from his pen were received with favor. Ex-alone to answer philippic with philippic, but travagances of conduct, which in anybody to call upon their libellers, by letters adelse would have been censured or set down dressed to them through the newspapers, to to mental aberration, secured for him the throw off their disguise and fight. A Tory applause of the multitude. He could not to the last he continued to be; but he was only stand by abetting and approving a too wise a man not to admit the necessity of "mill," but he could himself enter the ring, conforming to the changes, social as well as and gain glory from success as a boxer. political, which the passing of the Reform And this after he had become Professor of Bill brought about. He was thus living in Moral Philosophy in the University of Edin- an atmosphere of peace, more settled than he burgh! had ever known before, when the wife of his bosom sickened and died. A severe cold, caught during a summer excursion in 1836,

of the tenderness with which she was nursed, it ended in water on the chest. Wilson, like other men of ardent temperament, appears to have put from him the contemplation of a great possible calamity. He persevered to the last moment in hoping against hope, and hence when the blow fell it stunned him. He was in the act of raising his wife's head from the pillow, in order to administer some nutriment, when she uttered a long sigh, and expired. "The professor," writes an eyewitness, "was seized with a sort of half-delirium; and you can scarcely picture a scene more distressing than him lying on the floor, his son John weeping over him, and the poor girls in equal distress." Wilson never became again what he had once been. Not that he gave himself up to useless repining

As a teacher, Wilson acquired over his pupils an ascendency which not even the madness of the Reform agitation could per-undermined her constitution, and, in spite manently shake. They accepted his dicta as law, and never seemed to have loved him more than when he reproved their follies or pointed out their mistakes. But, above all his many blessings, that which Wilson prized the most was the sunshine of his home. He was a loving husband and a devoted father, and wife and children repaid his devotion by a measure of love equal to that which he meted out. He had besides, to a remarkable extent, sources of enjoyment which are not lightly to be considered in connection with our moral nature. He was extremely fond of animals, and appeared to possess some charm which attracted them in the strongest degree to himself. Dogs and horses, as they were his companions in real life, so they play no mean part-especially dogs-in the scenes which his active fancy revelled in delineating. Of Wilson's brilliancy in conversation only those who knew him best could form an idea. He was the soul of every convivial party into which he entered. His wit came pouring out like a torrent, sparkling, dancing, and apparently exhaustless. Nor was he less effective in public than in private symposia. Wilson was a capital after-dinner speaker, and seems never to have been backward, when called upon, either to propose or to answer to a

toast.

It was early in 1837 that a heavy cloud overspread this atmosphere of gladness. Wilson had long outlived all the petty troubles originating in his early connection with Blackwood's Magazine. He had come to understand that fierce personal attacks neither correct men's tastes nor improve their morals. He looked back, probably with as much of surprise as of regret, on the time when he and Lockhart believed themselves bound not

he was a great deal too manly for thatbut he was sobered and subdued in the whole order of his existence; and fancy itself, which used to run riot with him, amid the affections and beauties of earth, took, perhaps unconsciously to himself, a higher flight. There is a religious tone in Wilson's later writings, even in the most exuberant of them, more real, and therefore deeper, than is to be found in any of his earlier productions. It seemed as if his treasure were removed to a better world, and as if his heart had gone with it.

Time, the best of all physicians, if it did not heal, soothed the widower's hurt. He threw himself once more into the business of his class, and, after a brief interval, wrote more incessantly than ever. We find him also presiding over a " Burns Festival," and in 1841 taking the chair at a dinner given in Edinburgh to Charles Dickens. The marriage of his daughters, likewise, and the settlement of his sons in life, awakened new interests in him. The love which he used to

