The San Francisco call., 1907-02-17
Fitting Biography of America:
First Ornithologist

Alexander Wilson, Americas first
ornithologist, as we'll as a poet of some
achievement. has at last found fitting
biographer in Professor Southal VIII
son. who has done for him what Bu-
chanan and Burroughs have done for
Audubon. The biographer is assistant
professor of English and history in the
College of William and Mary. 1t was
fortunate for him that Peale painted an
excellent portrait of Alexander Wilson
which, being used as the frontispiece
of the volume engages the attention of
the reader before he turns a page. A
study of the face of this man, whose
life and work are here given to the
public, reveals the eyes of the woods
man-softly intense, far-seeing and be-
speaking the great peace of the forest.
Alexander Wilson saw more than the
birds in the woods and was able to tell
their story in verse that stands the
tests of craftsmanship as well as COM
manding attention for it's gentle verify.
Much has been written of Alexander
Wilson both in this country and
In Europe, and his life struggle and
success was once made the subject of
a book, Difficulties Overcome" by c.
Lucy Brightwell, but IT has remained
for James Southall Wilson to do full
justice to this interesting character.
Born in Scotland be belonged to the
time Of Bobby Burns-in fact, was a
visitor of his at Ayrshire. Being a
weaver, a poet, poor and quite ready
to write what he thought of abuses
about him, his days in Scotland were
far from uninteresting; in fact, he was
not very old when he was prosecuted
for publishing a libelous poem. Dis
appointed, suspected politically and out
of sympathy with mis- surroundings,
Wilson sailed for America just two
years before Burns died. His nineteen
years in America-he died when he was
but 47-brought him real and lasting
fame. His work and his literary
achievements are more appreciated as
the years pass. Exposure endured
while he was trying to further his be-
loved science led him to his death. He
tramped from one end to the other of
the American wilds, with the only re-
ward that he became the founder of
American ornithology.
Professor Wilson has told of this
singularly interesting man in a most
entertaining way. He opens the book
with an analysis OF the deplorable con-
ditions in the Scotland of Alexander
Wilson's day which drove such a man
over seas No one could accuse Pro-
fact, one might be quite sure after his
arraignment that the blue laws were
born in Scotland.
Teaching engaged Wilson's attention
in America, but the confinement
of 1t wore upon him. His bio
zrapher says: He loved to be out
in the open, drinking in the fresh
air, following the birds through
the forest, in short, as 1t seemed then,
playing truant TO the world and it's
workaday problems; and anything
which shut him up Indoors, whether it
were weaving or teaching, was the
thing he hated"
The study OF birds and drawing was
taken up at the suggestion of friends
who would keep him from the melan-
cholia which seemed to be bearing down
upon him. When Wilson wrote to friend
that he intended to make a collection
of all the birds in his part Of North
America, he said that it was a quixotic
plan and a sort OF brain windmill" but
to him it was one OF his earthly COM
forts" Thus was begun the work