tween 1808 and 1813.

Wilson published the "Rural Walk" in Brown's _Literary Magazine_ of
August, 1804, and the "Solitary Tutor" in the same publication, October,
1804. The former poem was reprinted in the _Port Folio_ of April 27,
1805. Dennie was charmed with the poem, and explained that he reprinted
it because the author "delights in pictures of American scenery and
landscape, and wisely therefore leaves to European poets their
nightingales and skylarks, and their _dingles_ and _dells_. He makes no
mention of yews and myrtles, nor echoes a single note of either
bullfinch or chaffinch, but faithfully describes American objects,
though not entirely in the American idiom." The following four stanzas
from the "Rural Walk" may give a conception of Wilson's close
observation and nice fidelity to nature.

"Down to the left was seen afar
The whitened spire of sacred name,[17]
And ars'nal, where the god of war
Has hung his spears of bloody fame.

"There upward where it (Schuylkill) gently bends,
And Say's red fortress tow'rs in view,[18]
The floating bridge its length extends--
A lively scene forever new.

"There market-maids in lively rows,
With wallets white, were riding home,
And thundering gigs, with powdered beaux,
Through Gray's green festive shades to roam.

"Sweet flows the Schuylkill's winding tide
By Bartram's green emblossom'd bowers,
Where nature sports in all her pride
Of choicest plants and fruits and flowers."

[17] Christ Church.

[18] Dr. Benjamin Say's house at Gray's Ferry.

Wilson, in 1804, undertook a journey to Niagara. The adventures by the
way and the sight of the stupendous cataract supply the theme of his
longest and most ambitious poem, "The Foresters." It was published with
illustrations in successive numbers of the _Port Folio_ of 1809, Volumes
I, II and III. The entire poem contained 2,000 lines. The _Literary
Magazine_ contains a part of the poem. This appearance, I believe, has
never been noted. It is to be found in Volume IV, page 155. The lines
were written August 12, 1805, and were published in the same month. In
the literary intelligence of the same month the future publication of
"The Foresters" is glanced at.

A prose letter and a poem, "The Pilgrim," by Wilson, are in the _Port
Folio_, June, 1809, page 499. Alexander Wilson and John James Audubon
met in Louisville, Ky., whither the latter had gone after disposing of
his farm