Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1868-10-16

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attracted to pictures of that kind, and he
occupied himself almost exclusively 10 paint
ing birds. At seventeen, he returned to
Louisiana, and resumed, with all his former
ardor, bis faYorite study.
My father, " he says. in one of his pre-
faces. 'then made me present of a magni-
ficent farm in Pennsylvania, IN the banks
Of the Sehuykill, where | married. The
cares of a household, the love which l bore
my wife, and the birth Of two children, did
not diminish my passion for 0rnitholoEy
An inVincible attraction drew me towards
the ancient forests of the American conti-
nent, and many years rolled away while l
was far from my family
To facilitate his design of studying birds
in their native woods, he removed his fami-
ly to the village of Henderson, upon the
hanks Of the Ohio, whence, for fifteen years,
he made excursions into the forest with his
portfolio, rife and game bag.
From the great lakes to the EXTREMIST
points of Florida-from the Alleghenies to
the prairies beyond the Mississippi-through
impenetrable forests. in canebrakes almost
impossible, and on the boundless prairies,
be sought for new varities of birds, copying
them Of the size Of life, and measuring every
part with the utmost nicely of mathematics.
Up with the dawn, and rambling about all
day, he was the happiest ofmen if he re-
turned to his camp IN the evening, in his
game bag new specimen with which to
enrich his collection. He had no thought
whatever of publishing his pictures
1T was no desire of glory" he assures
us, which, led me into this exile-I wished
only to enjoy nature.
After fifteen years of such life as this, he
paid visit to his relations in Philadelphia,
carrying with him two hundred of his de-
signs, the result of his laborious and perilous
wanderings Being obliged to leave Phil
adelphia for some weeks, he left these in a
box at the house of one of his relatives. On
his return, what was his horror and despair
to discover that they were totally destroyed
BY fire. A poignant fame, he remarks,
pierced my brain like an arrow of fire, and
for several weeks | was PROSTATE with fever
At length, physical and moral strength
awoke within me. Again | took my gun,
my game bag and portfolio, and my pencils,
and plunged once more into the depths of
forests Three years passed before / had
repaired the damage, and they were three
years of happiness. To complete my work
1 went every day farther from the abodes Of
men. Eighteen months rolled away, and
my object was accomplished. "
During his stay in Philadelphia, in 1924,
Audubon became acquainted with Prince
Lucien Bonaparte, who strongly urged the
naturalist to publish his designs. This, how
ever, was work far too expensive to be un-
dertaken in America alone He proposed
to issue several volumes of engrayings, col
ored and of life-size, with other volumes Of
printed descriptions. The price of the work
I was fixed at thousand dollars Before he
had obtained single subscriber, he set his
engrayers to work and proceeded to enlist
the co operation of wealthy men of England
and France.
He was received in Europe with great dis
tinction, and obtained in all, one hundred
and seventy subscribers, of whom about
eighty were Europeans While the first
volume was in course of preparation, he re-
turned to America, and spent another year
in ranging the forests to add to his store.
/ In 1880, the first of his wonderful works APP
peared, consisting of hundred colored
plates, and representing ninety-nine varie-
ties of birds. The volume excited enthusi-
asm wherever it was received. The king
of France and king of England inscribed
their names at the head of his list Of sub
seribers. The principal learned societies of
London and Paris added Audubon to the
number of their members, and the great
naturalists Cuvier, Humboldt, Wilson and
others, Joined in a chorus of praise.
The work which consisted of four volumes
of engrayings and five of letter-pressi was
completed in 1889. For the later volumes,
/ he again passed three years in exploration,
and one time, was enabled to study the birds
on the coast of Florida in vessel which the
government of the United States had placed
at his disposal. Returning to New York,
he purchased a beautiful residence on the
shores of the Hudson, near the city, where
he prepared for the press an edition of his
great work upon smaller paper, in seyenyol-
umes, which was completed in 1874
Many New Workers remember that about
that time he exhibited in that city a wonder
! full collection of his original drawings, which
contained several thousands Of animals and
birds, all of which he had studied in then
native homes, all drawn of the size of lifi
by his own hand, and all represented witt
their natural foliage around them.
He was now sixty-fve years of age, bu
his natural vigor appeared in no degre'
abated. Park Goodwin, who knew him vel
at that time, describes him as possessing al
the sprightliness and yigor of young man
He was tall and remarkably well formed
and there was in his eountenance singula
blending of innocence and ambition. Hi
head was exceedingly remarkable. Tn
forehead high, says Mr.. Goodwin, arehed
and uncouded; the hairs of the brow proni
nent particularly at the root of the nose
which was long and aquiline chin promi
nent, and mouth characterized BY energ,
and determination The eyes were darl
grey, set deeply in the head, and as restles
l. v.sa,s
were exceedingly gentle, and his conversa
ton full of point and spirit. Still unsatis
fed, he undertook in his old age newworl
on the quadrupeds of America, for whicl
he had gathered much material in his vari
GUS journeys, Again he took to the woods
accompanied, however, now by his tw
sons, Victor and John, who had inherite
much of his talent and zeal.
Pat,,r,,;Do to his home nm the hanks q