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

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.

To repay evils with kindness is the religion I was taught to practise, and this will forever be my rule.

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

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.

I discover that my friends think only of my apparel, and those upon whom I have conferred acts of kindness prefer to remind me of my errors.

I looked long and carefully at the picture of a stag painted by Landseer - the style was good, and the brush was handled with fine effect, but he fails in copying Nature, without which the best work will be a failure.