July 2, 1917.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME I
| PAGE | |
| Preface | [vii] |
| Chronology | [xxv] |
| CHAPTER I | |
| Introduction | |
| Audubon's growing fame—Experience in Paris in 1828—Cuvier's patronage—Audubon'spublications—His critics—His talents and accomplishments—HisAmericanism and honesty of purpose—His foiblesand faults—Appreciations and monuments—The Audubon Societies—Biographiesand autobiography—Robert Buchanan and the truehistory of his Life of Audubon | [1] |
| CHAPTER II | |
| Jean Audubon and His Family | |
| Extraordinary career of the naturalist's father—Wounded at fourteenand prisoner of war for five years in England—Service in theFrench merchant marine and navy—Voyages to Newfoundland andSanto Domingo—His marriage in France—His sea fights, captureand imprisonment in New York—His command at the Battle ofYorktown—Service in America and encounters with British privateers | [24] |
| CHAPTER III | |
| Jean Audubon as Santo Domingo Planter and Merchant | |
| Captain Audubon at Les Cayes—As planter, sugar refiner, generalmerchant and slave dealer, amasses a fortune—His return toFrance with his children—History of the Santo Domingo revolt—Baronde Wimpffen's experience—Revolution of the whites—Oppositionof the abolitionists—Effect of the Declaration of Rightson the mulattoes—The General Assembly drafts a new constitution—Firstblood drawn between revolutionists and loyalists at Port-au-Prince—Ogé'sfutile attempt to liberate the mulattoes—LesCayes first touched by revolution in 1790, four years after the deathof Audubon's mother—Emancipation of the mulattoes—Resistanceof the whites—General revolt of blacks against whites and theruin of the colony | [36] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
| Audubon's Birth, Nationality, and Parentage | |
| Les Cayes—Audubon's French Creole mother—His early names—Discoveryof the Sanson bill with the only record of his birth—Medicalpractice of an early day—Birth of Muguet, Audubon's sister—Fougèreand Muguet taken to France—Audubon's adoption andbaptism—His assumed name—Dual personality in legal documents—Sourceof published errors—Autobiographic records—Rise ofenigma and tradition—The Marigny myth | [52] |
| CHAPTER V | |
| Lieutenant Audubon as Revolutionist | |
| Background of Audubon's youth—Nantes in Revolution—Revolt in LaVendée—Siege of Nantes—Reign of terror under Carrier—Plaguerobbing the guillotine—Flight of the population—Execution ofCharette—The Chouan raid—Citizen Audubon's service—He reentersthe navy and takes a prize from the English—His subsequentnaval career—His losses in Santo Domingo—His service andrank—Retires on a pension—His death—His character and appearance | [73] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
| School Days in France | |
| Molding of Audubon's character—Factor of environment—Turning failureinto success—An indulgent step-mother—The truant—His loveof nature—Early drawings and discipline—Experience at Rochefort—Baptizedin the Roman Catholic Church | [90] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
| First Visit to the United States, and Life at"Mill Grove" | |
| Audubon is sent to the United States to learn English and enter trade—Takenill—Befriended by the Quakers—Settles at "Mill Grove"farm—Its history and attractions—Studies of American birds begun—Engagementto Lucy Bakewell—Sports and festivities | [98] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
| Dacosta and the "Mill Grove" Mine | |
| Advent of a new agent at "Mill Grove"—Dacosta becomes guardianto young Audubon and exploits a neglected lead mine on the farm—Correspondenceof Lieutenant Audubon and Dacosta—Quarrelwith Dacosta—Audubon's return to France | [113] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
| Audubon's Last Visit to his Home in France | |
| Life at Couëron—Friendship of D'Orbigny—Drawings of French birds—D'Orbigny'stroubles—Marriage of Rosa Audubon—The Du Puigaudeaus—Partnershipwith Ferdinand Rozier—Their Articles ofAssociation—They sail from Nantes, are overhauled by Britishprivateers, but land safely at New York—Settle at "Mill Grove" | [127] |
| CHAPTER X | |
| "La Gerbetière" of Yesterday and Today | |
| Home of Audubon's youth at Couëron—Its situation on the Loire—Historyof the villa and commune—Changes of a century | [136] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
