ALEXANDER WILSON. 
XXXVII 
don’t soon issue orders to the contrary. One of my bo} 7 s 
caught a mouse in school, a few days ago, and directly 
marched up to me with his prisoner. I set about drawing 
it that same evening ; and all the while the pantings of 
its little heart shewed it to be in the most extreme agonies 
of fear. I had intended to kill it, in order to fix it in the 
daws of a stuffed owl ; but, happening to spill a few drops 
erf 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 overcame me. I immer 
diately 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 sufferings of that poor mouse ; and, insig^ 
nificant as the object was, I felt at that moment the sweet 
sensations that mercy leaves on the mind when she 
triumphs over cruelty.” Writing to a friend in Paisley, fn 
June, 1803, he says, “ Close application to the duties of 
my profession, which I have followed since Nov. 1795, 
has deeply injured my constitution ; the more so, that 
my rambling disposition was the worst calculated of any 
one’s in the world for the austere regularity of a teacher’s 
life. I have had many pursuits since I left Scotland, — 
mathematics, the German language, music, drawing, &o. 
and I am now about to make a collection of all our finest 
birds.” These intentions were, after due deliberation in 
his own mind, submitted to his friends, Messrs Bartram 
and Lawson. The former expressed his confidence in 
the abilities and acquirements of Wilson ; but hinted his 
fears, that the difficulties which stood in the way of such 
an enterprize were too great to be overcome. Wilson 
was not to be intimidated, but had a ready answer to every 
abjection of his cautious friend, who seems to have 
trembled lest his intemperate zeal should lead him into a 
situation, from the embarrassments of which he could not 
well be extricated. The latter approved of the undertaking; 
