Audubon encounters another great mind

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Last week’s piece, an essay, was by John James Audubon’s account of Constantine Samuel Rafinesque, who visited the Audubon home in Kentucky in 1818. Audubon calls him “M. de T” in “The Eccentric Naturalist.” Maybe “eccentric” is the best word, although it just begins to cover the subject. “Lunatic” might do. “Genius” is not out of the question.

Rafinesque was brilliant. He was self-educated. But biology was in its infancy, and so Rafinesque collected specimens, wrote books and became a professor.

He was difficult to deal with. One of his flaws was that he claimed credit for others’ discoveries, and so other naturalists played tricks on him. Rafinesque published a description of the Devil-jack Diamond-fish, a denizen of the Ohio River, based on a description by Audubon. The evidence suggests Audubon made up something bizarre on the suspicion that Rafinesque might lift it.

But Audubon’s account of the man is worth reading.

My favorite part: Audubon got Rafinesque settled in his room. Later that night, the house awoke to a commotion. Rafinesque had kept a candle burning, which attracted insects, which attracted bats. Rafinesque, who slept naked, leapt out of bad and tried to collect a specimen of the flying mammal by bashing one with the nearest object at hand. That was Audubon’s favorite violin.

So went the visit. Such is the story of the communing of great minds.

• Souce: John James Audubon’s “The Eccentric Naturalist” can be found here: https://storyoftheweek.loa.org/2022/04/the-eccentric-naturalist.html