cviii LIFE OF WILSON. 



Harbor.* There they remained for nearly four weeks, constantly occupied in 

 collecting materials for the eighth volume, which Wilson had resolved should 

 in no respects fall short of the preceding ; but which should, if possible, enhance 

 his reputation, by the value of its details, and the beauty of its embellishments. 

 Immediately on his return to Philadelphia, he engaged anew in his arduous 

 avocation; and by the month of August he had succeeded in. completing the 

 letter-press of the eighth volume, though the whole of the plates were not 

 finished. But unfortunately his great anxiety to conclude the work, condemned 

 him to an excess of toil, which, inflexible as was his mind, his bodily frame 

 was unable to bear. He was likewise, by this flood of business, prevented from 

 residing in the country, where hours of mental lassitude might have been 

 beguiled by a rural walk, or the rough but invigorating exercise of the gun. 

 At length he was attacked by a disease, which, perhaps, at another period of 

 his life might not have been attended with fatal efi"ects, but which now, in his 

 debilitated state of body, and harassed mind, proved a mighty foe, whose 

 assaults all the combined efi"orts of friendship, science and skill, could not repel. 

 The dysentery, after a sickness of ten days, closed the mortal career of Alexan- 

 der Wilson, on the twenty-third of August, 1813. 



It may not be going too far to maintain, that in no age or nation has there 

 ever arisen one more eminently qualified for a naturalist than the subject of 

 these memoirs. He was not only an enthusiastic admirer of the works of 

 creation, but he was consistent in research ; and permitted no dangers or fatigues 

 to abate his ardor, or relax his exertions. He inured himself to hardships by 

 frequent and laborious exercise ; and was never more happy than when employed 

 in some enterprise, which promised from its difficulties the novelties of disco- 

 very. Whatever was obtained with ease, to him appeared to be attended, 

 comparatively speaking, with small interest : the acquisitions of labor alone 

 seemed worthy of his ambition. He was no closet philosopher — exchanging the 

 frock of activity for the night-gown and slippers. He was indebted for hia 

 ideas, not to books, which err, but to Nature which is infallible ; and the 

 inestimable transcript of her works, which he has bequeathed to us, possesses a 

 charm which aff"ects us the more, the better acquainted we become with the 

 delightful original. His inquisitive habits procured him from others a vast 

 heterogeneous mass of information ; but he had the happy talent of selecting 

 from this rubbish whatever was valuable. His perseverance was uncommon ; 

 and when engaged in pursuit of a particular object, he would never relinquish 

 it, while there was a chance of success. His powers of observation were very 

 acute, and he seldom erred in judgment, when favored with a fair opportunity 

 of investigation. 



Credulity has been aptly termed " the vice of naturalists ;" but it may be 

 said, to the honor of our author, that it would be difficult to find one less 

 infected with this vice than himself. His mind, strongly imbued with common 

 sense, and familiar with the general laws of nature, could not be imposed upon 



* Wilson made six journeys to the coast of New Jersey, in pursuit of water-birds, which 

 abound in the neighborhood of Great Egg Harbor. 



