WILSON AND CONTEMPORARY AMERICANS 'J^ 



ent-looking frame house, I found this extraordi- 

 nary man, sitting wrapped in a nightgown, the 

 table before him covered with newspapers, with 

 pen and ink beside him. Paine's face would have 

 excellently suited the character of Bardolph ; but 

 the penetration and intelligence of his eye bespeaks 

 the man of genius, and of the world. He com- 

 plained to me of his inability to walk, an exercise 

 he was formerly fond of; he examined my book, 

 leaf by leaf, with great attention — desired me to 

 put his name down as a subscriber," and then re- 

 quested to be remembered to some friends that he 

 and Wilson had in common. The ornithologist 

 remembered the meeting with evident pleasure. 



From Wilson's letters we also learn that he 

 knew General Wade Hampton and was a friend 

 of the ill-fated but distinguished Governor of 

 Louisiana, Meriwether Lewis of the famous 

 Lewis-Clark Expedition.* 



It was in the winter of 1808 in Washington that 

 Wilson first met General James Wilkinson, and a 

 few months later he called on him again in 

 Charleston, South Carolina, and received from 

 him twelve dollars on his subscription to the "Or- 

 nithology," which he says was "the first fruits" 

 of his project. Whatever may have been the 

 faults and failings of Wilkinson, — and they were 

 perhaps many, — he deserves some charity from 

 us for this deed of kindness which he did to our 

 first American ornithologist when he so much 

 needed encouragement. 



* See "History of the Expedition under Command of Lewis and 

 Clark," by Elliott Coues; Frances P. Harper, New York, 1893. 



