LIFE OF WILSON. 
xxxi 
the "Port Folio," of the "Rural Walk," with some " commendatious of its 
beauties but I must confess that my perspicacity has not enabled me to 
detect them. 
. The then editor of the " Port Folio," Mr. Dennie, enjoyed the reputation 
of being a man of taste and judgment; and the major part of his selections 
should seem to prove that his character, in these respects, was well founded. 
But with regard to the poem in question, I am totally at a loss to discover 
by what principles of criticism he judged it, seeing that his opinion of it will 
by no means accord with mine. The initial stanza, which is not an unfair 
specimen of the whole, runs thus : 
" The summer sun was riding high, 
The woods in deepest verdure drest ; 
From care and clouds of dust to fly, 
Across yon bubbling brook I past." 
The reader of classical poetry may well pardon me if, out of an effusion 
consisting of forty-four stanzas, I save him the task of perusing any more than 
one. 
To Mr. Lawson. 
"Gray's Ferry, August 14th, 1804. 
" Dear Sir, 
"Enclosed is a copy of the ^ Solltari/ Tutor' which I should like to see 
in the ' Literai-y Magazine' of this month, along with the other poem which 
I sent the editor last week. Wishing, for my future benefit, to call the public 
attention to these pieces, if, in tlie editor's opinion, they should seem worthy 
of it, I must request the favor of you to converse with him on this subject. 
You know the numerous pieces I am in possession of, would put it in my 
power to support tolerably well any recommendation he might bestow on these ; 
and while they would not, I trust, disgrace the pages of his valuable publica- 
tion, tliey might serve as my introduction to the literary world, and as a sort 
of inspiration to some future and more finished attempts. Knowing that you 
will freely pardon the quantum of vanity that suggested these hints, 
" I remain, with real regard, &c." 
To Mr. Wai. Bartram. 
"Union School, September 17th, 1804. 
" The second volume of Pinkerton's Geography has at length made its 
appearance; and I take the fa'eedom of transmitting it, and the atlas, for your 
amusement. To condemn so extensive a work before a re-perusal, or without 
taking into consideration all the dilEculties that were to be surmounted, is, 
perhaps, not altogether fair. Yet we almost always form our judgment from 
the first impressions, and this judgment is very seldom relinquished. You 
will, therefore, excuse me if I give you some of the impressions made on 
myself by a cursory perusal. 
" Taking it all in all, it is certainly the best treatise on the subject hitherto 
published; though had the author extended his plan, and, instead of two, 
given us four volumes, it would not frequently have laid him under the neces- 
