13-1 The Wilson Bulletin— No. 64. 



sigf.hing- for a husband. . . . Mr. Sterne says, devoid of, a hu- 

 man being is undeserving the name of man. That is. to write 

 a book, plant a tree, beget a child (I ought to have said, marry 

 a wife first), build a house, and learn something every day that 

 he did not before know." 



A short time passes before he writes in very different strain 

 to his friend Orr under the date of May 1st, 1801 : "I have 

 matters to lay before you that have almost distracted me. . . . 

 1 have no friend but yourself, and one whose friendship has 

 involved us both in ruin, or threatens tO' do so." Three separate 

 poems of no merit whatever, in which "Lavinia" seems to be 

 the inspiration ; one boldly addressed "to a young lady" ; and 

 his sudden withdrawal from Milestown, follow. It is evident 

 that his afifections had been won by a lady already married, 

 whose name is carefully concealed by the Rev. Grosart, but as 

 Dr. James Southall Wilson ^ says, he appears to have left the 

 place with honor and discretion as soon as he realized its exist- 

 ence ; although he implored his Philadelphia friend to send him 

 tidings of the state of mind of his sweetheart : " Jtdy 2, 1801, 

 Bloomfield, near Newark, New Jersey. ... I have no company, 

 and live unknowing and unknown. I have lost all relish for 

 this country, and, if heaven spares me, I shall soon see the 

 shores of old Caledonia. ... In the meantime I request you, my 

 dear friend, to oblige nx in one thing if you wish me well. Go 



out on Saturday to 's and try to get intelligence how 



Mrs. 's family comes on, without letting any one 



know that you have heard from me. Get all the particulars 



you can, what is said of me, and how Mrs. is, and 



every other information, and write me fully. I assure you I am 

 very wretched, and this would give me the greatest satisfac- 

 tion. will tell you everything, but mention nothing 



of me to anybody on any account. Conceal nothing that you 

 hear, but inform me of everything. My dear friend, I beg you 

 will oblige me in this. I am very miserable on this unfortu- 

 nate account." "July 23, 1801, Bloomfield. My Dear Friend. 

 I received yours last evening. O how blessed it is to have one 

 friend on whose afifection, in the day of adversity, we can con- 

 ^ Alexander Wilson, Poet-Naturalist. 



