LIFE OF WILSON. 
Ivii 
reception. Dr. Wheclock, the president, made mo eat at his tabic, and the 
professors vied witli each other to oblige me. 
" I expect to be in Albany in five days, and if the legislature be sitting, I 
shall be detained perhaps three days there. In eight days more I hope to be 
in Philadelphia. I have labored with the zeal of a knight-errant in exhibiting 
this book of mine, wherever I went, travelling with it, like a beggar with 
his bantling, from town to town, and from one country to another. I have 
been loaded with praises — with compliments and kindnesses — shaken almost 
to pieces In stage-coaches; have wandered among strangers, hearing the same 
Oh's and Alis, and telling the same story a thousand times over — -and for 
what!" Ay, that's it ! You are very anxious to know, and you shall know the 
whole when I reach Philadelphia." 
I 
To Mr. Alexander Lawson. 
"Albany, November 3d, 1S08. 
" Dear Sir. 
" Having a few leisure moments at disposal, I will devote them to your 
service in giving you a sketch of some circumstances in my long literary pil- 
grimage, not mentioned In my letters to Mr. Miller. And in the first place, I 
ought to thank you for the thousands of compliments I have received for my 
birds, from persons of all descriptions; which were chiefly due to the taste and 
skill of the engraver. In short, the book, in all its parts, so f;ir exceeds the 
ideas and expectations of the first literary characters in the eastern section of 
the United States, as to command their admiration and respect. The only 
objection has been the sum of one hundred and Uocnty dollars, which, in 
innumerable instances, has risen like an evil genius between me and my hopes. 
Yet I doubt not but when those copies subscribed for are delivered, and the 
book a little better known, the whole number will be disposed of, and perhaps 
encouragement given to go on with the rest. To cfi'ect this, to me, most de- 
sirable object, I have encountered the fatigues of a long, circuitous, and ex- 
pensive journey, with a zeal that has increased with increasing difficulties ; 
and sorry I am to say that the whole number of subscribers which I have 
obtained amounts only to forty-one. 
" While in New York I had the curiosity to call on the celebrated author 
of the ' Ilights of Man.' He lives in Grreenwich, a short way from the city. 
In the only decent apartment of a small indifferent-looking frame house, I 
found this extraordinary man, sitting wrapped in a night-gown, the table before 
him covered with newspapers, with pen and ink beside him. Palnc's face 
would have excellently suited the character of Bardolph ; but the penetration 
and intelligence of his eye bespeak the man of genius, and of the world. 
He complained to me of his inability to walk, an exercise he was formerly fond 
of; — he examined my book, leaf by leaf, with great attention — desired me to 
put down his name as a subscriber; and, after Inquiring particularly for Mr. 
P. and Mr. B., wished to be remembered to both. 
" My journey through almost the whole of New England has rather lowered 
the Yankees in my esteem. Except a few neat academies, I found their 
