The Oologist. 



VOL. X. ALBION, N. 



SCENES FROM THE LIFE OF ALEXANDER 

 WILSON. 



The First Volume of the American Ornithology 



G. Vjbooman Smith. 



VII. 



We now come to that period in Wil- 

 son's life to which he looked forward, 

 from the time he entered upon the pro- 

 fession of an orni hologist with anxious 

 expectancy. The time when he was to 

 see his fondest hopes realized— the pub- 

 lication of his American Ornithology. 

 The year 1807 wrought important 

 changes in the career of Wilson. Mr. 

 Bradford, a publisher in Philadelphia, 

 contemplated publishing an edition of 

 Ree's cyclopaedia and was looking about 

 for an assistant editor. Wilson was re- 

 commended to him as a person well 

 qualified to superintend the work and 

 his services were immediately secured. 

 He entered upon his new duties prompt- 

 ly and with all his heart. At last he 

 had emerged from the obscurity as 

 teacher of country school and was en- 

 gaged in au employment which gave 

 him abundant opportunity of making 

 the acquaintance of learned men. 



Led by the desire of beholding the 

 maturity of his plans at once, he had 

 not been long in the employment of 

 Mr. Bradford before he made known to 

 him the desire of his heart. Mr. Brad- 

 ford needed nothing further than an 

 explanation of the nature aud object of 

 the work to convince him of its inevit- 

 able success if published. He readily 

 consented to become the publisher and 

 furthermore agreed to bear the neces- 

 sary expenses for an edition of two 

 hundred copies. What transpired in 

 Wilson's mind when he received the 



Y., OCT., 1893. NO. 10 



approbation of this influential person 

 may be better imagined than realized. 

 The darling hope of his life now seemed 

 within reach- the publication of his 

 ornithology in a manner answering to 

 his imaginations and desires. 



With the support of Mr. Bradford 

 and the indefatigable labor of Wilson 

 the work progressed rapidly. He re- 

 lioguished his position of assistant edit- 

 or of the cyclopaedia aud lent all his ef- 

 forts to his own work. His only means 

 of support now was that received from 

 the coloring of his own plates, and that 

 was far to small to meet the necessities 

 of life. He applied himself so closely 

 to coloring his plates and correcting 

 the imperfections of assistant employ- 

 ees that the hours of rest were encroach- 

 ed upon and the result was, his health 

 became seriously impaired. His friends 

 advised him to travel about; and there- 

 upon in August, 1807 he left Philadel- 

 phia for a tour through the state of 

 Pennsylvania. On this journey he en- 

 larged his collection of specimens and 

 procured much additional information. 

 This pedestrian excursion seemed to 

 have repaired his shattered health for 

 after a few months of roughing it he re- 

 turned to his work with renewed vigor, 

 and devoted every moment to his plates 

 and manusc ripts. 



Another year of incessant toil rolled 

 by before the first volume of the Ameri- 

 can Ornithology with all its splendor 

 and magnificence was given to the 

 world. In September, 1308 the superb 

 volume left the printers and Alexander 

 Wilson with joy as great as the aston- 

 ishment which greeted his efforts,, at 

 last beheld the proud moment of his 

 earlier expectations. America had 

 given to the world au original work in 

 science. A work which could in every 

 way rival the best productions of Eur 



