knowing that his favourable representations of America had been the principal means of inducing his nephew to this perilous step, Wilson instantly set out on foot for New York, a distance of four hundred miles, in order to assist in getting his relations comfortably settled. Having accomplished this object, the generous man returned on foot to the labours of the school-room, accomplishing a distance of eight hundred miles in twenty-eight days; and, from all we can learn, thinking no more of the feat than any other ordinary act of duty.

It was also while residing at Kingsessing that Wilson became acquainted with a kindred spirit of the name of Bartram, an amiable self-taught naturalist, who has been styled the American Linnæus of the period, and whose residence and botanic garden were happily situated in the vicinity of Wilson's schoolhouse. The love of nature, which had always characterised Wilson, here seems to have taken firm root; and from the feelings of general interest with which all the works of God were regarded, gradually rose a predilection for that branch of natural history, the pursuit of which was to immortalise his name. The nature of his employments at this period are beautifully described in a letter to his friend Bartram :—“ I` sometimes smile to think, that while others are immersed in deep schemes of speculation and aggrandisement, in building towns and purchasing

plantations, I am entranced in contemplation over the plumage of a lark, or gazing, like a despairing lover, on the lineaments of an owl. While others are hoarding up their bags of money, without the power of enjoying it, I am collecting, without injuring my conscience or wounding my peace of mind, those beautiful specimens of nature's works that are for ever pleasing. I have had live crows, hawks, and owls; opossums, squirrels, snakes, lizards, &c., so that my room has sometimes reminded me of Noah's ark; but Noah had a wife in one corner of it, and, in this particular, our parallel does not altogether tally. I receive every subject of natural history that is brought to me; and, though they do not march into my ark from all quarters, as they did into that of our great ancestor, yet I find means, by the distribution of a few fivepenny bits, to make them find the way fast enough. A boy not long ago brought me a large basketful of crows. I expect his next load will be bull-frogs, if I don't soon issue orders to the contrary. One of my boys caught a mouse in school, a few days ago, and directly marched up to me with his prisoner. I set about drawing it the same evening, and all the while the pantings of its little heart showed it to be in the most extreme agonies of fear. I had intended to kill it, in order to fix it in the claws of a stuffed owl; but, happening to spill a few drops of water near where it was tied, it lapped it up with such eagerness, and

looked in my face with such an eye of supplicating terror, as perfectly overcame me. I immediately restored it to life and liberty. The agonies of a prisoner at the stake, while the fire and instruments of torture are preparing, could not be more severe than the sufferings of that poor mouse; and, insignificant as the object was, I felt at that moment the sweet sensations that mercy leaves in the mind when she triumphs over cruelty." The first indication of his design to form an ornithological collection is found in a letter to a friend in Paisley, written in June, 1803. He says:-"Close application to the duties of my profession, which I have followed since November, 1795, has deeply injured my constitution; the more so, that my rambling disposition was the worst calculated of any one in the world for the austere regularity of a teacher's life. I have had many pursuits since I left Scotland-mathematics, the German language, music, drawing, &c.; and I am about to make a collection of all our finest birds."

Wilson's first designs, though but faint outlines of the magnificent plan he afterwards conceived, were sufficiently comprehensive to alarm his friends, who sought to dissuade him from an enterprise which, as they represented, and with much truth, only fortune and learned leisure could competently achieve. But the naturalist, having formed his plan, set to work with all the indomitable energy of his character, and in October of

....

"One of my boys caught a mouse in school, a few days ago, and directly marched up to me with his prisoner. I had intended to kill it, in order to fix it in the claws of a stuffed owl; but, happening to spill a few drops of water near where it was tied, it lapped it up with such eagerness, and looked in my face with such an eye of supplicating terror, as perfectly overcame I immediately restored it to life and liberty."-PAGE 212.

me.