LIFE OF WILSON. . ci 



" The bearer attends you, with a couple of horses, on the supposition that 

 it may be convenient for you to visit us to-day ; otherwise he shall wait upon 

 you any other day that you shall appoint. 



"I am respectfully, &c., 



" William Dunbar." 



This excellent gentleman, whose hospitality was thus promptly excited, has 

 since paid the debt of nature ; and his grateful guest fondly cherished, to the 

 last hour of his existence, the remembrance of those happy moments which 

 had been passed in his society, and that of his amiable and accomplished 

 family. 



To Mr. William Bartram. , 



''Philadelphia, September 2d, 1810. 



" Incessant labor since my return, to make up my loss of drawings, which 

 were sent by post from Nashville, has hitherto prevented me from paying you 

 a visit. I am closely engaged on my third volume. Any particulars relative to 

 the history of the meadow-lark, crow black-bird, snow-bunting, cuckoo, paroquet, 

 nonpareil, pinnated grouse, or blue grosbeak, if interesting, would be received 

 by me with much pleasure. I have lately received from Michaux a number 

 of rich specimens of birds, printed in colors. I have since made some attempts 

 at this kind of printing, and have succeeded tolerably ^ell. 



" Michaux has published several numbers of his American Sylva, in Paris, 

 with colored plates. I expect them here soon. 



" I collected a number of entire new species in my south-western tour; and 

 in my return I visited several of the islaads off the Florida shore, where I met 

 with some very curious land birds. 



"Mr. Dunbar, of Natchez, remembered you very well, and desired me to 

 carry his good wishes to you." 



To Mr. Wm. Duncan, Frankford, Penn. 



"Philadelphia, February 12th, 1811. 

 " So you have once more ascended the preceptor's rostrum, to wield the 

 terrors of the taws and hickory/. Trying as this situation is, and various and 

 distracting as its avocations sometimes undoubtedly are, it is elysium to the 

 scenes which you have lately emerged from ; and as far transcends these lat- 

 ter, as honorable independence towers abcTve despised and insulted servitude. 

 You wish me to suggest any hints I may think proper for your present situa- 

 tion. Your own experience and prudence render anything I could advise 

 unnecessary, as it is all included in the two resolutions which you have already 

 taken ; first, to distinguish, as clearly as possible, the whole extent of your 

 duty; and, secondly, to fulfil every item of that to the best of your abilities. 

 Accordingly, the more extensive and powerful these are, the greater good you 

 will be capable of doing; the higher and more dignified will your reputation 

 be ; and the easier and calmer will your deportment be, under every circum- 

 stance of duty. You have but these two things to surmount, and the whole 

 routine of teaching will become an agreeable amusem-ent ; and every closing 

 day will shed over your mind that blissful tranquillity, ' which nothing earthly 

 gives or can destroy.' 



