Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1852-04-22
From the odd Fellows Golden Bale.
SKETCHES OF DISTINGUISHED baEN
AupusoS rHE oRx1rnoloe.sT.

our Order, particularly those Of our
own Lodge. have thought it might
not be inappropriate at the present
time to introduce to their notice some
of the distinguished characters OF our
times, both living and dead
am exceeding 10th to have Your
valuable paper languish and die for
want of material, and if my oonnmuni-
cations can be Of service, they are at
your disposal, and l will endeavor to
give them as often as my time viii per-
nit.
Within the past month death has
.sstraek q shining mark, and taken from
US one venerable in years, aud .remar-
kable for his learning, industry, and
perseverance, man known to but a
smallportion Of the inhabitants of our
city-except by his works. ] have of
ten. seen his venerable and piercing eve,
and as passed, thought how little per-
sonal appearance should be taken into
account when estimating geaius.
This man was J0hn lanes. IRduJoH,
the Ornithologist-born in I175-in
the State oil Louisiana, then a French
settlement-his parents were French,
and in his youthful years encouraged
his early indications of ta'cnt. lie
may be said 10 have lived in the woods
and fields, and spent most Of his time
in the pursuits connected with them.
From step to step his love of nature
ripened into friendship and intimacy
with it. 1t increased with his manhood,
and 90 doubt his subsequent career may
be traced to these early impressions.
His father often accompanied him in
his wanderings through the woods,
pointing out to his youthful mind all
that was interesting around him-pro-
curing for him flowers and birds-eX-
planning their beauties and peculiarities
their perfection of form and beauty
of attire-their modes of defence and
manner of living, with their haunts,
&c, and exciting him in return to
look from nature up to natures God.
His natural bent Of genius thus ear
/ Iy encouraged, was increased with ma
ture years, and soon prompted him 10
endeavor as near as possible to record
and illustrate the life and habits of the
| feathered songsters. This intense de-
sire for the study of nature impelled
him to copy her works, and his pencil
soon became his daily companion. At
first his sketches were rude, yet feeble
as they were, they were the germ ola
future splendid ac0rk. His father had
given him a small farm on the Scuyi-
kill river, and there his time was devot-
ed TO his favorite pursuits of collecting
and copying the birds of the forest
About this time he married, and was
fortunate in procuring a companion
who appreciated his talents, and stim-
ulated and encouraged his efforts. He
embarked in mercantile pursuits, and
like many others was unsuccessful, and
was again driven to the woods-his
journeys and Wanderings became more
extensive than ever, and.he probably
travelled over a greater extent of the
country, than almost any other of our
times-being at times, years away from
his family. Mr. Audubon has given US
an account Of his life and pursuits in a
preface to his works.
"Would you believe it," says he,
with sublime simplicity, 'in all these
wanderings and labors, | had no other
object in view than simply to enjoy the
sight Of nature, never for a moment
did | conceive the hope Of becoming in
any degree uScful to mg kind, until
accidentally formed the acquaintance
of Lucian Bonaparte, at Philadelphia,
who was much interested aud engaged
in similar pursuits" This was in Ap-
/ ril 1924.
Parke Goodwin, bis friend, from
whose labors | am indebted for por-
ton of these facts, gives a curious de-
scription of his appearance as he arriv-
ed at celebrated hotel in Buffalo He
says
"His dress, which was made of leath-
er, stood dreadfully in need Of repair
Ia worn-out blanket that might have
served for a bed, was buckled to his
shoulders--a large knife hung on one
side balanced by rusty tin box on the
other-and his beard uncropped, tang
led and coarse. fell down upon his bos-
ON, as if to counterpose the weight OF
/ the black hair locks that supported
themselves upon his back and should
ers. This strange being, TO the spec
tators seemingly half civilized and hall
savage, had quick glancing eye and
elastic firm movement, and a sharp
face that seemed able 10 cut its way
4 through the cane brakes both of soci-
ETY. and of the wilderness. After liv-
/ ing some ten years on his farm, he en-
igrated to Kentucky, then a young
growing State. His journey he de-
scribes most graphicaily--his resi-
dence there gave him still more oppor-
tunities to prosecute his favorite pur-
suits-scouring as he did, the fields and
woods, and fording the lakes and rivers.
..He might be seen in the early morn
with his dog and gan : the faithful tin
box containing his pencil and, slung BY
his side, now popping down the uncon-
scious warbler-now fastening to the
broad shelter of the oak to describe
the form and paint the variegated plu-
mage of bis yictinl-now crouching for
ihours underneath some withered trunk
TO observe the habits of some shy and
timid bird-now climbing the sides oi
a rocky precipece. 10 find the nest-ege