more abundant in sail than ballast. Wilson, at this period, came nigh securing an intimacy with Burns. Soon after the poems of the latter were published, Wilson wrote to the author, objecting to certain of them on account of their improper tendency, and stating his sentiments with freedom, although no friendship existed between them. Burns returned for answer, that he usually paid no attention to communications of this kind, being so accustomed to them; but, that as Wilson was no ordinary man, he would depart from his usual course, and then vindicated the pieces in question. Shortly afterwards, Wilson went to Ayrshire to visit Burns, and on his return spoke in rapturous terms of their interview. The credulous Cromeck, in his "Remains of Burns," gives a different version of this incident, and attributes the termination of the intimacy between the two poets, to Wilson's envy of Burns. This being shown to Wilson by one of his American friends, he in the most decided language contradicted the injurious imputation. In the latter end of the year 1792, "Watty and Meg," his most successful poem, made its first appearance, and being published anonymously, it was universally attributed to Burns, then in the zenith of his fame. Wilson felt this a high, though unconscious acknowledgment of his merits by the public, who had so unfavourably received his former and avowed productions, and for a considerable time allowed the report to spread uncontradicted, enjoying great satisfaction. The sale of the poem was so rapid, that Mr. Neilson, the printer, sold in the first few weeks, the vast number of 100,000, and it is said that the author only received twelve copies. But we are rather inclined to doubt this statement; and had it not been well known, we never would have alluded to it, for Mr. Neilson was always very generous to Wilson, as can be proved by extracts from some of his letters, but our limits forbid us entering any further into the subject.* * Mr. Neilson, the printer, it is said, declared after he had been told that the author had given out this report," It is all true; but, did he tell that I became security for a coat to him. I suppose not; well, I had to pay for it. The next passage in our poet's life, is the unfortunate circumstance of his writing the personal satire, entitled "The Shark; or Lang Mills Detected." The occasion of the poem was a dispute between the manufacturers and the weavers of Paisley; and Wilson, ever willing to succour the injured and oppressed, (as the weavers considered themselves at that memorable time) required no inducement to join the latter. The poem was immediately written, and handed round in manuscript. This dark incident in the bright career of our naturalist, has been variously told by all his biographers; some extenuating, others condemning him, and others with feelings of pity, merely mentioning the circumstance, and slightly passing it over. But, as "the faults of great men are the consolation of only dunces," and, as many inaccurate accounts of this affair are circulating, no apology need be made for giving publicity to the following account, which is the most consonant to truth, and puts the matter in a true light. It is from the pen of William M'Gavin, author of the "Protestant," and who was one of Wilson's most intimate friends. "He wrote," says M'Gavin in his autobiography, 66 'some clever pungent pieces of satire against some of our great manufacturers, which those first attacked had the good sense to overlook. But in one instance he had the indiscretion to send a copy [in M.S.] to the gentleman against whom it was directed, with an offer to suppress it for five guineas. This subjected him to a criminal prosecution before the sheriff, in which he was convicted. But his prosecutors were not vindictive. He suffered only a few days' imprisonment, and the mortification of being obliged to burn his own poem, on the stair fronting the jail. I was one of the few who witnessed the execution of his sentence with his own hands. Criminal as he was, such respect was paid to his feelings, that no notice was published of the hour of his punishment, and it was witnessed only by those who happened to be at the cross at the time." This happened on the 6th of Feb., 1793, at eleven o'clock, forenoon, but the poem was secretly published after the prosecution was commenced in the month of May of the preceding year. Many years after this, Wilson (not long before his death) sent for his brother David to join him in America. O David accordingly went, taking with him copies of the poet's satirical pieces, which he had carefully collected, supposing that the author would be gratified to see them again, and accordingly presented them to his brother. But Wilson no sooner saw them, than he threw them in the fire, saying," These were the follies of youth, and had I taken my good old father's advice, they never would have seen the light." How creditable is this to Wilson's moral feeling and the father's good sense! This unfortunate incident, associated with others, seems to have been the means of causing Wilson to leave his native land. The French revolution at this period was spreading its spirit over all Europe; and the bright star of reform, so soon afterwards dimmed with a bloody halo, was welcomed by the many thousands of this country, as the joyful harbinger of universal liberty. Among its wild worshippers, the reformers of Paisley stood conspicuously forward; and Wilson, like many more enthusiastic lovers of freedom, eagerly hailed its appearance. He became the advocate of those who called themselves the Friends of