But so constant

"The end did not come till his work for

lavish on them, when young, he transferred | to his grandchildren, to whom no greater that session was done. On Friday he distreat could at any time be proposed than a tributed prizes and heard the students read their visit to grandpapa's room. essays, taking particular interest in a strain upon the nervous system could not ity attacked his whole system; and of anthose of one gentleman, who with great abilbe maintained forever, and in 1840 he re- other, who fancied that he discovered a 'viâ ceived the first intimation that even his iron media,' between the two great factions. Then frame was subject to the laws of humanity. he dismissed us, and the cheers and plaudits A slight shock of paralysis seized him, and of his class rang in his ears for the last time. for well-nigh a year his right hand remained On Monday I called to get his autograph in disabled. A forced suspension of literary one of my books, but the blow had already to some extent fallen, for he was unable even labor was the consequence: indeed, he seems to write his name. Twice after this I saw to have contributed between 1840 and 1845 him at his own request, and always on the only two articles to the Magazine. In 1845, subject of his lectures, for he was bent on however, his old habits resumed their force, what he called a reconstruction of his theory and though often obliged to employ an aman- for the ensuing session, while it was but too uensis, he again threw off paper plain to those around him that he was not after paper unceasingly. The last of these, which he likely to see the college again. The old lion sat in his arm-chair, yellow-maned and tooth called "Dies Boreales," began in June, 1849, less, prelecting with the old volubility and and came to an end in October, 1850. They eloquence, and with occasionally the former breathe all the poetry of his earlier produc- flash of the bright blue eye, soon drooping tions, with a tone of seriousness and holy into dulness again. I still remember his thought peculiar to themselves. But Wil- tremulous God bless you!' as the door son's thread was by this time spun out. In closed for the last time. How different from the winter of 1850 symptoms of a break-up had moved among us so royally the year bethat fresh and vigorous old age in which he showed themselves. He was often obliged fore!" to absent himself from his class, yet struggled hard to repel the enemy thus marching steadily against him. At last the crash came.

The relaxation of summer holidays brought no improvement to his health. He tried the effect of a journey into the Highlands; but "One day Professor Wilson was late in for once it did him no good. He returned appearing, perhaps ten or twelve minutes after the class-hour-an unusual thing with to Edinburgh when the winter came, and him, for he was punctual. We had seen him sent in his resignation of the professorship. go into his private room. We got uneasy, All party animosity had by this time died and at last it was proposed that I should go out, so far as he was concerned. Like the in and see what it was that detained him. best of the Tories who fought hardest for the To my latest hour I will remember the sight Constitution of 1688, he accepted the ConI saw on entering. Having knocked, and stitution of 1832 as a finality, and supported received no answer, I gently opened the door, and there I found the professor lying at full those who were willing so to regard it. In length on the floor, with his gown on. In- this spirit, when Macaulay last stood for the stinctively I rubbed his head, and raised it representation of Edinburgh, Wilson gave up. Kneeling with the noble head resting on my breast, I could not, of course, move; and in a few minutes in came other students, wondering in turn what was keeping me, and we together raised the professor up into his chair. I caught the words 'God bless you!' Gradually he got better, and we forced him to sit still, and never dream of lecturing that day, or for a time. I remember, too, that we spoke of calling a cab; but he said No, it would shake him too much.' In about half an hour he walked home. We announced to the class what had taken place, and very sore our hearts were. I think the professor remained away three weeks, and on his return expressed glowingly and touchingly his gratitude to his dear young friends.'

him his vote; and he mixed freely and kindly, as it was his nature to do, with men of all shades of opinion. It is to the credit of Mr. Moncrieff, then and now Lord Advocate, that, without considering for a moment whether Wilson were really become a convert to Whiggery, he applied to Lord John Russell, at that time Prime Minister, to confer a pension out of the Consolidated Fund upon the worn-out poet. Earl Russell, as is well known, has never allowed party feeling to stand between him and the claims of literary merit; and her majesty was advised, with the best possible grace, to settle on Wilson £300 a year. But why pursue these details farther? Wilson faded day by day, in body rather than in mind. In the

