MEMOIR OF THE LATE WM. THOMPSON, ESQ. xi 
adds that he was fond of reading poetry, particularly the works of our 
great Dramatist. 
Information still more detailed and more ample respecting the same 
period, has fortunately been obtained from one who had been Thompson’s 
chosen playmate in childhood, his comrade at school, his companion in 
the same office when at business, and his friend in maturer years. This 
gentleman, Mr. William Sinclaire, had emigrated to America with his 
family, a few years prior to Mr. Thompson’s death. When this little 
memoir was contemplated, application was made to him for reminiscences 
of the character and habits of his departed friend during the early period 
of his life, and he was more especially requested to give such particulars 
as he could furnish, as to the period when a fondness for Natural History 
pursuits first became apparent. To this request he had the kindness to 
reply, in two letters so creditable to himself, and so highly characteristic 
of his friend Thompson, that they are given almost entire. 
LETTER I. 
West Hoboken, N. J., 
January 26, 1853. 
“ The death of my poor friend in his very prime gave me much sorrow, 
and it was so little anticipated, that I could hardly realize that William 
Thompson was dead. I shall do everything in my power to elucidate the 
life of my oldest friend, even from his boyish days. 
“ William Thompson and I were at school together for several years, 
during all which time he never evinced the remotest taste for those pur- 
suits to which he devoted himself with such ardour at an after period, and 
he passed through the different branches of an education, such as it was 
in those days, with nothing more than average ability, nothing very bril- 
liant, and in no respect ever dull. In regard also to the various sports and 
pastimes common to boys at that period, he never showed much aptitude, 
especially for such as required much muscular exertion. After leaving 
school, and in, I should think, his sixteenth year, he came into my father’s 
office to learn the linen business, which I had been at some time previously. 
Here he came into immediate contact with my ornithological pursuits, the 
taste for which was, I may say, in me decidedly innate, as my earliest 
perceptions were drawn towards the flights of swallows as seen from the 
nursery windows, where I have spent many an hour in the summer 
evenings of my earliest days. At the time above alluded to I had com- 
menced forming a collection of stuffed birds, and an old edition of 4 Be- 
wick’s British Birds,’ which was lent me by Dr. Drummond, was at the 
time in my office drawer, and at all leisure moments in constant use both 
for study and reference ; it was therefore a very natural consequence that 
W. T., who was my sporting companion, should take some interest in the 
pursuit he saw me attending to with considerable ardour, and when the 
spoils of the day were brought home he began to be interested in identi- 
fying the species acquired ; and the above volume of Bewick, with its 
beautiful and characteristic illustrations, gradually brought about in my 
friend a taste for birds, so that he then purchased a more recent edition 
of the work in two volumes, which thenceforth became our only work of 
reference. At this period, and for two or three years, he spent the sum- 
mer in Holywood with the family, coming up to town every morning for 
business during the day, and returning in the evening for dinner. During 
