xl 
LIFE OF WILSON. 
selfish philosophy. Under date of March 12th, 1804, he thus writes 
to the last named gentleman : 
“ I dare say you begin to think me very ungenerous and un- 
friendly in not seeing you for so long a time. I will simply state 
the cause, and I know you will excuse me. Six days in one week 
I have no more time than just to swallow my meals, and return to 
my Smictiim Sanctorum, Five days of the following week are oc- 
cupied in the same routine of pedagoguing matters ; and the other 
two are sacrificed to that itch for drawing, which I caught from 
your honourable self. I never was more wishful to spend an after- 
noon with you. In three weeks I shall have a few days vacancy, 
and mean to be in town chief part of the time. I am most ear- 
nestly bent on pursuing my plan of making a collection of all the 
birds in this part of North America. Now I don’t want you to 
throw cold water, as Shakspeare says, on this notion, Quixotic as 
it may appear. I have been so long accustomed to the building of 
airy castles and brain windmills, that it has become one of my 
earthly comforts, a sort of a rough bone, that amuses me when 
sated with the dull drudgery of life.” 
To Mr. WM. BARTRAM. 
March 29, 1804. 
“ Three months have passed away since I had the pleasure of 
seeing you ; and three dark and heavy months they have been to 
your family. My heart has shared in your distress, and sincerely 
sympathizes with you for the loss you have sustained. But Time, 
the great curer of every grief, will gradually heal those wounds 
which Misfortune has inflicted ; and many years of tranquillity and 
happiness are, I sincerely hope, reserved for you. 
“I have been prevented from seeing you so long by the hurry 
of a crowded school, which occupied all my hours of daylight, and 
