Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1868-09-04
Audubon, "a the, American Naturalist.
BY JAMES PARTON,

actors, wo havo had iG Amorica, was
John James Audubon, the celebrated
painter and biographer of American
birds. lie was ono Of tho few mon
whose pursuits wore in accordance
! with his tastes and his talents; and,
besides this, he enjoyed almost evory
other facility which falls to tho lot Of
"a mortal. &E:..,s' rs.-.,s ........
His father was q French Admiral,
who, about the middle of tho last
CENTURY, cmigrated to Louisiana,
whore he prosperod and reared a fam
ily. Ills distinguished son was born
in 1850. While he was still little
boy, he showed a remarkable interest
in the beautiful birds that flow about
his fathers sugar plantation, particu.
larly the mooking-bird, which attains
it's greatest perfection in that part of
Louisiana. Ho soon had q consider
able collection of living birds; and he
tells us that his first attempts to draw
and paint were inspired by a dosire to
preserve a memento of tho beautiful
plumage of some of his birds that
died. In delineating his fcathered
friends he displayed SO much talent,
that at tho age of fourteen, his father
took to him Paris, and placed him in
tho studio of tho famous painter, Da-
vid, whero he neglected cvory other
branch of art oxcopt the one in which
he was destined to excel. David 3
forte was in painting battlc-pieces ;
but his pupil was never attracted TO
pictures of that kind, and he occupied
himself almost exclusively in paint
ing birds. At seventeen he returned
to Louisiana, and resumed, with all
his former ardor, his favorite study.
"My father" he says in ono of his
prefaces, "Lhen made mo present Of
a magnificent farm in Pennsylvania
on tho banks Of the SchuykilI, whero
married. The carcs of household,
the love which l boro my wife, and
tho birth Of two children, did not di-
minish my passion for Ornith ology.
An invinciblc attraction drew me to-.
wards tho ancient forests Of tho Amer.
ican continent, and many years rolled
away whilo I was far from my fami.
ly."
TO facilitate his design of studying
birds in their native woods, he re-
moved his family to tho village Of
Henderson, upon the banks of the
Ohio, whence, for ffteon years, no
made excursions into the forest with
his portfolio, rife and gaming bag.
From the great lakes to tho extro.
NEST points OF FIorida-from tho Al
leghanics to TO the prairies beyond tho
Mississippi -- through impenctrablo
, forests, in cano-bra!Scs almost impas.
sable, and on the boundIcss prairies,
he sought for new vrricties of birds,
copying thom Of the size of life, and
measuring every part with tho ut
most nicoty Of mathematics. Up
with tho dawn, and rambling about all
day, he was tho happiest of mon if
he returned to his camp in the oven
ing, in his game bag new specimen
with which to enrich his collection.
He had no thought whatever of pub.
fishing his pictures;
"It'was no desire of glory" he as
sures US, "which led me into this ex-
ile-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 designs, the result of
his laborious and perilous wanderings.
Being obliged to leave Philadelphia
for some weeksr he loft these 10 a box
at tho house Of one Of his relations.
On his return what was his horror
and despair to-, discover that. they
were totally destroyed by fire. "a
poignant fame" he remarks, "pierced
nay brain ike, an arrow Of fire, and
for several weeks I was prostrate
with foyer. At length, physical and
moral strength awoks within ne.
Again I took my gun, my game bag
and.portfolio, and my pencils, and
plunged once more into the depths Of
the forests. Three, years passed be-
fore ] had repaired the damage, and
they were three years Of happiness
To complete my wsrk; + went every
day farther Gtom ttse abD5es Of men.
Eighteen month spljsa s#sy, and my
object was aocomptI
During his staY IL Philsdslphia, 10
1874, Audubon became acquainted
with, Prince .Lueen Bonaparts, who
ssangsy urged the naturalist topab..
.7lisb his< Z. !dlsslgns. Fbis,. ;bowsvet, VIA
::Ap@ozk aas too'e 'e4pohag 8: tobe under,
Al -