We will keep all the half Bound Copies of Volume 1st. in America where I hope soon to dispose of them—go on and push the Work with care and all will be well—give our best regards to Havell & his wife & family—I had expected the Death of his Father[25] sometimes—remembrances to our good friend Children, Cuthbutton &c., &c. I will be able to arrange 100 Drawings of Water Birds, ready, and in that finest of style for Publication—Tell Havell I will write to him in a very few Days, and to keep up a good Heart—I hope we will all meet early in the Spring of 1834—
God bless you my Dear Victor: employ your time well and [you] cannot fail being as Happy, at least as it is possible to be, far away from your Dear Mother, John & Your ever affectionate Father & Friend,
John J. Audubon
Send the Gun & Drawing Paper of N—Largest & Middle Size as quick as possible—
[Addressed] Victor G. Audubon Esqr.,
Care of
Robt. Havell, Esqr.,
Engraver,
77 Oxford Street,
London.
While at Boston in the winter of 1833, Audubon obtained from the proprietor of the New England Museum, in Court Street, a superb specimen of the Golden Eagle, which had been caught in the White Mountains in a trap set for foxes. Possessed with a desire to depict this noble bird, he worked so hard at the drawing that, as he said, it nearly cost him his life; he was suddenly seized with "a spasmodic affection," which prostrated him for a time and greatly alarmed his family, but thanks to a strong constitution and to the aid of his medical friends, Doctors Parkman, Warren and Shattuck, the crisis was averted, and he was soon able to continue his labors. "The drawing of this Eagle," said the naturalist, "took me fourteen days, and I had never before laboured so incessantly excepting at that of the Wild Turkey." He was at work on this painting when the following letter[26] was dispatched to his eldest son:
Audubon to his Son, Victor
Boston.
Feb. 5th 1833.
My dear friends
I am just now quite fatigued by the drawing of a Golden Eagle which although it will make a splendid plate has cost me sixty hours of the severest labor I have experienced since I drew the Wild Turkey. You shall I hope see it through the care of Mr. Gordon.[27] Do not ever ship any more Nos. to this port unless on vessels that are intended as packets. The Charlotte has not come and it will be a rubber if I can get enough cash to establish our going to Labrador until she does. Push Jos. B. Kidd of Edinburgh if he can be pushed to paint copies of our drawings. I look on that series as of great importance to us all. Havell's blunder in not having the numbers and paper on board the New York in time, is one which, with him I can never correct. If you can do more than I on this score of punctuality I will be gratified. I shall proceed to New York as soon as the weather moderates, on Sunday last the thermom. was 12 below zero. The work is now I am assured free of duty. When you write give a word of recollection to Dr. Parkman who is a most desirable and worthy friend.