84 AIvKXANDER WILSON : POET-NATURALIST 



terests and happiness of an immense Country. 

 These motives are, the most affectionate regard 

 and veneration for your Excellency as the friend 

 of Science and the 'best hope' of virtuous Repub- 

 licans ; and the fond but humble hope of meriting 

 your esteem. 



"Your Excellency's devoted friend and humble 

 Servt 



"Alex Wilson." 



The next episode is the one which has oc- 

 casioned so much bitter criticism from Wilson's 

 biographers. Wilson, seeing in the newspapers 

 that Jefferson designed having the shores of the 

 Mississippi explored, sought to persuade William 

 Bartram to apply with him for a place on the ex- 

 pedition. Failing in this, since Bartram thought 

 himself unable to endure the hardships of travel, 

 he enclosed a letter of recommendation from Bar- 

 tram, who knew Mr. Jefferson, in one of his own, 

 requesting to be sent on "any of these expedi- 

 tions." Three weeks later he wrote his nephew 

 that he had heard nothing from the President and 

 remarked that "no hurry of business could ex- 

 cuse it," if Mr. Jefferson received the letters. 

 This matter is, however, now explained by the let- 

 ters of Jefferson and Wilkinson. The following 

 note shows the esteem in which Jefferson held 

 Wilson as early as 1807: 



"Th : Jefferson having a few days ago only re- 

 ceived a copy of the printed proposals for publish- 

 ing a work on American ornithology by mr. Wil- 