| First Ventures in Business at New York, and Sequel tothe "Mill Grove" Mine | |
| Audubon and Rosier at "Mill Grove"—Their partnership rules—Attemptsto form a mining company lead to disappointment—Decisionto sell their remaining interests in "Mill Grove" to Dacosta—Divisionof the property and legal entanglements—Audubon as aclerk in New York—Business correspondence and letters to hisfather—Later history of the lead mine and Dacosta—Auduboncontinues his drawings in New York and works for Dr. Mitchell'sMuseum—Forsakes the counting-room for the fields—Personalsketch | [146] |
| CHAPTER XII | |
| Early Drawings in France and America | |
| Child and man—His ideals, perseverance and progress—Study underDavid at Paris—David's pupils and studios—David at Nantesarouses the enthusiasm of its citizens—His part in the Revolution—Hisart and influence over Audubon—Audubon's drawings ofFrench birds—Story of the Edward Harris collection—The Birdsof America in the bud—Audubon's originality, style, methods, andmastery of materials and technique—His problem and how hesolved it—His artistic defects | [173] |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
| Audubon's Marriage and Settlement in the West | |
| Audubon and Rozier decide to start a pioneer store at Louisville,Kentucky—Their purchase of goods in New York—"WestwardHo" with Rozier—Rozier's diary of the journey—An unfortunateinvestment in indigo—Effect of the Embargo Act—Marriage toLucy Bakewell—Return to Louisville—Life on the Ohio—Depressionof trade—William Bakewell's assistance—Audubon's eldest sonborn at the "Indian Queen"—The Bakewells—Life at Louisville | [186] |
| CHAPTER XIV | |
| A Meeting of Rivals, and Sketch of Another Pioneer | |
| Alexander Wilson and his American Ornithology—His canvassing tourof 1810—His retort to a Solomon of the bench—Descriptions ofPittsburgh, Cincinnati and Louisville—Meeting with Audubon—Journeyto New Orleans—Youth in Scotland—Weaver, itinerantpeddler, poet and socialist—Sent to jail for libel—Emigrates to theUnited States—Finally settles as a school teacher near Philadelphia—Hisfriendships with Bartram and Lawson—Disappointmentsin love—Early studies of American birds—His drawings,thrift, talents and genius—Publication of his Ornithology—Histravels, discouragements and success—His premature death—Conflictingaccounts of the visit to Audubon given by the two naturalists—Rivalrybetween the friends of Wilson, dead, and those ofAudubon, living—The controversy which followed—An evasive"Flycatcher"—Singular history of the Mississippi Kite plate | [202] |
| CHAPTER XV | |
| Experiments in Trade on the Frontier | |
| The Ohio a hundred years ago—Hardships of the pioneer trader—Audubon'slong journeys by overland trail or river to buy goods—The "ark"and keelboat—Chief pleasures of the naturalist at Louisville—Thepartners move their goods by flatboat to Henderson,Kentucky, and then to Ste. Geneviève (Missouri)—Held up by theice—Adventures with the Indians—Mississippi in flood—Camp atthe Great Bend—Abundance of game—Breaking up of the ice—Settleat Ste. Geneviève—The partnership dissolved—Audubon'sreturn to Henderson—Rozier's successful career—His old store atSte. Geneviève | [233] |
| CHAPTER XVI | |
| Audubon's Mill and Final Reverses in Business | |
| Dr. Rankin's "Meadow Brook Farm"—Birth of John Woodhouse Audubon—TheAudubon-Bakewell partnership—Meeting with Nolte—Failureof the commission business—Visit to Rozier—Storekeepingat Henderson—Purchases of land—Habits of frontier tradesmen—Steamboatson the Ohio—Popular pastimes—Audubon-Bakewell-Pearspartnership—Their famous steam mill—Mechanical and financial troubles—Businessreorganization—Bankruptcy general—Failureof the mill—Personal encounter—Audubon goes to jail fordebt | [247] |
| CHAPTER XVII | |
| The Enigma of Audubon's Life and the History of HisFamily in France | |
| Death of Lieutenant Audubon—Contest over his will—Disposition ofhis estate—The fictitious $17,000—Unsettled claims of Formon andRoss—Illusions of biographers—Gabriel Loyen du Puigaudeau—Audubon'srelations with the family in France broken—Death ofthe naturalist's stepmother—The Du Puigaudeaus—Sources of"enigma." | [262] |
| CHAPTER XVIII | |
| Early Episodes of Western Life | |
