LIFE OF WILSON. cxi 



But the true cause of this extraordinary toil was his poverty. By the terms 

 of agreement with his publisher, he was to furnish at his own cost, all the 

 drawings and literary matter for the work ; and to have the whole under his 

 control and superintendence. The publisher stipulated to find funds for the 

 completion of the volumes. To support the heavy expense of procuring ma- 

 terials, and other unavoidable expenditures, Wilson's only resource, as has been 

 stated, was in coloring the plates. 



In the preface to the fifth volume he observes : " The publication of an 

 original work of this kind, in this country, has been attended with difficulties, 

 great, and, it must be confessed, sometimes discouraging to the author, whose 

 only reward hitherto has been the favorable opinion of his fellow-citizens, and 

 the pleasure of the pursuit. 



" Let but the generous hand of patriotism be stretched forth to assist and 

 cherish the rising arts and literature of our country, and both will most assuredly, 

 and that at no remote period, shoot forth, increase and flourish, with a vigor, a 

 splendor and usefulness, inferior to no other on earth." 



We have here an affirmation that the author had labored without reward, 

 except what was conferred by inefficient praise ; and an eloquent appeal to the 

 generosity and 2Jftt''iotism of his fellow-citizens. Seven illustrious cities disputed 

 the honor of having given birth to the Prince of Epic song. Philadelphia first 

 beheld that phenomenon, the " American Ornithology," rising amidst her 

 boasted opulence, to vindicate the claims of a calumniated portion of creation ; 

 and to furnish her literary pride with a subject of exultation for ages to come. 

 Yet duty calls upon us to record a fact, which may cause our native city to 

 feel the glow of shame. Of all her literati, her men of benevolence, taste and 

 riches, seventy only, to the period of the author's decease, had the liberality 

 to countenance him by a subscription, more than half of whom were tradeamen, 

 artists, and persons of the middle class of society; whilst the little city of New 

 Orleans, in the short space of seventeen dai/s, furnished SIXTY subscribers to 

 the " American Ornithology I" 



Wilson was possessed of the nicest sense of honor. In all his dealings he 

 was not only scrupulously just, but highly generous. His veneration for truth 

 was exemplary. His disposition was social and afi"ectionate. His benevolence 

 was extensive. He was remarkably temperate in eating and drinking, his love 

 of study and retirement preserving him from the contaminating influence of 

 the convivial circle. But as no one is perfect, Wilson in a small degree partook 

 of the weakness of humanity. He was of the genus irritabile, and was obstinate 

 in opinion. It ever gave him pleasure to acknowledge error, when the convic- 

 tion resulted from his own judgment alone, but he could not endure to be t<>1d 

 of his mistakes. Hence his associates had to be sparing of their criticisms, 

 through a fear of forfeiting his friendship. With almost all his friends he had 

 occasionally, arising from a collision of opinion, some slight misunderstanding, 

 which was soon passed over, leaving no disagreeable impression. But an act 

 of disrespect he could ill brook, and a wilful injury he would seldom forgive. 



In his person he was of a middle stature, of a thin habit of body ; his cheek- 

 bones projected, and his eyes, though hollow, displayed considerable vivacity 



