The Sun.
London, England, 1836-08-18 00:00:00

PUBLIC DINNER TO PROFESSOR

WILSON AT PAISLEY.

(From the Glasgow Herald.)
On Thursday last, a public dinner was given 'in the good
town of Paisley to this distinguished gentleman, in the Hen-
frewshire Inn, as a mark of the respect his townsmen en-
tertain for him on account of the exalted rank he holds in
the literature of his country. The Chair was occupied by
Sheriff Campbell, and the duties of Croupier were dis-
charged by William Bissland, Esq., John Orr, Esq., and
Thomas Sharp, Esq. About 300 gentlemen sat down to
dinner. Right and left of the chairman were placed the
distinguished guest of the evening, and the Bard of Hope.
The room in which the company dined was elegantly fitted
up for the occasion, and decorated as it was with festoons of
evergreens and flowers, had a very pleasing effect. Dr.
Fleming, of Neilston, said grace, and the Rev. Mr. Macnair
of Paisley, returned thanks. On the cloth being with-
drawn, the Chairman gave " The King."—" God Save the
King" was here sung by Mr. Purdie, the company joining
in the chorus. Then followed " The Queen," with three
times three, and loud applause, and one cheer more.—" The
Princess Victoria, and the rest of the Royal Family."_—
" The two Houses of Parliament," and " His Majesty's
Ministers,' &c.
The CHAS RMAN then rose and requested the company
first of all to fill their glasses for a particular toast. They
had assembled to testify their respect and admiration of a
man—a native of Paisley--who had earned for himself a
high reputation in the literature of his country—(Cheers).
a man who, in the full possession of his fame, yet retained
the warmest affection for the scenes of his childhood. The
silver cord was still unbroken. He had come there to tell j
them that he was still the same man in every respect as he'
was previous to his departure from among his fellow-towns-
men. They were assembled to do honour to a man to
whom Nature has bestowed the secret of unlocking the
human heart, and leading his readers whithersoever he
choose.—(Great applause.) A man, the depictor of his
country's joys and sorrows—of its "lights and shadows"—
with a rich poetic fancy and an amiable breast. He (the
Chairman) was bound to confess that he was inadequate to
the task of doing justice to the merits of their distinguished
guest. Whether we turn to his admirable delineation of cha-
racter, either in the farm house or the cottage—scenes which
he has repeatedly painted in a manner which has drawn
tears from every eye—or whether we follow him to the
groves of palms, fanned by the gentle breeze—yet these
could not fail to bind him to his native home.—(Applause.)
Or whether we follow him to those scenes where he de-
lights to wander with fishing-rod in hand, contemplating
with a poet's eye the pastoral valley or stupendous cliffs,
we may find him inhaling the breeze, though not seeking
the shelter from the storm. If we follow him to the con-
vivial board or midnight scenes, there he delights to come
on his readers with flashes of wit and wisdom, that even '
the poet and the philosopher might envy.—(Cheers.) But
these were not all the attributes of his character. There
existed a strain of feeling which pervaded the whole of
his writings. The Chairman, in conclusion, said that such
were a few of the ideas that arose in his mind in contem-
plating the character of Professor Wilson, but he was aware
that he was unable properly to give thorn expression. He,
therefore, proposed the health of their distinguished guest,
which was received with tremendous cheering for several
minutes.

Song—" Auld lang sync," the company standing up and
joinir'r in the chorus.
Professor WILSON then rose, and was received with
great applause. The last time he had the happiness of
being in his native town, he had the honour to preside
at the festive board, to testify their cordial respect for
the inestimable virtues of a venerable friend (Mr. Peddie).
That friend, alas ! was now no more. In presiding on
that occasion, he did so at the request of his fellow-
townsmen. The kindness evinced towards him at that time
gave hopes that the day would arrive when he might stand
before them to record the expressions of a full and grateful
heart.—(Loud cheers.) In speaking of himself, be did
so with a mixed feeling of humility and pride ; and he was
sure that they would not have awarded him the present
honour, unless he had in some way deserved it.—(Cheers.)
He had not scaled the Mount of Parnassus, like his friend
Mr. Campbell ; he had pursued an humbler path, and
walked, if not in glory, at least in joy.—(Applause.) In
nature's domains there were fields where even his humble
feet might tread, and where he might gather a few flowers
with which to form a chaplet. He was free to confess
that there was not a heart on earth more free from jealousy
than his own, nor had he ever been instrumental in crush-
ing rising merit ; but he was happy in his own insignifi-
cance, and even in his humility there was pride.—(Cheers.)
He was not the spoiled child of criticism, for many hard
encounters had he sustained ; but he was possessed of some
little robustiousness which enabled him to bear up against
opposing difficulties. In his time, too, he had received many
tokens of applause, but were they all collected together
they would not strike him so forcibly as the present demon-
stration.—(Cheers.)—Like a skilful painter, the Chairman,
in delineating his character; had placed in prominent view
the beauties, while he held out of sight many of his defects.
But as a lover of nature, he would not be excelled by any
man' on earth—he had heard the voice of nature calling on
him in the hum of the bee, and in the beauty of the flower;
and his ideas of nature were not formed in the castle or in
the ball ; but in the shealings, and on the moor and the hill
side.—(Cheers.) He would next allude to one subject
of some importance—he alluded
.to questions of national
interest, on which every man was entitled to express his•
opinion fully and freely, and to express those feelings,
too, with the undaunted courage of freemen. We fear
not the sincerity of any man when he can boldly show
forth his opinions to the world—(Applause)—whose end
and aim were the glory and virtue of his country. After
some beautiful remarks on his own writings descriptive of
Scottish scenery and manners, the speaker said that he had
not forgotten his native town ; and although he had ob-
served many alterations—though he missed many things
fraught with the associations of his childhood—yet he could
still perceive many old familiar faces, but among other
things he missed his old acquaintance the " Wee Steple."
—(A laugh.) Nor had he forgotten the Sabbaths of his
childhood ; and he trusted that next Sunday he would find

