WII^SON AND CONTEMPORARY AMERICANS 75 



the close friendship that only blossomed with the 

 years. Bartram wrote in a clear, vivid style, and 

 the year or two which Wilson spent at his house 

 in his latter years scarcely drew him into closer 

 contact with the refining influence of the man's 

 character and methods than he had already been 

 brought by his earlier study of his prose. 



C.\V. Peale, the founder of the Peale Museum 

 in Philadelphia, which was then situated in old 

 "Independence Hall," was also able to assist in 

 broadening his acquaintance among helpful peo- 

 ple, and to bring him more markedly into the no- 

 tice of the scientific world. 



If these men living in the same town with him 

 had a more intimate influence on Wilson's life, 

 they are still scarcely more interesting to us than 

 are the noteworthy men that he met in his travels. 

 We have spoken of the presidents and professors 

 of the various colleges, who entertained him with 

 a courtesy which did them credit. There were 

 other men, too, better known than these, who 

 lent to him an encouragement that was no small 

 factor in helping him endure heroically the strug- 

 gles that were necessary before success might be 

 gained. In New York, Dr. Samuel Mitchell, and 

 Scudder of the American Museum, were his 

 friends, and Governor De Witt Clinton both ap- 

 preciated him in life and took pleasure in doing 

 him honor after death. It is pleasing to note 

 this, for it is another Governor of New York, 

 Daniel D. Tompkins, who hurt so deeply Wil- 

 son's feelings by his cold treatment. "He turned 

 over a few pages, looked at a picture or two, 



