Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-02-27
my notebook land my pencils, and went forward
to the woods as gayly as if nothing had hap
pened."
He went forth, and in less than three wears
had his portfolio again filled.
XI. CONCLUSION.

What life has that been of which we have
here given faint outline! What character is
that OF which we have made rough sketch Is
not John James Audubon, as we said in the out
set, an admirable specimen of the Hero as a man
ot science? For sixty years or more he has fol.
lowed, with more than religious devotion, beau
!iiu elevated pursuit, enlarging its boundaries by
ms discoveries, and illustrating its objects by his
art. In all climates and in all weathers; scorch-
ed by the burning suns, drenched by piercing
rams, frozen by the fercest colds now driving
iearlessly into the densest forest, now wander
ing alone over the most savage regions: in per-
lis, IN difficulties, and in doubts; with no com
panion to cheer his way, far from the smiles and
applause OF society; listening only to the sweet
music OF the birds, or to the sweeter music of
hls own thoughts, he has faithfully kept his path.
lhe records OF mans life contain few nobler ex-
amp!es OF strength OF purpose and indefatigabe
energy. Led on solely by his pure, lofty kind
ing enthusiasm, no thirst for wealth, no desire
OF distinction, no restless ambition, of eccentric
character. could have induced him to undergo so
many sacrifices, or sustained him under so many
trlaiS Higher principles and worther motives
| alone enabled hun to meet such discouragements
and accomplish such miracles of achievements.
| tie has enlarged aud enriched the domains of.a
| pleasing and useful science he has revealed to
us the existence Of many species of birds before
| unknown; he has given us more acurate inior-
! Hlatlon OF lne lofWS ana habits OF these that
were known; he has corrected the blunder. of
his predecessors; and he has impaired to. the
study OF natural history the grace and fascination
| OF romance.
By his pencil and by his pen, he has made the
world eternally his debtor. Exquisite denea-
tions of the visible and vocal ornaments of the
air, drawn with so much briliancy, as they are
seen in their own favorite haunts, who can ade-
quately describe? We remember well the effect
| wrought on our mind, when we first saw the
whole OF his wonderful collection of paintings,
| as they were exhibited few years since in New
York. 1t produce and overpowering sense of
wonder and admiration. AS John Wilson has
SAID OF the same scene, shown at Edingbugh the
spectator instantly imag gned himself in the forest
| lhe birds were all there, e,-'ali were of the size
of life, from the wren and the humming bird to
| the wild turkey and the bird of Washington
But what signiiied the mere size? The colors
| were all of life too, bright as when borne in
beaming beauty through the woods. There too
were their attitudes and postures infinite as they
are assumed by the restless creatures, in motion
or rest, in their glee and their gambols, their
loves and their wars, singing, or caressing, or
broodlng, or preylng, or tearing one another to
, pieces. The trees on which they sat or sported
all true to nature, in bole, branch, spray and
leaf, the tlowery shrubs and the ground flowers,
| the weeds and the very grass, all American-as
were the atmosphere and the skies. 1t was a
wild and poetical vision of the heart of the New
| World, inhabited as yet almost wholly by the
! lovely or noble creatures that 'own not mans
dominion" ltwas indeed rich and magnificent
| sight, such as we wonld not for diadem have
| lost.