Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1854-04-22
From the N. Y. Tribune.
Death of Professor wiIsou.


The Arctic has brought intelligence the death
ofProf. Wilson, we'll known, perhaps, by the fa-
vorite sooriqaet of christopher North oil. Black
woods Magazine. Born in Paisley, in 1888, he
died on the Sd OF April, 1884, at the age of Co.
For the last four years he had been incapactated
for teaching his classes in the University of Edin.
burgh, having been smitten with paralysis ~ hich
prevented him from walking. Atthe general Par.
liamentary election of 1882, however. when 'pboss
Babbngton Macauley was a candidate for Film
burgh (put forward almost against his own desire.
and certainly without his own solicitation by the
very persons who had capriciously dismissed him
into private life in 1919 Wilson was so anxious
10 record his vote in favor Of his old nen.enmv
anu heart friend. that he Gid not rest until he was
brought UP from his. brothers. Country residence
and conveyed in chair to the polling boom
Where he gave his vote, and never afterwards an.
peared in public. III
John Wilson'S father. said Scott, in 1912, "was
wealthy Paisley manufacturer; his mother sis
Ter OF Robert Syme." The elder Wilson had real
izea considerable fortune, and determined that
ms son should also receive the Invaluable weal h
OIL hrstsrate education. Paisley is within few
t'ies OF GLASGOW, VIII re there is an ancient Uni
yefslty, end an arrangement was made whereby
John Wilson, before he entered his teens, became.
resident pupil with Professor Jurdine Of Glas.
cow. FIVE years thus passed, not unprofitably, for
ne was groui ded in logic and Greek by Professors
Jardne and Young, andhe was ready for entrance
at Magdalen College. Oxford. lii 1906 Wilson
won The under graduates Newdegate prize Tor the
best short poem en- a set subject. Herraduated as
Master in 1910. He was now twenty-on. wears
OLD, anu, quitting Oxford, proceeded TO Edinburp.
where his widowed mother resided. Shortly a f ar
he liked his residence at Elerlay, beautiful .s-
tale on the banks of Lake Wlueermeie, in West
moIeland, which he had purchased. He paid oc-
casonai visits to Edinburgh, having enter. ON the
STUDY OF law, and became member Of the Scot
ush oar IN 1914. We do not know whether he
ever made any effort 10 obtain practice ms a law
yer; but II is fact that though he moved TO Edin.
ouFght AFTER his admission as advocate, and some
nmes wore the prolessional-to in the Courts, he
maue no way al the bar. Lockkart, Gillies, and
others OF his young literary friends were il the
same category-each having paid yG259 for the.hon-
or and glory of aving the professional status
For then, as nj present, The calling of lawyer
was much esteemed in Edinburgh, aud it gave the
man who pursued, or had night 10 pursue it, n
SORT of brevet rank in society there.
Mingling much wi b literary men it was 10 be
expected that John Wilson, endowed as he was,
would write accordingly, he set seriously-or,
IN strlcter parance. vigorously to work, on no
EN- which WIS published in 1919, as The Isle Of
Palms. Previous To its appearance, he lad won
alivelY interest i'll Walter SCOTS mind by some
| exquisite lines on the Death of James GIahame,
| author o. some serious and religious poems, aud,
like himself n native of West Scotland. 81 he
Isle OF Palms Immediately became popuar-thai
is, as popularity ran in those days, dsmonstra led
by The sale of an entire edition of $50 or 700 CO
| pies in year.
Scott, who was then in partnership with the Bal.
'antynes, as pubiishels. had started an Edinburgh
Annual Register, on the plan of but a rival tc
Dodsey's, and had engaged the aid of able litera.
ry assistants: Southey, for example, contributed
The historical portion, and Wilson figured us po
etlcal contributor. A few stanzas, called the
Magic Mirror, were dedicated to Scott, in which
| occur the. lines.