XCIV 
LIFE OF WILSON. 
spent three hours, the most interesting to me of any of my life. 
As they pointed out to me the route of the British- — the American 
intrenchments- — the place where the greatest slaughter was made 
—-the spot where Warren fell, and where he was thrown amid 
heaps of the dead, I felt as though I could have encountered a whole 
battalion myself in the same glorious cause. The old soldiers were 
highly delighted with my enthusiasm ; we drank a glass of wine to 
the memory of the illustrious dead, and parted almost with regret. 
“ From Boston to Portland, in the District of Maine, you are 
almost always in the neighbourhood, or within sight, of the Atlan- 
tic. The country may be called a mere skeleton of rocks, and 
fields of sand, in many places entirely destitute of wood, except a 
few low scrubby junipers, in others covered with pines of a dimi- 
nutive growth. On entering the tavern in Portland, I took up the 
newspaper of the day, in which I found my song of Freedom and 
Peace, ^ which I afterwards heard read before a numerous compan)^ 
(for the supreme court was sitting,) with great emphasis, as a most 
excellent song ; but I said nothing on the subject. 
“ From Portland I steered across the country for the northern 
parts of Vermont, among barren, savage, pine-covered mountains, 
through regions where nature and art have done infinitely less to 
make it a fit residence for man than any country I ever traversed. 
Among these dreary tracts I found winter had already commenced, 
and the snow several inches deep. I called at Dartmouth College, 
the president of which, as well as of all I visited in Newengland, 
subscribed. Though sick with a severe cold, and great fatigue, I 
continued my route to this place, passing and calling at great num- 
bers of small towns in my way. 
“ The legislature is at present in session — the newspapers 
have to-day taken notice of my book, and inserted my advertise- 
* A certain military association of Philadelphia, being disposed to dignify the national cele- 
bration of this year, olfered a gold medal for the best song which should be written for the occa- 
sion ; and AVilson bore away the prize from many competitors. 
