Ryder Street St. James
London 17th Decr. 1842.
My dear MR. Audubon,
I have this morning received your letter of the 28th. Novr. last, and as it is strictly a letter of business, I reply to its various parts immediately.
About a month ago I received a note from Mr. Phillips to say that he had received the Plates of the first number of your work on the Quadrupeds of America—would I come and look at them, and would I exhibit them at the meetings of the Societies I belonged to for the promotion of Natural History. I went to see them, and have with pleasure exhibited them at the Linnean Society on the third Tuesday in Novr. and at the Scientific evening, as well as the monthly general meeting of the Zoological Society, both of which occurred early in Decr. and I then returned the 5 Plates to Mr. Phillips—They were very much admired but I did not obtain any request for a supply.
In reference to your next request, I must decline any connection with the sale or publication of this, or indeed any other foreign work, in this country. The truth is, that having now been in the business nearly forty years, I begin to be tired of work; the last part of my History of British Birds will be published on the 1st of June 1843; with that part I shall give up my pen, and write for money no more.
You are kind enough to give me some credit for experience as a publisher, and some knowledge of the persons who are likely to be purchasers of works on Natural History here—My conviction is that you would gain more by paying full commission to an established Bookseller in London who would by advertising make your works known, and where they might be obtained—than you will by the best efforts of any private friend, even though his kindness should induce him to take all the trouble for nothing.
You say nothing about your family. I hope they are all well.
I remain, Dear Sir,
Yours very truly
Wm Yarrell.
J. J. Audubon Esqr.
77 William Street.
New York.
In the following letter to Spencer Baird, Audubon was able to outline more fully his final plans for the western journey: