ALEXANDER WILSON. 
xlix 
be soon repeated, and will pretty severely correct itself. 
But, whatever may be the result of these matters, I shall 
not sit down with folded hands, whilst any thing can be 
done to carry my point, since God helps them who help 
themselves. I am fixing correspondents in every corner 
of these northern regions, like so many pickets and out- 
posts ; so that scarcely a wren or tit shall be able to pass 
along from York to Canada but I shall get intelligence 
of it.” 
From other letters, we glean the following extracts, 
describing, in a mingled vein of pleasantry and sarcasm, 
his various journeys during the autumn, winter, and spring 
of 1808-9 : — 
“ At Princetown I bade my fellow-traveller good-bye, 
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. I could amuse you with some 
of my reflections on this occasion; but room will not 
permit.” 
“ I spent nearly the whole of Saturday in Newark, where 
my book attracted as many starers as a bear or a mammoth 
would have done ; and I arrived in New York the same 
evening. The next day, I wrote a number of letters, 
enclosing copies of the prospectus, to different gentlemen 
in town. In the afternoon of Tuesday, I took my book, 
and waited on each of those gentlemen to whom I had 
written the preceding day. Among these I found some 
friends, but more admirers. The professors of Columbia 
College expressed much esteem for my performance. 
The professor of languages, being a Scotchman, and also 
a Wilson, seemed to feel all the pride of national partiality 
so common to his countrymen ; and would have done 
me any favour in his power. I spent the whole of this 
week traversing the streets, from one particular house to 
another, till, I believe, I became almost as well known as 
