ALEXANDER WILSON. 
39 
the while the pantings of its little heart shewed it 
to he in the most extreme agonies of fear. I had 
intended to kill it, in order to fix it in the claws of 
a stuffed Owl ; but happening to spill a few drops 
of water near where it was tied, it lapped it up 
with such eagerness, and looked in my face with 
such an eye of supplicating terror, as perfectly over- 
came me. I immediately untied it, and restored it 
to life and liberty. The agonies of a prisoner at the 
stake, while the fire and instruments of torment are 
preparing, could not be more severe than the suffer- 
ings of that poor mouse; and, insignificant as the 
object was, I felt at that moment the sweet sensa- 
tions that Mercy leaves on the mind when she tri- 
umphs over cruelty.” 
Filled with golden anticipations in favour of this 
work, and finding that, consistently with its ad- 
vancement, he could not discharge conscientiously 
his duty to his pupils, at the same time, being 
desirous of adding to his knowledge of the subject, 
he partially relinquished the school, and succeeded 
in procuring a little employment as a contributor 
to the “ Literary Magazine." 
In October 1804, accompanied with two friends, 
he set out on foot to visit the Falls of Niagara, and on 
his return, he writes thus to Mr. Bartram. “ Though 
now snugly at home, looking back in recollection 
on the long circuitous journey which I have at 
length finished, through deep snows and uninhabited 
forests — over stupendous mountains and down dan- 
