The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-05-09
John James Audubon

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expanding flower when the ear is
charmed by bird-song. and the eye is
greeted by upspringing life. our
thoughts go forth to seek the com
partnership OF one who, by his untiring
efforts, clothed his name with immor-
tality and gave to us a rich inherit
lance in his published works, which
reveal unto us nature in the form of
birds and quadruped; and in his life,
which is a mine, filled with jewels OF
priceless worth. The glimpses of
himself which he has given us in his
writings are of far greater value TO
the expanding soul than the know
ledge which he has impaired OF birds
or their fourfooted brethren II Is
well to come into touch with our
woodland friends; IL is better to
learn of the growth of brain and
soul as II makes its way through
this work-a-day world, but it is best
of all to digest and assimilate this
knowledge unto our own upward
growth. His life may easily be divid-
ed into five periods for convenience in
study, each period revealing new sur
roundings, new influences and new
purposes: and teaches us that envir-
onment is but a servant, that counsel
of friends may be right or wrong,
| that personal traits of character, I'M
swerving purpose and the election of
the soul to live the life it was born
to live are every thing
Period No. His Birth, Parents,
Early Traits. Born 1880 or 's2.
Died 1851
John James Audubon was born
| in louisiana in 1880 or 'S2. His earl
lest days were spent under sunny
skies and in semitroplcal surround
ings. He grew into young manhood in
world Of beauty, encouraged and
directed by his cultured parents He
early showed a strong desire to be
out Of doors among thee birds and
flowers. His father was his compan.
ion in his rambles and early trained
hrs unfolding mind to observe and
understand beauty as II manifested
itself around him. His was soul of
rare qualities. plastic, and attuned to
the notes of nature about him and
the gentle teaching of his parents
How beautifully his father directed
his tender mind, calling attention to
the world about him! The birds were
called those blossoms of the air"
and their eggs those flowers in bud,
and through this beauty his father
aimed, he says, ITO raise my mind
toward their great Creator" His
strong characteristics at this time
were to roam at will, and to obtain
specimens which he tried to repro
duce with pencil. because he could
not bear TO lose possession of them
His father purchased for him book
of illustrations which he privately
considered worse than his family OF
cripples", as he called his Intellectual
attempts Each birthday saw them
burned to make room for those of the
succeeding year. Perseverance even
amid apparent failure was. his key
note.
Period li-chanee of Environment
New Traits Called Forth.
Until l6 years of age he seemed
to have lived without special training
At that time his father sent him to
France to study under the great
painter, David that he might know
how to draw and paint objects correct
ly This was a period of trial for this
heretofore free spirit-this working
day after day practicing upon eyes
and noses of giants and heads of hors-
es while my heart was painting for
the sparkling streams and forests of
my native land of groves" At the
end of year he returned able to re-
produce things correctly and full of
zeal he began collection which was
to swell into that wonderful series,
Birds of America
Period No. lll-Another Chanue In
Environment Marriage, Failure in
Enthusiastically Counsel.
About 1900 his father purchased for
him beautiful estate near the
Schuylkill in Pennsylvania. He was
married to a beautiful young woman
whose confidence in, and sympathy
for his work, never wavered. Though
failure in business confronted them,
and poverty came in at the door, her
faith in him remained mistaken. "She
encouraged me when discouragement
assailed me, and in prosperity appreci-
ated the fruits and measure of my
success" His friends endeavored to
dissuade him from his purpose which
only made him the more determined.
After living upon this estate 10 years
he with his family removed to Hinder
son, Kentucky in the autumn of
1910.
Period No. lV-Another Environment
The Value Of His Work Dawns Up
on Him-Meetlng of Friend.
Up to this time he had pursued this
seemingly useless life simply for the
pleasure it brought him, he affirms.
On April 5, 1924 while upon a trip to
Philadelphia he met Lucian Bonaparte
who urged upon him the publication |
of his collections. The idea took |
root and grew. Then began, for a
fixed purpose, those years of arduous
toll. Painful years, filled with null |
titudes of dangers-hre-foo lorna |
do, earthquake, wild beasts, Indians,
robbers, hunger. exposure to the |
dread malaria. But he defied them |
all and bravely toiled on with the |
completion of his task in view he
at last returned home only to find that |
two Norway rats had ruined about |
0O0 ehaptg of illustrations cnntoinipp