416 Biographical Sketch of [Juny, 
while there was a chance of success. His powers of observation 
were very acute, and he seldom erred in judgment when favoured 
with a fair opportunity of investigation. . 
That the industry of Mr. Wilson was great his work will for 
ever testify ; and our astonishment is excited that so much should 
have been performed in so short a time. When we take into con- 
sideration the state of our country, as respects the cultivation of 
science ; and that in the walk of ornithology particularly no one 
deserving the title of a naturalist had yet presumed to tread; when 
we view the labours of foreigners who have interested themselves 
in our natural productions, and find how totally incompetent they 
were, through a deficiency of correct information, to instruct ; and 
then when we reflect'that a single individual, ‘‘ without patron, 
fortune, or recompence,” has accomplished in the short space of 
seven years as much as the combined body of European naturalists 
have taken a century to achieve, we feel almost inclined to doubt 
the evidence of our senses. But it is a fact, which we feel a pride 
in asserting, that we have as faithful, complete, and interesting, an 
account of our birds in the estimable volumes of the American Or- 
nithology, as the Europeans can at this moment boast of possessing 
of theirs. Let those who doubt the correctness of our opinion 
examine for themselves, and determine according to the dictates of 
an unbiassed judgment. 
We need no other evidence of the unparalleled industry of our 
author than the fact that of two hundred and seventy-eight species 
which have been figured and described in his ornithology,* jifty- sta 
of these have not been noticed by any former naturalist ; and several 
of the latter number are so extremely rare, that the specimens 
- from which the figures were taken were the only ones that he was 
ever enabled to obtain. The collection and discovery of these birds 
were the fruits of many months of unwearied research amongst 
forests, swamps, and. morasses, exposed to all the dangers, priva- 
tions, and fatigues, incident to such an undertaking. What but a 
remarkable passion for the pursuit, joined with the desire of fame, 
could have supported a solitary individual in labours of body and 
mind, compared to which the bustling avocations of common life 
are mere holiday activity or recreation ! 
Independently on that part of his work which was Mr. Wilson’s 
particular province, viz. the drawing of his subjects and their his- 
tories, he was necessitated to occupy much of his time in colouring 
the plates; his sole resource for support being in that employment, 
as his duties as assistant editor of the Cyclopaedia had ceased. This 
is a circumstance much to be regretted, as the work would have 
progressed more rapidly if he could have avoided that confining 
drudgery. ‘The principal difficulty, in effect, attending this work, 
and that which caused its author most uneasiness, was the colouring 
of the plates. If this could have been done solely by himself; or, 
* The whole number of birds figured is 320, 
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