xxxri LIFE OF WILSON. 



abounding, at the same time, with observations and reflections not unworthy of 

 a philosopher. 



" The sketch of your father's life, with the extracts from his letters, I read 

 with much pleasure. They will remain lasting monuments of the worth and 

 respectability of the father, as well as of the filial affection of the son. 



" The description of the Choctaw Bonepickers is a picture so horrible, -that 

 I think nothing can exceed it. Many other pieces in this work are new and 

 interesting. It cannot fail to promote the knowledge of natural history, and 

 deserves, on this account, every support and encouragement." 



To Mr. Wm. Barteam. 



"December 26th, 1804. 

 " I send for your amusement the " Literary Magazine" for September, in 

 which you will find a well-written, and, except in a few places, a correct de- 

 scription of the great Falls of Niagara. I yesterday saw a drawing of them, 

 taken in 1768, and observe that many large rocks, that used formerly to appear 

 in the rapids above the Horseshoe Falls, are now swept away ; and the form of 

 the curve considerably altered, the consequence of its gradual retrogression. 

 I hope this account will entertain you, as I think it by far the most complete 

 I have yet seen. 



To Mr. Wm. Duncan. 



" KiNGSESSiNG, February 20th, 1805. 



"I received yours of January 1st, and" wrote immediately; but partly 



through negligence, and partly through accident, it has not been put into the 



post-office ; and I now sit down to give you some additional particulars. 

 ***** 



" This winter has been entirely lost to me, as well as to yourself. I shall 

 on~ the twelfth of next month be scarcely able to collect a sufficiency to pay my 

 board, having not more than twenty-seven scholars. Five or six families, who 

 used to send me their children, have been almost in a state of starvation. 

 The rivers Schuylkill and Delaware are still shut, and wagons are passing and 

 repassing at this moment upon the ice. 



" The solitary hours of this winter I have employed in completing the poem 

 which I originally intended for a description of your first journey to Ovid. It 

 is now so altered as to bear little resemblance to the original ; and I have 

 named it the ^Foresters' It begins with a description of the Fall or Indian 

 Summer, and relates, minutely, our peregrinations and adventures until our 

 arrival at Catharine Landing, occupying ten hundred and thirty lines. The 

 remainder will occupy nearly as much ; and as I shall, if ever I publish it, 

 insert numerous notes, I should be glad if, while you are on the. spot, you 

 would collect every interesting anecdote you can of the country, and of the 

 places which we passed through. Hunting stories, &c., peculiar to the 



would be acceptable. I should be extremely glad to spend one after- 

 noon with you for the benefit of your criticisms. I lent the poem to Mr. * 



* * * our senator, who seems to think it worth reading ; and * * 



* * has expressed many flattering compliments on my labors ; but I don't 