the People, entering into their cause with his usual zeal. In this state, sickened by his repeated efforts to gain the fame of the poet, so ardently desired,-hated by those who had severely felt his lash,-depressed by poverty, which ever haunted him as his shadow,-a marked man by the authorities on account of his politics, they dreading his powers, his life became so uncomfortable, that he formed the noble resolution of bidding farewell to his native country, and seeking a happier home among strangers in some foreign land. Like many sons of toil, he was not bound by very strong ties of sentiment to his native country; and what is a little remarkable in a poet's life, he never formed any attachment of the heart, such as bind men to their homes. It is true he had some acquaintance with a respectable female, and many letters, now lost, passed between them; but Wilson was always sufficiently cautious to make no proposals of matrimonial connection, as he well knew his unsettled life prevented him from being able to fulfil such an engagement to his nice sense of honour. Hearing favourable accounts of America, and it being considered as the abode of liberty, he resolved going there; but with a forethought, by no means common with emigrants, he considered in what manner he was to live in a strange country. One of his schemes appears to have been, to qualify himself for some mercantile business, and for this purpose he applied to his friend, M'Gavin, then a schoolmaster, to be taught the branches of education necessary for such a situation. "He wrote," says M'Gavin, a neat hand, but knew little or nothing of accounts. To accounts, therefore, he set himself with great ardour, for a part of the day, but before the next, something else had taken his fancy, and he never came back." 66 Although he had resolved on going to America, he did not possess sufficient funds to pay his passage. Yet, with his usual characteristic determination, he gave up every other pursuit, and for four months laboured with increased industry at his loom, confining the expenses of his living during that time to one shilling a week. By this rigid economy he amassed the necessary sum, but no more. He then paid farewell visits to his most intimate acquaintances, not forgetting his friend M'Gavin; and after visiting some of his favourite haunts, bade a final adieu to his native country. After being accompanied by the author of the "Protestant" to the outskirts of the town, and there parting, with the mutual expression of never meeting more, he set out on foot to Portpatrick, thence crossed to Belfast, and on Friday, the 23rd of May, 1794, about six in the morning, embarked as a deck passenger on board the American ship, Swift, bound for Newcastle, in the state of Delaware. Of his passage over, he gives a capital account in a letter to his father, written the day after landing, but our limits forbid an extract. However, he says that he arrived at Newcastle, in America, on the 14th of July, accompanied by his nephew, Wm. Duncan, "both in good health." The passage must have been very uncomfortable, as he had to sleep on deck during the whole time, the vessel being, when he embarked, over crowded; but he consented to this, rather than delay his journey. Wilson began his career in the new world nearly as poor as he began his mortal existence. He had not a O single letter of introduction, and only a few shillings in his pocket-and even these, it is stated, were borrowed from a fellow passenger. But from the feeling that he was in a new land, and a prospect in view of bettering his fortunes, all his cares were forgotten, and, with his gun on his shoulder, the future ornithologist directed his course towards Philadelphia, latterly the scene of his bright meteor-like career. On his course he was delighted with every thing he saw, and his attention strongly arrested by the beautiful birds which every where met his view. He shot one of them-a red-headed woodpecker, whose beautiful plumage none can excel-and in his latter years he described with warmth, his delight at the first sight of this beautiful bird. On arriving at Philadelphia-distant thirty-three miles from Newcastle-he made a vigorous search for weaving, but, finding none, he made himself known to a countryman of his, of the name of John Aiken, a copperplate printer, who gave him employment at his own business. This new employment, however, Wilson soon gave up, and resumed his trade of weaving, having made an engagement with Mr. Joseph Sulivan, who lived at Pennypack Creek, ten miles from the city. In the latter end of the year 1795, he again abandoned the loom, and commenced his old occupation of pedlar, and in a short time traversed a considerable part of the state of New Jersey, meeting, however, with more success than he had met in his native country. During this expedition, he kept a journal, as he had formerly done in Scotland, in which he describes the manners of the people; and shows, from the frequent allusions to the feathered creation, that he was taking a deep interest in the nature of birds. On his return from his wanderings, he commenced the profession of teacher in a school near Frankford, in Pennsylvania. Not satisfied with his situation, he removed to Millstown, where he remained for several years, faithfully discharging his duties as schoolmaster of that village. To add something to his income, it is stated that he surveyed land for the farmers in the neighbourhood. Here he became sensible of the defects of his early education; and, with praiseworthy application, began to repair these defects, by studying with |