Ixxxviii 
PREFACE. 
colour. Oh ! I can gather you a whole parcel of 
them, much handsomer than these, all growing in 
our own woods ! Shall I, mamma ? Shall I go 
and bring you more ?” The good woman received 
the bunch of flowers with a smile of affectionate 
complacency ; and, after admiring for some time 
the beautiful simplicity of nature, gave her willing 
consent ; and the little fellow went off, on the 
wings of ecstasy, to execute his delightful commis- 
sion. 
The similarity of this little boy’s enthusiasm to 
my own, struck me ; and the reader will need no 
explanations of mine to make the application. 
Should my country receive with the same gracious 
indulgence the specimens which I here humbly 
present her ; should she express a desire for me to 
go and bring her more , the highest wishes of my 
ambition will be gratified ; for, in the language of 
my little friend, our ivhole woods are full of them ! 
and I can collect hundreds more, much handsomer 
than these . 
Alexander V/ilson. 
Philadelphia, 
October 1, 1808. 
