WILSON, Alexander, the American ornithologist, was born at Paisley, in Scotland, on the 6th of July 1766. His father was a hand-loom weaver, and he himself followed the same trade. His education was more liberal than that of many in similar circumstances. Some poems which he published, especially those written in the Scotish dialect, possess great merit. In 1794 he emigrated to the United States, where, after working for some time as a weaver, he betook himself to the not less laborious but more refined employment of schoolmaster. For a series of years his time was occupied in that country with various studies, such as mathematics, the German language, music, drawing, and, above all, natural history. At length he resolved to devote himself entirely to ornithology, and, at whatever hazard, to form a collection of all the birds of the United States. For this he was eminently qualified. In the words of his American biographer, “he was not only an enthusiastic admirer of the works of creation, but he was consistent in research, and permitted no dangers or fatigues to abate his ardour or relax his exertions. He inured himself to hardships by frequent and laborious exercise, and was never more happy than when employed in some enterprise which promised, from its difficulties, the novelties of discovery. Whatever was obtained with ease appeared to him comparatively uninteresting: the acquisitions of labour alone seemed worthy of his ambition. He was no closet philosopher; he was indebted for his ideas, not to books, but to nature....His powers of observation were acute, and his judgment seldom erred. That his industry was great, his work will ever testify; and our astonishment may well be excited that so much should have been performed in so short a time. A single individual, without patron, fortune, or recompense, accomplished, in the short space of seven years, as much as the combined body of European naturalists have taken a century to achieve. The collection and discovery of these birds were the fruits of many months of unwearied research amongst forests, swamps, and morasses, exposed to all the dangers, privations, and fatigues incident to such an undertaking. What but a remarkable passion for the pursuit, joined with an ardent desire of fame, could have supported a solitary individual in labours of body and mind, compared to which the bustling avocations of common life are mere holiday activity or recreation ?” With regard to the literary merit of his “American Ornithology,” passages occur in the prefaces and descriptions, which, for elegance of language, graceful ease, and graphic power, can scarcely be surpassed. In America he composed various poetical pieces. The longest of these, “The Foresters,” a narrative in verse of a pedestrian journey performed by himself and two friends to the Falls of Niagara, is decidedly superior to any of a descriptive kind which he had written in Scotland, manifesting great improvement both in his taste and his power of composition. In personal appearance Wilson was tall, handsome, and vigorous; but adapted as his frame was for a life of activity, it gradually gave way under the accumulated and harassing toils to which he was subjected, and he died of dysentery at Philadelphia on the 23d of August 1813, in the forty-eighth year of his age, when the publication of his great work, which appeared in volumes, was nearly completed. Strong good sense, high moral worth, and a lofty spirit of independence, were the characteristic features of his mind. With the feelings of a poet, he had few of the defects that often cling to the poetic character.

Wilson , Florence, better known by his classical appellation of Florentius Volusenus, was born about the year 1500. He is supposed to have been born on the banks of the river Lossie, near Elgin, and to have received a part of his education in the university of Aberdeen. He afterwards prosecuted his studies at Paris, and was there employed as tutor to a son of Cardinal Wolsey’s brother. Such an appointment might have led to much higher honour and emolument; but the death of the cardinal, which took place in 1530, compelled him to search for new employment. Another cardinal, Jean de Lorraine, encouraged him in the pursuit of learning, by assigning to him an annual pension, of which however the amount was probably small, nor does it appear to have been punctually paid. He likewise obtained the favour of Jean du Bellay, bishop of Paris; and in the year 1534, when that prelate was employed on an embassy to Rome, Wilson was included in his train, and had proceeded as far as Avignon, when he was detained by a malady which compelled him to relinquish his engagement. In addition to his bodily ailments, he had now to [7:21:890]complain of the exhausted state of his purse; and thus he was again left to seek a new path of preferment. He appears to have been personally known to Cromwell, then secretary of state, as well as to Gardiner bishop of Winchester, Fisher bishop of Rochester, and Fox bishop of Hereford. On reaching Avignon, he was informed that the bishop of the diocese was anxious to find some person properly qualified to teach the public school of Carpentras. This prelate was the celebrated Cardinal Sadoleto, who was himself distinguished for his Latinity. Wilson lost no time in proceeding to the episcopal residence, where he experienced a very gracious reception. The cardinal, as we learn from one of his letters, was impressed with a most favourable opinion of his character and attainments. His nice ear was gratified with Wilson’s classical Latinity; nor was he a little surprised on learning that his visitor was a native of a country so wild and remote as Scotland. He was speedily appointed master of the school, with an annual salary of seventy crowns, which at that period was no inconsiderable sum. At Carpentras he appears to have fixed his residence in the month of November 1535. To the vocation of teaching grammar he would evidently have preferred that of teaching philosophy. He did not abandon his philosophical studies, nor did he neglect the study of theology. His earliest publication was a theological tract, printed at Lyon in 1539. He next published the elegant work which has chiefly recommended him to the notice of posterity: “De Animi Tranquillitate Dialogus, Florentio Voluseno autore.” Lugduni, 1543, 4to. Wilson probably continued to reside at Carpentras till the year 1546, when he had formed the resolution of returning to his native country. He seems to have cherished no antipathy towards the cause of reformation. The increasing defection from the Romish church he imputes, in terms sufficiently plain, to the pride, luxury, and negligence of the prelates; and three of the Italian reformers, Martyr, Ochino, and La-cisio, he mentions, not merely without censure, but even with undissembled approbation. Having proceeded on his journey as far as Vienne in Dauphiny, he was there arrested by the stroke of death, before the termination of the year 1546.