| Methods of composition—"A Wild Horse"—Henderson to Philadelphiain 1811—Records of Audubon and Nolte, fellow travelers, compared—Thegreat earthquakes—The hurricane—The outlaw—Characterizationof Daniel Boone—Desperate plight on the prairie—Regulatorlaw in action—Frontier necessities—The ax married tothe grindstone | [273] |
| CHAPTER XIX | |
| Audubon and Rafinesque | |
| The "Eccentric Naturalist" at Henderson—Bats and new species—Thedemolished violin—"M. de T.": Constantine Samuel Rafinesque(Schmaltz)—His precocity, linguistic acquirements and peripatetichabits—First visit to America and botanical studies—Residence inSicily, and fortune made in the drug trade—Association withSwainson—Marriage and embitterment—His second journey toAmerica ends in shipwreck—Befriended—Descends Ohio in a flat-boat—Visitwith Audubon, who gives him many strange "newspecies"—Cost to zoölogy—His unique work on Ohio fishes—Professorshipin Transylvania University—Quarrel with its president andtrustees—Return to Philadelphia—His ardent love of nature; hiswritings, and fatal versatility—His singular will—His sad end andthe ruthless disposition of his estate | [285] |
| CHAPTER XX | |
| Audubon's Æneid, 1819-1824: Wanderings Through theWest and South | |
| Pivotal period in Audubon's career—His spur and balance wheel—Resortto portraiture—Taxidermist in the Western Museum—Settlesin Cincinnati—History of his relations with Dr. Drake—Decidesto make his avocation his business—Journey down the Ohioand Mississippi with Mason and Cummings—Experiences of travelwithout a cent of capital—Life in New Orleans—Vanderlyn's recommendation—Originaldrawings—Chance meeting with Mrs. Pirrieand engagement as tutor at "Oakley"—Enchantments of WestFeliciana—"My lovely Miss Pirrie"—The jealous doctor—Famousdrawing of the rattlesnake—Leaves St. Francisville and is adriftagain in New Orleans—Obtains pupils in drawing and is joinedby his family—Impoverished, moves to Natchez, and Mrs. Audubonbecomes a governess—Injuries to his drawings—The labors ofyears destroyed by rats—Teaching in Tennessee—Parting withMason—First lessons in oils—Mrs. Audubon's school at "Beechwoods"—Paintingtour fails—Stricken at Natchez—At the Percys'plantation—Walk to Louisville—Settles at Shippingport | [301] |
| CHAPTER XXI | |
| Début as a Naturalist | |
| Makes his bow at Philadelphia—Is greeted with plaudits and cold water—Friendshipof Harlan, Sully, Bonaparte and Harris—Hostility ofOrd, Lawson and other friends of Alexander Wilson—A meetingof academicians—Visit to "Mill Grove"—Exhibits drawings inNew York and becomes a member of the Lyceum—At the Fallsof Niagara—In a gale on Lake Erie—Episode at Meadville—Walkto Pittsburgh—Tour of Lakes Ontario and Champlain—Decides totake his drawings to Europe—Descends the Ohio in a skiff—Strandedat Cincinnati—Teaching at St. Francisville | [327] |
| CHAPTER XXII | |
| To Europe and Success | |
| Audubon sails from New Orleans—Life at sea—Liverpool—The Rathbones—Exhibitionof drawings an immediate success—Personal appearance—Paintinghabits resumed—His pictures and methods—Manchestervisited—Plans for publication—The Birds of America—Welcomeat Edinburgh—Lizars engraves the Turkey Cock—Inthe rôle of society's lion—His exhibition described by a Frenchcritic—Honors of science and the arts—Contributions to journalsexcite criticism—Aristocratic patrons—Visit to Scott—The WildPigeon and the rattlesnake—Letter to his wife—Prospectus—Journeyto London | [347] |
| CHAPTER XXIII | |
| Audubon in London | |
| Impressions of the metropolis—A trunk full of letters—Friendship ofChildren—Sir Thomas Lawrence—Lizars stops work—A family ofartists—Robert Havell, Junior—The Birds of America fly to London—TheZoölogical Gallery—Crisis in the naturalist's affairs—Royalpatronage—Interview with Gallatin—Interesting the Queen—Desertionof patrons—Painting to independence—Personal habitsand tastes—Enters the Linnæan Society—The white-headed Eagle—Visitto the great universities—Declines to write for magazines—Audubon-Swainsoncorrespondence—"Highfield Hall" near Tyttenhanger—InParis with Swainson—Glimpses of Cuvier—His reporton The Birds of America—Patronage of the French Governmentand the Duke of Orleans—Bonaparte the naturalist | [377] |
| CHAPTER XXIV | |
| First Visit to America in Search of New Birds | |
