LIFE OF WILSON. 
xxxvu 
liensions for the soundness of his intellect.* There was one sub- 
ject which contributed not a little to increase his mental gloom, 
and this was the consideration of the life of penury and dependence 
to which he seemed destined as the teacher of a country school. 
Mr. Lawson immediately recommended the renouncing of poetry 
and the flute, and the substituting of the amusement of drawing in 
their stead, as being most likely to restore the balance of his mind; 
and as an employment well adapted to one of his recluse habits 
and inclinations. To this end, sketches of the human figure, and 
landscapes, were provided for him ; but his attempts were so un- 
promising that he threw them aside with disgust; and concluded 
that one at his period of life could never succeed in the art of de- 
lineation. Mr. Bartram now advised a trial at birds; and being 
tolerably skilful himself, exhibited his port-folio, which was graced 
with many specimens from his own hands. The attempt was made, 
and succeeded beyond the expectation of Wilson or that of his 
friends. There was a magic in the employment which aroused all 
the energies of his soul ; he saw, as it were, the dayspring of a new 
creation; and, from being the humble follower of his instructors, 
he was soon qualified to lead the way in the charming art of imita- 
ting’ the works of the Great Original. 
That Wilson likewise undertook the task of delineating flow- 
ers, appears from the following note to Mr. Bartram, dated Nov, 
20th, 1803 : 
* The following incident was communicated to me by Colonel Carr, who had it from 
Wilson himself. While the latter laboured under great depression of spirits, in order to sooth 
his mind he one day rambled with his gun. The piece by accident slipped from his hand, and, 
in making an effort to regain it, the lock was cocked. At that moment had the gun gone off, 
it is more than probable that he would have lost Ills life, as the muzzle was opposite to his 
breast. When Wilson reflected on the danger which he had escaped, he shuddered at the idea 
of the imputation of suicide, which a fatal occurrence, to one in his frame of mind, would have 
occasioned. There is room to conjecture that many have accidentally met their end, ivhose 
memories have been sullied by the alleged crime of self murder. 
VOL. IX. 
K 
