ALEXANDER WILSON. 
ll 
The first hurry and excitement being over, and the work meeting 
with an approbation far beyond his hopes, he thought he might be 
able to increase the subscriptions at a distance, by his presence 
and personal exertions ; he decided upon an expedition for this 
purpose, and set out in search of “ birds and subscribers,” through 
the eastern states, by Boston to Maine, and back through the state 
of Vermont. He set out on the 21st September, 1808, and the 
incidents of this journey are detailed in letters addressed to Mr 
Miller and Mr Lawson. They bear the same evidence of his 
talent for observation, which marked his early journal in the east 
of Scotland : almost every incident worthy of notice is recorded ; 
and whatever would promote the main object of his tour is followed 
with the warmest enthusiasm. They can be detailed in no 
language except his own; and though of considerable length, they 
are the best and only means by which a proper estimate of his 
character and disposition, at this time of his life, can be obtained ; 
and besides, they form the commencement of letters descriptive of 
the various excursions he undertook during the remaining progress 
of his work : — 
“ Boston, October 12, 1808. 
“ Dear Sir, — I arrived here on Sunday last, after various adven- 
tures, the particulars of which, and the observations I have had 
leisure to make upon the passing scenery around me, I shall 
endeavour, as far as possible, to compress into this letter, for your 
own satisfaction, and that of my friends, who may be interested 
for my welfare. At Princeton I bade my fellow-travellers good- 
by, as I had to wait upon the reverend doctors of the college. I took 
my book under my arm, put several copies of the prospectus into 
my pocket, and walked up to this spacious sanctuary of literature. 
Dr Smith, the president, and Dr M‘Lean, professor of natural history, 
were the only two I found at home. The latter invited me to tea, 
and both were much pleased and surprised with the appearance of 
the work. I expected to receive some valuable information from 
Mr M‘Lean, on the ornithology of the country ; but I soon found, to 
my astonishment, that he scarcely knew a Sparrow from a Wood- 
pecker. I visited several other literary characters ; and, at about 