| Settles for a time in Camden—Paints in a fisherman's cottage by thesea—With the lumbermen in the Great Pine Woods—Work done—Visitshis sons—Joins his wife at St. Francisville—Record of journeysouth—Life at "Beechgrove"—Mrs. Audubon retires fromteaching—Their plans to return to England—Meeting with PresidentJackson and Edward Everett | [420] |
| CHAPTER XXV | |
| Audubon's Letterpress and Its Rivals | |
| Settlement in London—Starts on canvassing tour with his wife—Changeof plans—In Edinburgh—Discovery of MacGillivray—Hishand in the Ornithological Biography—Rival editions of Wilsonand Bonaparte—Brown's extraordinary Atlas—Reception of theBiography—Joseph Bartholomew Kidd and the Ornithological Gallery—InLondon again | [437] |
ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOLUME I
| Audubon. After a photograph of a cast of the intaglio cut by John C. King in 1844. Embossed medallion | [Cover] |
| Audubon. After the engraving by C. Turner, A.R.A., of the miniature on ivory painted by Frederick Cruikshank about 1831; "London. Published Jan. 12, 1835, for the Proprietor [supposed to have been the engraver, but may have been Audubon or Havell], by Robert Havell, Printseller, 77, Oxford Street." Photogravure | [Frontispiece] |
| PAGE | |
| Statue of Audubon by Edward Virginius Valentine in Audubon Park, New Orleans | [Facing 14] |
| The Audubon Monument in Trinity Cemetery, New York, on Children's Day, June, 1915 | [Facing 14] |
| Les Cayes, Haiti: the wharf and postoffice | [Facing 40] |
| Les Cayes, Haiti: the market and Church of Sacré Cœur | [Facing 40] |
| First page of the bill rendered by Dr. Sanson, of Les Cayes, Santo Domingo, to Jean Audubon for medical services from December 29, 1783, to October 19, 1785 | [Facing 54] |
| Second page of the Sanson bill, bearing, in the entry for April 26, 1785, the only record known to exist of the date of Audubon's birth | [Facing 55] |
| Third page of the Sanson bill, signed as accepted by Jean Audubon, October 12, 1786, and receipted by the doctor, when paid, June 7, 1787 | [Facing 59] |
| Audubon's signature at various periods. From early drawings, legal documents and letters | [Facing 63] |
| Lieutenant Jean Audubon and Anne Moynet Audubon. After portraits painted between 1801 and 1806, now at Couëron | [Facing 78] |
| Jean Audubon. After a portrait painted by the American artist Polk, at Philadelphia, about 1789 | [Facing 78] |
| Jean Audubon's signature. From a report to the Directory of his Department, when acting as Civil Commissioner, January to September, 1793 | [79] |
| Certificate of Service which Lieutenant Audubon received upon his discharge from the French Navy, February 26, 1801 | [84] |
| "Mill Grove" in 1835 (about). After a water-color painting by Charles Wetherill | [Facing 102] |
| "Mill Grove," Audubon, Pennsylvania, as it appears to-day | [Facing 102] |
| "Mill Grove" farmhouse, west front, as it appears to-day | [Facing 110] |
| "Fatland Ford," Audubon, Pennsylvania, the girlhood home of Lucy Bakewell Audubon | [Facing 110] |
| Early drawings of French birds, 1805, hitherto unpublished: the male Reed Bunting ("Sedge Sparrow"), and the male Redstart | [Facing 128] |
| Receipt given by Captain Sammis of the Polly to Audubon and Ferdinand Rozier for their passage money from Nantes to New York, May 28, 1806 | [134] |
| "La Gerbetière," Jean Audubon's country villa at Couëron, France, and the naturalist's boyhood home | [Facing 136] |
| "La Gerbetière" and Couëron, as seen from the highest point in the commune, windmill towers on the ridge overlooking Port Launay, on the Loire | [Facing 142] |
| "La Gerbetière," as seen when approached from Couëron village by the road to Port Launay | [Facing 142] |
| Port Launay on the Loire | [Facing 142] |
| Beginning of the "Articles of Association" of John James Audubon and Ferdinand Rozier, signed at Nantes, March 23, 1806 | [Facing 146] |
| First page of a power of attorney granted by Jean Audubon, Anne Moynet Audubon and Claude François Rozier to John James Audubon and Ferdinand Rozier, Nantes, April 4, 1806 | [Facing 152] |
| Signatures of Jean Audubon, Anne Moynet Audubon, Dr. Chapelain and Dr. Charles d'Orbigny to a power of attorney granted to John James Audubon and Ferdinand Rozier, Couëron, November 20, 1806 | [Facing 153] |
| Early drawings of French birds, 1805, hitherto unpublished: the European Crow, with detail of head of the Rook, and the White Wagtail | [Facing 174] |
