LIFE OF WILSON. xxxi 



the '' Port Folio," of the " Rural Walk," with some " commendations of its 

 beauties;" but I must confess that my perspicacity has not enabled me to 

 detect them. 



The then editor of the " Port Folio," Mr. Dennie, enjoyed the reputation 

 of being a man of taste and judgment; and the major part of his selections 

 should seem to prove that his character, in these respects, was well founded. 

 But with regard to the poem in question, I am totally at a loss to discover 

 by what principles of criticism he judged it, seeing that his opinion of it will 

 by no means accord with mine. The initial stanza, which is not an unfair 

 specimen of the whole, runs thus : 



" The summer sun was riding high, 



The woods in deepest verdure drest ; 

 From care and clouds of dust to fly, 

 Across yon bubbling brook I past." 



The reader of classical poetry may well pardon me if, out of an effusion 

 consisting of forty-four stanzas, I save him the task of perusing any more than 

 one. 



To Mr. Lawson. 



"Gray's Ferrt, August 14th, 1804. 

 " Dear Sir, 



" Enclosed is a copy of the ' Solitary Tutor,' which I should like to see 

 in the ' Literary Magazine' of this month, along with the other poem which 

 I sent the editor last week. Wishing, for my future benefit, to call the public 

 attention to these pieces, if, in the editor's opinion, they should seem worthy 

 of it, I must request the favor of you to converse with him on this subject. 

 You know the numerous pieces I am in possession of, would put it in my 

 power to support tolerably well any recommendation he might bestow on these ; 

 and while they would not, I trust, disgrace the pages of his valuable publica- 

 tion, they might serve as my introduction to the literary world, and as a sort 

 of inspiration to some future and more finished attempts. Knowing that you 

 will freely pardon the quantum of vanity that suggested these hints, 

 " I remain, with real regard, &c." 



To Mr. Wm. Bartram. 



"Union School, September 17th, 1804. 



"The second volume of Pinkerton's Geography has at length made its 

 appearance; and I take the freedom of transmitting it, and the atlas, for your 

 amusement. To condemn so extensive a work before a re-perusal, or without 

 taking into consideration all the difficulties that were to be surmounted, is, 

 perhaps, not altogether fair. Yet we almost always form our judgment from 

 the first impressions, and this judgment is very seldom relinquished. You 

 will, therefore, excuse nie if I give you some of the impressions made on 

 my.self by a cursory perusal. 



" Taking it all in all, it i.s certainly the best treatise on the subject hitherto 

 published; though had the author extended his plan, and, instead of two, 

 given us four volumes, it would not frequently have laid him under the neces- 



