280 Biographical Account of DR WILSON, 



and though in all of them he was almost entirely self-directed 

 and self-taught, yet, from time to time, he produced specimens 

 of ingenuity which drew upon him a general attention, and 

 which, by real judges, were considered as indications of uncom- 

 mon natural talents. 



Upon his leaving the College, he was put as an apprentice to 

 a surgeon and apothecary in his native city, with a view of fol- 

 lowing that profession. At this period he became more particu- 

 larly known to Dr THOMAS SIMSON, Professor of Medicine in the 

 University, who ever after treated him with much kindness and 

 friendship. About the same time he had also the good fortune 

 to find a patron in Dr GEOKGE MART INK, a physician in the 

 town. In those days the construction and graduation of ther- 

 mometers was little attended to or understood in Britain, and 

 Dr MARTINE, from a just conception of the importance of this 

 instrument, in many philosophical pursuits, was then employed 

 in composing those Essays on the subject of Heat which have 

 rendered his name so justly celebrated. The author, besides il- 

 lustrating so well the theory of the thermometer, was farther 

 very desirous of bringing accurate thermometers into general 

 use ; and, with this view, he turned the attention of his friend 

 Mr WILSON to the art of working in glass. Though this was to 

 him entirely a new attempt, depending upon many trials, and 

 much mechanical address, yet he very soon acquired an admi- 

 rable dexterity in forming the different parts of the instrument 

 by the lamp and blowpipe, and in constructing and graduating 

 the scales with accuracy and elegance ; an employment which, 

 for a long time, Mr WILSON continued to be fond of at conve- 

 nient seasons, and in which it is well known he greatly excel- 

 led. 



Possessing naturally much activity of mind, and employing 

 most of his leisure in some ingenious attempt or other, it was 

 about this time that, in making certain optical experiments, he 



