The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-01-29

John james Audubon, she dsssrvedly renowned ne. |
turslist, died in this city Monday last at his
residence on the banks Of TIE Hudson river, In
i55th street. He had arrived 1T the age Of seventy
six, and has gone down to the grave leaving .
name distinguished anong the scientific men Of
every nations name earned by steady perseverance
In the beautiful nd Of ornithology the cultivation OF
which demands fancy taste, judgment, and general
love Of nature.
Mr.. Audubon was born on plantation In Louisiana
New Orleans. His parents French, his
father being admiral in the navy Of France and 1t
Is ssid friend Of Washingtons. The Audubon fami-
ly still the kenesses Of the Admiral and Of
frst Comman DIR in Chief which painted In
the camp at Valley Forge. II was on that occasion
that Arlington sat for tho first time TO painter
Alter passing his early boyhood in Louisiana young
Audubon taken by his father to France where the
rudiments Of his future education impaired to
him His return delayed until he was about eigh
years old when his natural activity OF mind
began to show itself, modified only by the garb in
which the instructions OF his French tutors had
tied It, II in Paris that he rstncreased his early
love for the art Of painting and whilst there he
guided in his studies by the celebrated David whose
oriental coloring no doubt csptivated his youthful
fancy In the Of science also he had taken ct
this early period uncommon delight and thus pre-
pared for those future experiences which, eventually
made up q history at once valuable and romantic.
On arriving at years Of maturity his father gave
him residence the fruitful banks of the schulkil,
and all that wealth and luxury could do to blind his
ambitious love for nature there surrounded him. He
heard, in the warm sunshine of his fancy, the
songs of the winged Inhabitants Of the western
wiids, pictured to his Imagination the still
brighter plumage Of the myriad birds Of the
American tropics. We find him accordingly, in
1910, in an uncovered ski, accompanied by bis wife
search of home more romantic than that selected BY
his father He fixed upen point In the State OF Ken
blished new home. pursued his isvorits studies in
every direction roaming through the forests crossing
described BIRDS which fell beneath the keen shot Of his
rifle. The result Of his early experiences was given
to the world in i've volumes Of his archaeological BIZ
ography.n 1t has been said that he Of
Northern lakes large bird far beyond his reach,
and thaa he was ten years in finding another OF the
same description, which he found three thousand
miles the place where his sight of the species
The history Of his perilous adventures for
period Of twenty years, In which he passed through
every degree habtabls latitude constantly exposed
to the varied alterations OF heat and cold Is but
Of nature his constantly recurring self sacrifices,
his painful privatiens, and his ultimate success
in the objects Of his ambition It was his for
whose minds were drawn, by the sllurements Of sci
ence and nature from the luxurious incidence Of
civilized society, whose best pleasure only coy
the Of who has learned to look upon
tai treasures as the highest reward OF human
ton.
We remember that occasion, ststhis office,
when . strange bird had been brought in from Long
leland object Of wonder Audubon came to it.
At the very sight strange bloody and disordered
IL he gave II its pathological name, and then
orisinsi and plesSuS msnnsr-his high iorshssd
arched and comma Asing serene above his deeply set
gray eyes, which were shaded BY heavy brows, that
caused them to sparkle the in their
ceptcss The best portrait Of him Of MT date lie in
that admirable work, " The Gallery Of Ilustrious
Americans" he then, cay twelve yesrs ago, more
active than most young men Of our day. The minds
elasticity gave surpleness to his form and his zeal
was as fresh then, PROBABLY in 1870 when he
brsved the wilderness in his darling pursuit. As an
illustration OF his decison Of char which might
and usual, eompIe.ssd ips~it has been remembered
that occasion, whom great and perilous ad
% 20 % sssn R :"
mence his journey he replied To morrow When
the sun arose, Audubon was on his way. Another
lustI alton quite significant will be found In his
All nearly thou,and-of his drawings BY IRE, aud
Of the laboIs which hsd created them lie has said Of
that event, The burning heat which rushed through
not for several nights, my days oblivion
took up my gun, nste book, and pencils, and went
ed sud make better awnings an bsfore-n three
years my portfolio filed" One OF the proudest Of
Eagle-s description Of which viii be found in his
works Most OF his birds were painted In the forest,
to With the spaney Of Ii.
ing, since IL did not represent life itself
In 1924 his pursuits took commercial aspect.
Lucien Benaparte proposed TO buy his dra wings.
Audubon hesitsted, and then resolved to publish
them himself For this purpose he visited Eng
however had gone before him, and the first
men distinguished in the sciences and arts we're
cuvier and his old friend Hs.nbolt, who had pene-
trated the same tropical regions With him, were de-
his talents have not been forgotten The publcasnof
his great work soon In fair way. Brewster Scott,
jeffrey and Wilson encouraged him. After fourteen
4 nlo fad md han tiaf.n fha
world that had awaited It's appearance One hundred
dseventy five subscriptions at thousand dollars
subscribers, are proud to cay, found In our
country-a very good Offset to the neglect often
visited upon those who enter the heds OF literature
OF course, such work so magnificent In design and
executions portfolio Of great dmen sions enriched
with the details of psrsncs among forest birds
could not but stimulate the great societies OF Europe
tstion in the Royal ssciety Of London. all the
bsrs Of which gladly contributed to acknovledge his
talent By the highest distinction in their power:
sypopsis Of his work published In Edinburgh,
an readily commanded extensive sale did also,
New York edition, In octave; and in 1899 Audubon
himself on the bank. Of the Hudson river in place
Of Peaceiul retirement Here he lsbored, with DR..
"a work pubIished las. year In some 81 bis works
his two have ably assted In the designs aud pur
poses Of the distinguished naturalist, who has amsns
scientific men, an imperishable name - name as the
editor Of The Gallery Of IllustIious American has
said lie not in the keeping Of history alone. From
name. The wren will pipe II at our windows the
erole carol from the meadow grass the turtle dove
roll II through the secret forests-the many voiced
moeking bird pour IL along tn. evening sir-and the
bird Of Washington from his craggy home far up the
rocky msuntains, win scream 1t to the tempests and
the starsn
DEATH OF BENJAMIN STRONG, ESQ, AN OLD SRw YORK
MERCHANT
One Of Oldest citizens, Benjamin Strong ESQ
died his residence in this city the evening Of
the 27th met, in the s1st year Of his age.
Mr.. Strong was Q native of Brookhsven, Suffolk
county and descended from Of the Oldest settlers
Of Long Island the family having emigrated from
England to this country ct an early period He
to this city at the close Of the revolutionary
war, In 17t3, and engaged in mercantile business;
through his Icing life being distinguished for his int.
gritty and capacity fer commercial pursuits In the
latter part Of bis life he has been principally known
lsde from his participation In religious and charta