29 



but not often, especially in later \-ears. His belief was. that God now 

 gives to man all the aifls for spiritual enlightenment that He did in the 

 times of the prophets and the apostles, and that these are full and suffi- 

 cient. '-If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children. 

 how much more shall 3'our Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to 

 them that ask Him." There is nothing, he said, in the New Testa- 

 ment to favor the idea that this Divine illumination should stop in 

 that generation. But the aid of this Divine Spirit he did not believe 

 came in sensible feelings and agitating emotions. It is an aid we re- 

 ceive in the ordinary exercise of our mental powers, we know not when 

 nor how; and its fruits are to be determined only by their correctness 

 and acknowledged excellence on a calm review. It is a solemn belief 

 for a man to regai'd himself as standing in the same relation to God 

 and to his fellow-man as did Isaiah and Paul, and that he has equal 

 responsibilities, providing his talents, his means of usefulness, are equal. 

 This is a powerfully operating religious sentiment, and Dr. Wilson's fiith 

 was approved and recommended by his works. 



It is well known that in memoirs and biographies nothing can por- 

 tray a man's character so truly and so satisfactorily as his own private 

 letters. We are therefore happy to avail ourselves of some notes which 

 he addressed to a member of the Entomological Society, and they are 

 the more valuable because thev are on common everv-day matters. It 

 will be seen with what ease and facility he attends to the small details 

 of the Society's affairs, and how he was as careful of minor particulars 

 as of great and momentous concerns. The beginnings and endings of 

 all the notes except one are omitted, as they are all the same. 



Philadelphia, Xoveinher 1, 1859. 



Pear Sir — Nearly a month ago I received your favor of Ootober 3d, and in- 

 tended to call ujjon j'ou, but an accident by which one of my knees was sprained 

 a few days afterwards, placed it out of my power to do so. 



On my arrival in the city this afternoon I received your note of October 29th. 

 This week I shall be at my rooms this evening and to-morrow ("Wednesday; 

 evening, when I shall be glad to see the Committee of the Entomological Soci- 

 ety. If not convenient this week. I shall be at my rooms on Wednesday even- 

 ing of next week only, as I dine on Tuesday of next week with the Historical 

 Society at Bethlehem. Yours, respectfully, 



THOMAS B. "WILSON. 



In the next note it will be seen with what delicate address he lejids 

 the Entomological Society out of its old determination not to form or 

 support a Museum of Insects. He did not make the proud sensational 

 announcement that if they acceded to his views, he would give them 

 some tens of thousands of dollars, and devote to the Society several 



