yS ALEXANDER WILSON: POET-NATURAEIST 



The letter written by Wilkinson to Thomas Jef- 

 ferson, which will be presently given, presents 

 very clearly the opinion which General Wilkin- 

 son held of the ornithologist. 



The relation of Wilson with Thomas Jefferson 

 has been dwelt upon with emphasis by almost 

 every one who has essayed anything at all on the 

 former, and the fact that Wilson seems to have 

 received no reply to his request to be sent with 

 Pike on his expedition has been made the text 

 of violent philippics against Jefiferson from Wil- 

 son's earliest biographer, George Ord, down 

 through the list, with one or two exceptions. The 

 letters, which are published here for the first time 

 in full, throw valuable light on the relations which 

 existed between these two remarkable men. Wil- 

 son was no hero-worshiper; on the contrary he 

 was an extremist in his belief in the equality of 

 man. He admired Tom Paine, but likened his 

 nose to that of Bardolph, and though himself hold 

 ing Washington as "our country's glory, pride and 

 boast," he was amused at the enthusiasm with 

 which men adored him. But Jefferson was his 

 hero of heroes : "the enlightened philosopher, — 

 the distinguished naturalist, — the first statesman 

 on earth, the friend, the ornament of science * "^ 

 that father of our country, the faithful guardian 

 of our liberties"; how could he but love him with 

 a love which came almost to worship, since after 

 all these things did Wilson most earnestly seek? 

 To him he was "the best of men" and at his re- 

 election as President he cried out, "This day the 

 heart of every republican, of every good man, 



