MEMOIR OF THE LATE \VM. THOMPSON, ESQ. XI 



adds that he was fond of reading poetry, particularly the works of our 

 great Dramatist. 



Information still more detailed and more ample respecting the same 

 period, has fortunately been obtained from one who had been Thompson's 

 chosen playmate in childhood, his comrade at school, his companion in 

 the same office when at business, and his friend in maturer years. This 

 gentleman, Mr. William Sinclaire, had emigrated to America with his 

 family, a few years prior to ]Mr. Thompson's death. When this little 

 memoir was contemplated, application was made to him for reminiscences 

 of the character and habits of his departed friend during the early period 

 of his life, and he Avas more especially requested to give such particulars 

 as he could furnish, as to the period when a fondness for Natural History 

 pursuits first became apparent. To this request he had the kindness to 

 reply, in two letters so creditable to himself, and so highly characteristic 

 of his friend Thompson, that they are given almost entire. 



LETTER I. 



West Hoboken, N. J., 



January 26, 1853. 



" The death of my poor friend in his very prime gave me much sorrow, 

 and it was so little anticipated, that I could hardly realize that William 

 Thompson was dead. I shall do everything in my power to elucidate the 

 life of my oldest friend, even from his boyish days. 



" William Thompson and I were at school together for several years, 

 during all which time he never evinced the remotest taste for those pur- 

 suits to which he devoted himself with such ardour at an after period, and 

 he passed through the different branches of an education, such as it Mas 

 in those days, with nothing more than average ability, nothing very bril- 

 liant, and in no respect ever dull. In regard also to the various sports and 

 pastimes common to boys at that period, he never showed much aptitude, 

 especially for such as required much muscular exertion. After leaving 

 school, and in, I should think, his sixteenth year, he came into my father's 

 office to learn the linen Inisiness, which I had been at some time previously. 

 Here he came into immediate contact with my ornithological pursuits, the 

 taste for which was, I may say, in me decidedly innate, as my earliest 

 perceptions were drawn towards the flights of swallows as seen from the 

 nursery windows, Avhere I have spent many an hour in the summer 

 evenings of my earliest days. At the time above alluded to I had com- 

 menced forming a collection of stuffed birds, and an old edition of ' Be- 

 wick's British Birds,' which was lent me by Dr. Drummond, was at the 

 time in my office drawer, and at all leisure moments in constant use both 

 for study and reference ; it was therefore a very natural consequence that 

 W. T., who was my sporting companion, should take some interest in the 

 pursuit he saw me attending to with considerable ardour, and when the 

 spoils of the day were brought home he began to be interested in identi- 

 fying the species acquired ; and the above volume of Bewick, with its 

 beautiful and characteristic illustrations, gradually brought about in my 

 friend a taste for birds, so that he then jjurchased a more recent edition 

 of the work in two volumes, which thenceforth became our only work of 

 reference. At this period, and for two or three years, he spent the sum- 

 mer in Holywood with the family, coming up to town every morning for 

 business during the day, and returning Iti the evening for dinner. During 



