ofthe old world. There never breath
ed finer spirit. Cast in manly mould, fitted
for toll, stamped with the noble attributes of
courage, patience, and hearty enthusiasm, no
dangers appalled,, no disappointnents discour-
aged him; and whatever enterprises he under
took in the pursuit OF his favorite science were
prosecuted with yigor which can be intelligi-
Bile only to natures of a similar integrity ofpur-
pose. His archaeological Biography is a mon.
ument of extraordinary labor.
The vastncss of the design startled every bo-
dy except himself; and the very apprehension
that he should not liye long enough TO complete
so gigantic an undertaking iepelled many peo-
pie from venturing even to purchase the num-
bers as they appeared, lest an imperfect publi-
cation of such magnitude should be ultimately
left upon their hands. When he delivered his
first drawings to the engraver he had not sim
gle subscriber. His friends pointed out to him
the rashness of the project, and candidly told
him that they did not expect to witness the is
sue of second tascculous. Even at starting
he calculated that the engravers would take
sixteen years in accom- plshihg their task.
Not one single individual held out the least
hope Of his success, and many sincere and anx-
ious friends strongly urged him to abandon his
nJ,. l. 4
return to his native country. But he ex-
claims my heart was nered, and my reliance
on that Power, on whom all must depend
brought bright antcpations of SUGGEST liav-
ing completed his arrangement for meeting the
first difficulties, he began to collect scattered
notes trcm the pages Of his journals respecting
the habits ofthe birds, and assiducusly devoted
himself to the improvement Of his drawings
He had the satisfaction of finding that each sue
ceeding plate was superior to its predecessor
! the engravers and colorists became more iamil.
! lar with the peculiar demands of their respon-
/ sible duties; and at the end of four years, du-
4 ring which he worked early and late without
respite and against incredible discouragements,
he was rewarded by finding the first volume
completed. He now labored with renewed
zeal, and looked forward confidently to the re-
suit Of the next four years. Time passed on
and he returned from the forests and wilds o.
the Western world to receive the last plate o
his second yolGme from the hands of his indie
tatgable and skilttl artist Mr.. Havell. Let
US now give his own account OF an incident thai
! narurtrI Al tl,,. ,c.,,,1