OF WILSON. 

 TO MR. F. A. MICHAUX. 



Philadelphia^ June, 6th, 1812. 

 " My dear friend, 



" I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from you, dated 

 April 10, 1812; but living at Mr. Bartram's, I have not yet 

 seen Mr. Correa, the gentleman who brought it over. I have 

 also had the great satisfaction of examining the plates of your 

 four numbers of Forest Trees, which are beautifully executed; 

 and I regret most sincerely that my little knowledge of the 

 French language! prevents me from perusing with equal satis- 

 faction, the interesting particulars you relate of their history. I 

 expected long before this to be able to congratulate you on the 

 publication of a translation of your work here, and I announced 

 the same in the preface to one of my volumes; but sorry I am 

 to inform you, that no steps have yet been taken to put that 

 design in execution, and I fear none will be taken for many 

 months to come. Unless there be an evident certainty of profit, 

 booksellers, in general, are very indifferent to publish works 

 of any kind, however great their merits may be; and the poor 

 author's feelings are little regarded. Few men have known 

 this more experimentally than myself. I have sacrificed every 

 thing to publish my Ornithology have written six volumes 

 and am engaged on the seventh. * * * 



" I have frequently conversed with Mr. Bradford about pub- 

 lishing a translation of your Forest Trees; and you may rest as- 

 sured that, should it be undertaken, I will use all my influence 

 in its favour. Were you here yourself, I have no doubt but it 

 would be undertaken, and I think with success, for all who 

 have seen it admire it. I procured our good friend, Mr. Wm. 



} Wilson's ignorance of French was a great disadvantage to him; and he 

 never ceased to regret his want of instruction in a tongue, which is con- 

 sidered not only important to the scholar, but indispensable to the naturalist. 

 The number of works, in the various departments of Natural History, which 

 France annually produces, is truly astonishing; and fortunate is that student 

 whose acquirements in her language enable him to profit of the knowledge 

 of this illustrious nation. 



