John James Audubon famous quotes

Hunting, fishing, drawing, and music occupied my every moment. Cares I knew not, and cared naught about them.
-- John James Audubon

#Hunting #Fishing #Drawing

A true conservationist is a man who knows that the world is not given by his fathers, but borrowed from his children.
-- John James Audubon

#Nature #Children #Father

In my deepest troubles, I frequently would wrench myself from the persons around me and retire to some secluded part of our noble forests.
-- John James Audubon

#Noble #Forests #Trouble

The worse my drawings were, the more beautiful did the originals appear.
-- John James Audubon

#Beautiful #Drawing

All trembling, I reached the Falls of Niagara, and oh, what a scene! My blood shudders still, although I am not a coward, at the grandeur of the Creators power; and I gazed motionless on this new display of the irresistible force of one of His elements.
-- John James Audubon

#Fall #Blood #Coward

Great men show politeness in a particular way; a smile suffices to assure you that you are welcome, and keep about their avocations as if you were a member of the family.
-- John James Audubon

#Men #Way #Welcome

I never for a day gave up listening to the songs of our birds, or watching their peculiar habits, or delineating them in the best way I could.
-- John James Audubon

#Song #Bird #Listening

[Drawing should be] a journey of pleasure. Each step must present to the travellers' view objects that are eminently interesting, varied in their appearances, and attracting to such a degree as to excite in each individual thus happily employed the desire of knowing all respecting all he sees.
-- John James Audubon

#Journey #Views #Drawing

When the bird and the book disagree, believe the bird.
-- John James Audubon

#Believe #Book #Bird

The nature of the place...whether high or low, moist or dry, whether sloping north or south, or bearing tall trees or low shrubs...generally gives hint as to its inhabitants.
-- John James Audubon

#Giving #Tree #Hints

But hopes are shy birds flying at a great distance, seldom reached by the best of guns.
-- John James Audubon

#Distance #Gun #Bird

Almost every day, instead of going to school, I made for the fields, where I spent my day.
-- John James Audubon

#School #Fields #Made

To be a good draftsman was to me a blessing.
-- John James Audubon

#Blessing #Draftsman

. . .nature indifferently copied is far superior to the best idealities.
-- John James Audubon

#Nature

As I grew up I was fervently desirous of becoming acquainted with Nature.
-- John James Audubon

#Nature #Becoming #Grew Up

On the 17th of May, the Delos put out to sea. I was immediately affected with sea-sickness, which, however, lasted but a short time. I remained on deck constantly, forcing myself to exercise.
-- John James Audubon

#Exercise #Sea #May

On landing at New York I caught the yellow fever. The kind man who commanded the ship that brought me from France took charge of me and placed me under the care of two Quaker ladies. To their skillful and untiring care I may safely say I owe my life.
-- John James Audubon

#New York #Men #Two

If I can procure three hundred good substantial names of persons, or bodies, or institutions, I cannot fail to do well for my family, although I must abandon my life to its success, and undergo many sad perplexities and perhaps never see again my own beloved America.
-- John James Audubon

#Names #America #Three

I can scarcely manage to scribble a tolerable English letter. I know that I am not a scholar, but meantime I am aware that no man living knows better than I do the habits of our birds.
-- John James Audubon

#Men #Bird #Letters

A Mocking Bird regularly resorts to the south angle of a chimney top and salutes us with sweetest notes from the rising of the moon until about midnight.
-- John James Audubon

#Art #Moon #Bird

After all, I long to be in America again, nay, if I can go home to return no more to Europe, it seems to me that I shall ever enjoy more peace of mind, and even Physical comfort than I can meet with in any portion of the world beside.
-- John James Audubon

#Home #Europe #America

One day I caught four Dolphins, how much I have gazed at these beautiful creatures... as they changed their hue in twenty varieties of richest arrangement of tints.
-- John James Audubon

#Beautiful #One Day #Dolphins

Thank God it has rained all day. I say thank God, though rain is no rarity, because it is the duty of every man to be thankful for whatever happens by the will of the Omnipotent Creator; yet it was not so agreeable to any of my party as a fine day would have been.
-- John James Audubon

#Party #Rain #Men

My drawings at first were made altogether in watercolors, but they wanted softness and a great deal of finish.
-- John James Audubon

#Drawing #Firsts #Made

During all these years there existed within me a tendency to follow Nature in her walks.
-- John James Audubon

#Years #Tendencies #Walks

I feel fully decided that we should all go to Europe together and to work as if an established Partnership for Life consisting of Husband Wife and Children.
-- John James Audubon

#Children #Husband #Europe

Look at that mallard as he floats on the lake; see his elevated head glittering with emerald green, his amber eyes glancing in the light! Even at this distance, he has marked you, and suspects that you bear no goodwill towards him, for he sees that you have a gun, and he has many a time been frightened by its report, or that of some other. The wary bird draws his feet under his body, springs upon then, opens his wings, and with loud quacks bids you farewell.
-- John James Audubon

#Spring #Distance #Farewell

But the moment a bird was dead, no matter how beautiful it had been in life, the pleasure of possession became blunted for me.
-- John James Audubon

#Beautiful #Bird #Matter

How could I make a little book, when I have seen enough to make a dozen large books?
-- John James Audubon

#Book #Dozen #Littles

Because my father was often absent on naval duty, my mother suffered me to do much as I pleased
-- John James Audubon

#Mother #Father #Duty

I cannot help but think a curious event is this life of mine
-- John James Audubon

#Thinking #Events #Helping

The mercantile business did not suit me
-- John James Audubon

#Suits

I wish I had eight pairs of hands, and another body to shoot the specimens.
-- John James Audubon

#Eight #Hands #Wish

To have been torn from the study would have been as death; my time was entirely occupied with art.
-- John James Audubon

#Art #Study #Torn

Mathematics was hard, dull work. Geography pleased me more. For dancing I was quite enthusiastic.
-- John James Audubon

#Dancing #Dull #Mathematics