LIFE OF WILSON. 
liii 
and walked up to this spacious sanctuary of literature. I could amuse you 
with some of my reflections on this occasion, but room will not permit. Dr. 
Smith, the president, and Dr. M'Lean, Professor of Natural History, were the 
only two I found at home. The latter invited me to tea, and both were much 
pleased and surprised with the appearance of the work. I expected to receive 
some valuable information from M'Lean, on the ornithology of the country 
but I soon found, to my astonishment, that he scarcely knew a sjjctn-ota from ' 
woodjKcJier . At his particular request, I left a specimen of the plates with 
him; and from what passed between us, I have hopes that he will pay more 
attention to this department of his profession than he has hitherto done. I 
visited several other literary characters; and, at about half-past eight, the Pilot 
coming up, I took my passage in it to New Brunswick, which we reached at 
midnight, and where I immediately went to bed. 
" The next morning was spent in visiting the few gentlemen who were likely 
to patronize my undertaking; I had another task of the same kind at Eliza- 
bethtown ; and, without tiring you with details that would fill a volume, I shall 
only say that I reached Newark that day, having gratified the curiosity, and 
feasted the eyes, of a great number of people, who repaid me with the most 
extravagant compliments, which I would have very willingly exchanged for a 
few simple subscriptions. I spent nearly the whole of Saturday in Newark, 
where my book attracted as many starers as a bear or a mammoth would have 
done ; and I arrived in New York the same evening. The next day I wrote 
a number of letters, enclosing copies of the prospectus, to different gentlemen 
in town. In the afternoon of Tuesday I took my book, and waited on each of 
those gentlemen to whom I had written the preceding day. Among these I 
found some friends, but more admirers. The Professors of Columbia College 
expressed much esteem for my performance. The professor of languages, 
being a Scotchman, and also a Wilson, seemed to feel all the pride of national 
partiality so common to his countrymen ; and would have done me any favor in 
his power. I spent the whole of this week traversing the streets, from one 
particular house to another, till, I believe, I became almost as well known as 
the public crier, or the clerk of the market, for I could frequently perceive 
gentlemen point me out to others as I passed with my book under my arm. 
" On Sunday morning, October 2d, I went on board a packet for New 
Haven, distant about ninety miles. The wind was favorable, and carried us 
rapidly through Hellgate (a place I had no intention of calling at in my tour), 
on the other side of which we found upwards of sixty vessels beating up for 
a passage. The Sound here, between Long Island and the main, is narrowed 
to less than half a mile, and filled with small islands, and enormous rocks 
under water, among which the tide roai-s and boils violently, and has proved 
fatal to many a seaman. At high water it is nearly as smooth as any other 
place, and can then h% safely passed. The country, on the New York side, is 
ornamented with handsome villas, painted white, and surrounded by great 
numbers of Lombardy poplars. The breeze increasing to a gale, in eight 
hours from the time we set sail the high red-fronted mountain of New Haven 
rose to our view. In two hours more we landed; and, by the stillness and 