Wilson , Thomas, bishop of Sodor and Man, was born in 1663, at Burton, in Cheshire. He received the rudiments of his education at the county town, and from thence was removed to the university of Dublin. His allowance at the university was L.20 a year; a sum, small as it may now appear, which was in those days sufficient for a sober youth in so cheap a country as Ireland. His first intention was to apply himself to the study of physic; but from this he was diverted by Archdeacon Hewet-son, by whose advice he dedicated himself to the church. He continued at college till the year 1686, when, on the 29th of June, he was ordained deacon by the bishop of Kildare.

The exact time of his leaving Dublin is not known, but, on account of the political and religious disputes of those days, it was sooner than he intended. On the 10th of December in the same year he was licensed to the curacy of New Church in Winwick, of which Dr Sherlock, his maternal uncle, was rector. His stipend was no more than L.30 a year; but being an excellent economist, and having the advantage of living with his uncle, this small sum was not only sufficient to supply his own wants, but it enabled him to supply the wants of others; and for this purpose he set apart one tenth of his income. In 1692 he was appointed domestic chaplain to William earl of Derby, and tutor to his son James Lord Strange, with a salary of L.30 a year. He was soon after elected master of the alms-house at Latham, which brought him L.20 a year more. Having now an income far beyond his expectations or his wishes, except as it increased his ability to do good, he set apart one fifth of it for pious uses, and particularly for the poor. In short, as his income increased he increased the portion of it which was allotted to the purposes of charity. At first he set apart a tenth, then a fifth, afterwards a third, and lastly, when he became a bishop, he dedicated the full half of his revenues to pious and charitable uses.

He had not been long in the family of Lord Derby before he was offered the valuable living of Buddesworth in Yorkshire, which he refused to accept, as being inconsistent with the resolves of his conscience against non-residence, the earl choosing still to retain him as chaplain, and tutor to his son. In 1697 he was promoted, not without some degree of compulsion on the part of his patron, to the bishopric of Man, a preferment which he held fifty-eight years. In 1698 he married Mary, daughter of Thomas Patten, Esq. of Warrington. By this lady, who survived her marriage above six years, he had four children, none of whom survived him except the late Dr Wilson, prebendary of Westminster.

So great was the bishop’s attachment to his flock, that no temptation could seduce him from their service. He more than once refused the offer of an English bishopric. There is an anecdote of Bishop Wilson and Cardinal Fleury, which reflects great credit on both. The cardinal wanted much to see him, and sent over on purpose to inquire after his health, his age, and the date of his consecration, as they were the two oldest bishops, and he believed the poorest, in Europe; at the same time inviting him to France. The bishop sent the cardinal an answer which gave him so high an opinion of him that the cardinal obtained an order that no French privateer should ravage the Isle of Man. This good prelate lived till the year 1755, dying at the advanced age of ninety-three. His Works were collected by his son in 1780, 2 vols. 4to. Another edition was published in 2 vols. fol. by the Rev. Clement Cruttwell, who likewise published an edition of the Bible in 3 vols. 4to, with notes by Bishop Wilson.

Wilson's Promontory, a remarkable projecting headland of granite, the southernmost point of the island of New Holland, about twenty miles in length, and from five to fourteen in breadth. Long. 146. 24. E. Lat. 39. 11½. S.