"Was

autumn of 1852 he received a visit from Mr. | hand, and emptied the coals into the street. Lockhart, which is described by Mrs. Gor- He was, as we have elsewhere shown, a lovdon in a far more becoming manner than she ing father, an indulgent husband, a steady has chosen to adopt in speaking elsewhere friend; and a man of whom these qualities of her father's old friend. This fragment of may with truth be predicated has not much her tale is indeed very touching. So is the to fear on the score of morals, however midescription of her father's efforts to test and croscopically his conduct may be examined. keep alive the vigor of his intellect, when As to his religious views, these are seen in that too had yielded to the stroke of destiny. almost every line which he latterly wrote to At last he kept his bed, and-sad, yet not have been earnest, simple, and holy. humiliating sight-amused himself there, by Burns a reader of his Bible?—did he ever arranging and re-arranging the fishing-tackle attend church?" were questions which he which was laid within his reach. It was anxiously put when preparing to write a verily with him the ruling passion, strong in sketch of the poet's life; and what he so death. On Christmas-Day, 1853, he gath- much hoped and desired to find that the ered round him his entire family, sons and Ayrshire bard had not neglected, he himdaughters, with their children. He even self never overlooked. Wilson's habits of dined with them down-stairs; and in the conviviality may have carried him at times evening received them all in his bedroom, a little too far; but let us not forget, in which his servant had by his desire decorated reference to such matters, that the opinions with evergreens, twining one little gar- of half a century ago were much less rigid land round the portrait of his deceased wife, than those of the present day; and while we which hung over the chimney-piece. Then admit that in this respect the time present came the early spring of 1854, with its is better than the time past, we need not be gleams of sunshine, and the first twittering too severe in condemning those who belonged of its birds. It was a fitting season in which to a bygone generation. the soul of one who had been so keenly alive With respect to Wilson's merits as a writto the beauty of these things should take its er, a variety of judgments will be formed. departure. On the 1st of April a fresh shock His poetry can never, in our opinion, take a of paralysis seized him; and about five foremost place among English classics. His o'clock in the morning of the 2d, his breath- prose tales, " Lights and Shadows of Scoting became fairt. He seemed to fight tish Life," "The Trials of Margaret Lindagainst death throughout the entire day, say," ," "The Foresters," etc., had their day. and a little before midnight passed his hand Probably no man, living or dead, could have across his forehead and eyes, as if to remove written them except himself; yet we doubt a film. "A bitter expression," says his whether they will find many readers a dozen daughter, "for one moment crossed his face," years hence. Of his criticism, likewise, we as if he felt that he was beaten in the strug-are constrained to observe that it is at all gle. A moment more, and while the clock was still chiming the hour of twelve, his spirit passed away.

times the decision of an impulsive rather than of a judicial mind. But far above all his contemporaries, and, indeed, above writWe have left ourselves no space to do ers of the same class in any age, he soars as justice to Wilson's character, either as a a rhapsodist. As Christopher North, by the writer or a man. Neither do we conceive loch, or on the moors, or at Ambrose's, he that ours is the proper tribunal before which is the most gifted and extraordinary being it would be becoming, in the latter capacity, that ever wielded pen. We can compare to arrange him. But this much his best him, when such fits are on, to nothing more friends and bitterest enemies-if, indeed, he aptly than to a huge Newfoundland dog, left any-will allow, that a more generous the most perfect of its kind; or better heart than his never beat in human bosom. still, to the "Beautiful Leopard from the He had an instinctive abhorrence of every-valley of the Palm-trees," which, in sheer thing that was base and mean. His sense wantonness and without any settled purpose, of justice was so acute that it carried him in throws itself into a thousand attitudes, always early life into the commission of innumerable astonishing, and often singularly graceful. absurdities; all of them, however, chival-As a teacher of moral philosophy, the influrous, and therefore not entirely to be con- ence which he is allowed to have exercised demned. Even in the decline of life the same impatience of wrong would constantly show itself, and not unfrequently took the old course by applying a corrective on the spot. It was in this spirit that one day seeing a brutal carter ill-use his overladen horse, he twisted the fellow's whip out of his

over the tastes and tempers of his pupils, some of them men of great ability, proves that he was a man of enormous power; and it is no light praise to add that he seems never to have wielded power, from the chair or through the press, except with a view to promote the good of others.