| Early drawing in crayon point of the groundhog, 1805, hitherto unpublished | [Facing 182] |
| Water-color drawing of a young raccoon, 1841 | [Facing 182] |
| Alexander Wilson | [Facing 212] |
| William Bartram | [Facing 212] |
| The "twin" Mississippi Kites of Wilson and Audubon, the similarity of which inspired charges of misappropriation against Audubon | [Facing 228] |
| Audubon's signature to the release given to Ferdinand Rozier on the dissolution of their partnership in 1811 | [242] |
| Ferdinand Rozier in his eighty-fifth year (1862) | [Facing 246] |
| Rozier's old store at Ste. Geneviève, Kentucky | [Facing 246] |
| Letter of Audubon to Ferdinand Rozier, signed "Audubon & Bakewell," and dated October 19, 1813, during the first partnership under this style | [Facing 246] |
| Audubon's Mill at Henderson, Kentucky, since destroyed, as seen from the bank of the Ohio River | [Facing 254] |
| An old street in the Couëron of today | [Facing 264] |
| "Les Tourterelles," Couëron, final home of Anne Moynet Audubon, and the resting-place of exact records of the naturalist's birth and early life | [Facing 264] |
| Early drawings of American birds, 1808-9, hitherto unpublished: the Belted Kingfisher and the Wild Pigeon | [Facing 292] |
| Bayou Sara Landing, West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana, at the junction of Bayou Sara and the Mississippi River | [Facing 314] |
| Scene on Bayou Sara Creek, Audubon's hunting ground in 1821 | [Facing 314] |
| Road leading from Bayou Sara Landing to the village of St. Francisville, West Feliciana Parish | [Facing 318] |
| "Oakley," the James Pirrie plantation house near St. Francisville, where Audubon made some of his famous drawings while acting as a tutor in 1821 | [Facing 318] |
| An early letter of Audubon to Edward Harris, written at Philadelphia, July 14, 1824 | [332] |
| Note of Dr. Samuel Latham Mitchell, written hurriedly in pencil, recommending Audubon to his friend, Dr. Barnes, August 4, 1824 | [337] |
| Crayon portrait of Miss Jennett Benedict, an example of Audubon's itinerant portraiture. After the original drawn by Audubon at Meadville, Pennsylvania, in 1824 | [Facing 342] |
| Miss Eliza Pirrie, Audubon's pupil at "Oakley" in 1821. After an oil portrait | [Facing 342] |
| Early drawing of the "Frog-eater," Cooper's Hawk, 1810, hitherto unpublished | [Facing 348] |
| Pencil sketch of a "Shark, 7 feet long, off Cuba," from Audubon's Journal of his voyage to England in 1826 | [Facing 348] |
| First page of Audubon's Journal of his voyage from New Orleans to Liverpool in 1826 | [Facing 349] |
| Cock Turkey, The Birds of America, Plate I. After the original engraving by W. H. Lizars, retouched by Robert Havell. Color | [Facing 358] |
| Title page of the original edition of The Birds of America, Volume II, 1831-1834 | [381] |
| The Prothonotary Warbler plates, The Birds of America, Plate XI, bearing the legends of the engravers, W. H. Lizars and Robert Havell, Jr., but identical in every other detail of engraving | [Facing 384] |
| Reverse of panels of Robert Havell's advertising folder reproduced on facing insert | [386] |
| Outside engraved panels of an advertising folder issued by Robert Havell about 1834. After the only original copy known to exist | [386] |
| Inside engraved panels of Robert Havell's advertising folder, showing the interior of the "Zoölogical Gallery," 77 Oxford Street | [Facing 387] |
| Reverse of panels of Robert Havell's advertising folder, reproduced on facing insert | [387] |
| Title page of Audubon's Prospectus of The Birds of America for 1831 | [391] |
| English Pheasants surprised by a Spanish Dog. After a painting by Audubon in the American Museum of Natural History | [Facing 394] |
| Letter of William Swainson to Audubon, May, 1828 | [402] |
| Audubon. After an oil portrait, hitherto unpublished, painted about 1826 by W. H. Holmes | [Facing 412] |
| Part of letter of Charles Lucien Bonaparte to Audubon, January 10, 1829 | [417] |
| Mrs. Dickie's "Boarding Residence," 26 George Street, Edinburgh, where Audubon painted and wrote in 1826-27, and in 1830-31 | [Facing 438] |
| The Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. After an old print | [Facing 438] |
| Title page of the Ornithological Biography, Volume I | [441] |