The daily crescent., 1851-03-31
From the New York Herald.
Memoir of John James Audubon, the
Ornith OlOUist.

l55th street. He had arrived at the age Of seventy
SIX, and has gone down to the grave leaving name
distinguished among the scientific men Of every
nation--a name earned by a steady perseverance,
in the beautiful field of orniihoogy, the cultivation
of which demand fancy, trste, judgment, and
general love of nature.
Mr.. Audubon was born a plantation in Louis.
lana, near New Orleans. His parents were
French, his father being an admiral in the navy of
France, and it is said friend of Washngton's
The Audubon family still preserve the likeness of
the Admiral and of our first Commander in. Chief
which were painted in the camp at Valley Forge
It was on this occasion that Washington sat for The
first time to painter. After passing his early
boyhood in Louisiana, young Audubon was taken
by bis inther to France, where the rudments of
his future education were impaired TO him. His
return was delayed until he was about eighteen
years old, when his natural activity of mind soon
began 10 show itself; modified only by the garb in
which the instructions of his French tutors had
manted il. 1t was in Paris that he first increased
his early love for the art of painting; and whilst
there, he was guided in his studies by the ceIe.
Dfateu David, whose oriental cOoripg, no doubt
captivated his youthful fancy. In The arena of
science, also, he had taken uncommon delight, and
was thus prepared for those future experiences,
which, eventually, made up a history at once val.
liable and romantic.
On arriving at years of maturity, his father gave
him residence on the fruitful banks Of the Schuy-
kill, and all that wealth and luxury could do to
bind his ambitious love of nature there surrounded
HIM. He heard in the warm sunshines of his
fancy, the songs Of the winged inhabitants of the
western wilds pictured to his imagination, the
still brighter plumage of the myriads of birds of
the American tropics. We find him accordingly,
in 1870 in an uncovered skif accompanied by his
wife and infant son, floating down the stream of
Ohio, IN search OF a home more romantic than that
selected by his father. He fixed upon point in
the State Of Kentucky, whereupon to settle, and
having there established new home, pursued his
favorte studies in every direction roaming through
the forests, crossing and sailing over every river
and sketchng the yet nndescribed birds which fell
beneath the keen shot of his rifle. The result of
his early experience was given to the world in five
volumes OF his "Ornithologcal Biography 1t
has been said that he saw over one OF our northern
lakes large bird, far beyond his reach, and that
he was ten years in finding another of the same
description, which he found three thousand mes
from the place where his first sight of the species
was seen. The history OF his perous adventures
tor period of twenty years, in which he passed
through every degree of habitable latitude con-
stantly exposed to the varied alterations OF heat
and cold, is bat portion of the monument to his
ZEAL his ardent love OF nature, his constantly
ring sesacrltces, his painful privations and his
ultimate success in the objects Of his ambition 1t
was his fortune to meet in these excursions others
like himself, whose minds were drawn by the
allurements OF silence and labor, from the luxu-
rous Incidence of civilized society, whose best
pleasure can only coy the senses OF one who has
learned to look upon mental treasures as the high
est reward OF human exertion.
We remember that one occasion, at this office
when strange bird had been brought in from
Long Island object of wonder, Audubon
came to see It, At the very first sight, strange,
bloody and disordered as it was, he gave it it's or
nithoo9 lcal name, and then described its various
habits in his peculiarly vivid original and pleasing
manner-his high forehead arched and command
ing, serene above his deeply set gray eyes, which
were shaded by heavy brows, that caused them to
sparkle the more in their cavernous receptacles
The best portrait of him, of recent date is in that
admirable work. " The Gallery of lllustrious Amer
leans" He was then, say twelve years ago, more
active than most young men of day. The
minds elasticity gave suppeness to his form, and
his zeal was as fresh then, probably, as in 1910,
when he first braved the wilderness in his darling
pursuit. As illustration of his decision of char
acter, which might be easily read in his prominent
chin, aquiline nose, and usually compressed lips
it has been remembered that on one occasion, when
some great and perious adventure was proposed to
him by friend, he decided to undertake it. On
being asked when he would commence his Journey
he replied, Tomorrow When the arose,
Audubon was on his way. Another illustration,
quite as significant, will be found in his own writ
ings. 1t was period when he had lost all-nearly
thousand-of his drawings by fire, and had no
means of replacing them, but by the renewal of
the labors which had created them. He has said
through my brain, when | saw my loss, was so
great | slept not for several nights, and my days
were obhvion-but took up my gun notebook,
and pencils, and went forth to the woods as gaiv
as if nothing had happened, | could make better
drawings than before-in three years my portfolio
was filled" One OF the proudest of his triumphs
was the discovery of his Washington Sea Eagle
description of which will be found in his works.
Most OF his birds were painted in the forest, while
their plumage was yet fresh, and he seems never
to have been satisfied with the brilliancy of his
coloring, since it did not represent life itself.
In 1924 his pursuits took a commercial aspect.
Lucien Bonaparte proposed TO buy his drawings
Audubon hesilated, and then resolved TO publish
them himself. For this purpose he visited Eng
land, where he landed as a stranger. His name,
however, had gone before him, and the first men
distinguished in the sciences and arts were happy
TO welcome him. On the continent, Herschel, Gu
vier, and his old friend Humboldt, who had psne-
trated The same tropical regions with him. were de-
lighted to honor him. In the "Cosmos " of the
latter, his talents have not been forgotten The
publication of his great work was soon in a fair
way Brewster, Scott, Jeffrey and Wilson, en-
couraged him. After fourteen wears it was com
peted, and more than satisfied the world that had
awaited its appearance. One hundred and seven
ty-hve subscriptions, at one thousand dollars each
paid him the price of his labor. Eighty of his sub
scribers, we are proud to say, were found in our
country-a very good offset to The neglect often
Nislteu upon ltoSe VINO enter the heids OF literature
and of art
OF course, such a work-so magnificent in de-
sign and execution-a portfolio of great dimensions
enriched with the details of Il lfe's experience
among forest birds-could not but stimulate the
great societies of Europe to do him honor He was
made the subject of dissertation in the Royal So
cie'y of London all the members of which gladly
contributed to acknowledge his talent by the high
est distinction in their power.
synopsis OF his work was published in Edin-
burg, and readily commanded an extensive SALE as
did, also, New York edition. in octave and in
1889, Audubon returned to this country where he
soon established himself on the banks of the
Hudson river, in a place of peaceful retire.
ment Here helabored, with DR. Bachman, in pre-
paring the "Quadrupeds of America" work
published last year. In some of his works his two
sons have ably assisted in the designs and pur-
poses OF the distinguished naturalist, who has,
among scientific men an imperishable name-a
name, as the editor of " Gallery of Illustrious
Americans" has said, "not in the keeping OF
history alone From every deep grove the birds of
America will sing his name The wren will pipe
1t at our windows-the oriole carol it from the
meadow grass-the turtledove roll it through the
secret torests-the many-voced hooking bird pour
1t along The evening ar-and the bird of Wash
ington, from his craggy home far up the rocky
mountains, Will scream it to the tempests and the
stars"
Uses OF Death,
Death, it has been truly said is the great law o.
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