ILLUSTRATIONS. 8l 



A young moose has been lately exhibited at Albany as a show. It is hoped 

 that some of the scientific gentlemen of that city have directed their particular 

 attention to it. 



17. ^ 



The able editors of the American Medical and Philosophical Register, know 

 ing my partiality for this distinguished naturalist, requested me to write a re- 

 view of the five last volumes of his American Ornithology. This request I com 

 plied with, although fully sensible of my un fitness for the task. As this review 

 contains a full statement of my viH- of mr. Wilson's great work, it may not be 

 improper to insert it in this note. 



[From the, American Medical and Ptdlosophical Register., re?. 4.] 



AMERICAN- ORNITHOLOGY; or the Natural History of th* Birds of the United 

 States : illustrated nitk plates, engraved and colored from original dranlng* 

 taken from nature. By ALEXANDER WILSON. Philadelphia. Inskeep & 

 Bradford. Imperial 4to. vols. 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, nml Cth. About 120 pages 

 each: 181214. 



THE author of the American Ornithology having closed his earthly career 

 before he finished that important work, the task of completing the ninth and 

 last volume, devolved upon his friend and executor, mr. George Ord, who has 

 prefixed to it an interesting biography of mr. Wilson. Having, on former occa- 

 sions, noticed several of the volumes, it now remains for us to pay the last trib- 

 ute of respect to a man whom we esteem, and to an author whose worts v. iii 

 always occupy an important rank among the writings on Natural History. 



The life of mr. Wilson exhibits the complete triumph of genius over the wani 

 of education, and of persevering industry over the evils of poverty. Without 

 any other reliance than on hi* own faculties, and with a force of exertion which 

 notliing could check or retard, he has obtained a celebrity in science to which 

 few men, in this country, can aspire ; although many may be more highly favor- 

 ed wfth the endowments of genius, and more extensively gifted with the aavanti 

 ges of early education, and the bounties of fortune. The life of Wilson shows, con- 

 clusively, that the temple of fame is open to the most humble individual in 

 the community, if he only attempts it with zeal and industry and with a judi- 

 cious selection of the part which he intends to act on the theatre of the world : 

 and it may not be amiss to add, in opposition to the complaints of his biogra- 

 pher, that notwithstanding he experienced, in some few instances, the sights 

 >? i;morance, and the srierrrs of impertinence, yet that a liberal and enlightened 



T. 



