LIFE OF WILSON. clxix 



" This Monument 



Covers the Remains of 



ALEXANDER WILSON, 



Author of the 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 

 He was Born in Renfrewshire, Scotland, 



On the 6 July, 1766; 

 Emigrated to the United States 



In the Year 1794; 

 And Died in Philadelphia 



Of the Dysentery, 



On the 23 August, 1813, 



Aged 47." 



I shall now offer some brief remarks upon those writings of 

 Wilson, which have fallen under my notice; and in the per- 

 formance of this task, it will become my duty to speak of a 

 work, which I had hoped would be permitted to lie in obli- 

 vion, but which either the indiscreet partiality of friends, or 

 the avarice of a publisher, has lately dragged forth to the view 

 of the public. From the volume which the author published 

 himself, in the year 1791, and which is entitled, " Poems, Hu- 

 morous, Satirical and Serious," a selection was made, and pub- 

 lished, in 1816, at Paisley and at London, under the title of 

 " Poems chiefly in the Scottish dialect; by Alexander Wilson, 

 author of American Ornithology. " When I commenced reading 

 this selection, it was my intention to note its beauties and de- 

 fects; but when I found how greatly the latter predominated, 

 it occurred to me that no good could result from a critical ex- 

 amination of a work which few would read, which contains 

 nothing deserving of applause; and which, if it has hitherto es- 

 caped criticism, it is because it has been deemed unworthy of 

 a deliberate investigation. 



The early writings of but few authors are worthy of being 

 read, except for the purpose of tracing the progress of the mind. 

 When one surveys the work in question with this view, one 

 is astonished to find no indication of that genius which is so 



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