54 LEADING AMERICAN MEN OF SCIENCE 



Wilmington and thence to Philadelphia through virgin forest 

 most of the way, past log cabins, and occasional farms. "On 

 the way," Wilson writes to his parents, "I did not observe one 

 bird such as those in Scotland but all much richer in color . . . 

 some red birds, several of which I shot for our curiosity." This 

 quotation is worthy of note as it shows an early interest in birds 

 and an appreciation of the difference in the avi-fauna of the two 

 countries. At the same time we find no further mention of birds 

 in his correspondence for many years. 



The two weavers found no opening for men of their trade in 

 Philadelphia and seem to have been compelled to accept any kind 

 of employment that was offered. Wilson, always of a delicate 

 constitution and unfitted for hard labor, succeeded in securing a 

 school first at Frankford and later at Milestown, a short distance 

 north of the city. The requisites of the country schoolmaster 

 were not very severe at this time, and as Wilson wrote a good hand 

 and had always been a reader his education, in spite of early short- 

 comings, was apparently fully equal to the calls made upon it. 

 With the idea of advancing in this profession he seems to have 

 been constantly endeavoring to improve himself in mathematics 

 and other studies in which he recognized himself as deficient. 



His particular friend at this period of his life was Charles Orr, 

 a writing master in Philadelphia and a man of studious nature 

 with whom Wilson maintained an active correspondence. His 

 letters of September, 1800, show that he had been forced to relin- 

 quish his school on account of ill health, but at the earnest request 

 of the trustees agreed to try it again. "I was attached to the chil- 

 dren and to the people," he wrote, "and if they would allow me 

 one week more to ramble about, I would once more engage, though 

 I should die in their service. My request was immediately acceded 

 to, and I am once more the dominie of Milestown school." Later 

 he writes, "I have begun the old way again and have about thirty 

 scholars. I study none and take my morning and evening ramble 

 regularly. Do you spend any of your leisure hours with the 

 puzzling chaps, algebra and trigonometry, etc., or are you wholly 

 absorbed in the study of mechanics ? You must write me particu- 



