The province of Canada and the bustling city of Toronto both intrigued and amused Wilson. This is the continent for the ladies, they have it all their own way. A polymath of the best Victorian type, Wilson was responsible for the introduction of the word prehistoric to the English language, was a gifted watercolourist and wrote prolifically. Best of all, as far as U of T s senate was concerned, he was committed to non-denominational education and upheld firmly the principle of intellectual freedom. As he put it in 1877 when rejecting an offer to be head of an Anglican college in London, Ont.
Truth has everything to gain from the most absolute freedom of enquiry.
Act Four Strachan, McCaul and Wilson were the formative presidential trinity in U of T s history. They were followed by the quiet mathematician and classicist, James Loudon , president from 1892 to 1906. Despite Loudon s long tenure as president he is usually not accorded a place in the U of T pantheon. As well, he saw the university consolidate its federation model with the notable inclusion of Trinity College Strachan s legacy under its umbrella in 1904. Act Five Maurice Hutton served as acting president from 1906 to 1907.