LIFE AND CHARACTER 7 



college in Philadelphia.^* Very little else is known about Wil- 

 liam's education. Duyckinck states that William's tutor was 

 Charles Thomson, "" subsequently the honest and spirited repub- 

 lican of the old Continental Congress." ^^ In fact, Thomson 

 was secretary of the Continental Congress until 1789, and was 

 thought of by John Adams as " the Sam Adams of Philadelphia, 

 the life of the cause of liberty." Besides his contribution to the 

 cause of American liberty, his work among the Indians endeared 

 him to all lovers of fair-dealing. In 1756 he was adopted into 

 the Delaware tribe, among whom he was known as the " Truth 

 Teller," '^ just as later his pupil would be adopted by Indian 

 tribes who would lovingly call him " The Flower-Gatherer." 

 The mention of " Billy's " drawing is important. No one can 

 read William Bartram's Travels without feeling that the man 

 had the eye and the soul of a painter. His love and perception 

 of line and color must be traced back to his early proficiency in 

 drawing. In spite of this talent, however, John Bartram was 

 seriously perplexed about his son's career. " My son William," 

 he wrote to CoUinson, " is just turned sixteen. It is now time to 

 propose some way for him to get his living by. I don't want him 

 to be what is commonly called a gentleman. ... I am afraid 

 that botany and drawing will not afford him one. ... I have 

 designed several years to put him to a doctor, to learn physic 

 and surgery; but that will take him from his drawing, which he 

 takes a particular delight in." ^^ 



This reluctance to interfere with his son's natural inclinations 

 is characteristic of John Bartram. He wanted him to learn some 

 profession that would yield him a living, but not at the neglect 

 of a talent which he early recognized as genuine. There is no 

 indication that he himself was able to draw and paint; perhaps 

 because of this he respected his son's ability all the more. His 

 encouragement was helpful. Nor can there be any doubt that 

 the father's own general skill with his hands influenced the son's 



"^ " Sketch of John and WilHam Bartram." Popular Science Monthly, XL 

 (April, 1892), 833. 

 " Op. cit., p. 234. 



^^Encyclopaedia Americana, XXVI, 581. 

 ^'Memorials, 199. 