himself sitting in the same pew he had occupied in his early
years ; and even that night he should walk to within a few
yards of his father's grave.—(Cheers.) The Learned Pro-
fessor concluded an affecting and eloquent address by re-
turning thanks for the honour conferred him, and sat down
amidst loud and continued cheering which lasted for several
minutes.
The CHAIRMAN then gave " the health of Mr. Camp-
bell, of Blythswood, the Lord Lieutenant of the County,"
which was drunk with all the honours.
In proposing the health of Mr. Hastie, the Member of
Parliament for Paisley,
The CHAIRMAN said that the Honourable Gentleman
appeared to have given the utmost satisfaction to his con-
stituents.

The CHAIRMAN amain rose, and craved a particular
bumper to the health' of another distinguished individual
then present. He alluded to Thomas Campbell, the
author of the " Pleasures of Hope."—(Loud cheering.)
The gentleman to whom he alluded was a class-fellow of
his own at College, and he was rejoiced to meet him on
the present occasion. They had amongst them a great
poet—a poet who had sprung into fame 40 years ago,
and who has since risen to an elevated name by his own
merits alone.—(Applause.) The " Pleasures of Hope" had
stamped its author with immortality once and for ever.—
(Renewed cheering.) For tenderness and touching de-
scriptions of female beauty, the guests were nearly assimi-
lated ; but the Bard of Hope was certainly transcendant
in the heroic strains, when be sun," of the field of Holten-
linden, of Lochiel, and when he describes how—
" Freedom shrieked as Kosciusko fell."

Great applause.) The Chairman concluded by proposing
he health and happiness of Thomas Campbell, which met
vith a cordial resocase amid loud cheers.

Mr. CAMPBELL returned thanks in a speech abounding
in humour, good feeling, and classic allusions. He then
passed a chaste but warm eulogium on the guest whom the
company had met to honour, a man whose heart-strings
encircled the human race. He pointed out with great fe-
licity how far the fame of their guest had extended in con-
centric circles over the ends of the earth. He was admired
over the civilized world, more in Europe—more in Britain—
London—Edinburgh. When he (Mr. Campbell) came
down to Glasgow, to his own Campbell Club, in
his own native city, he expected to have some chance
with Professor Wilson ; but No.—(Laughter.) While he
who had come 400 miles was received with app.auses like
volleys of musketry, Wilson had been received with cheer-
ing which might be compared with the cannon's thundering
roar.—(Laughter and applause.) As the circles narrowed
he became better loved, and of course, if lie was loved in
Glasgow, in Paisley lie was adored.--(Loud cheering.)
As the circles diminished, still the love for him increased,
and when he arrived at last at the family circle, Ah ! there
in strength and in purity of affection he reigned supreme.—
(Immense cheering.) Mr. Campbell concluded a speech
cheered throughout, but of which, for the reason assigned,
we have not given even an outline,) by saying, that while
Cart ran rowin' to the sea, he would never wish to fall in
with a friend of a brighter genius, a sounder head, or a
warmer heart, than belonged to Professor Wilson.—(Long
continued cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN then gave " Sir Michael Shaw Stewart,
the Member for the County," which was drunk with all the
honours.

Professor WILSON rose amidst much applause, to pro-
pose " Prosperity to the town of Paisley" and i❑ allusion
to an observation which had fallen from Mr. Campbell, who
had likened the Professor to Sir William Wallace in his
personal appearance, and that Nature had been so kind as
to give him a sound body and a sound heart. 114 had been
considered as having a resemblance to the Scottish patriot,