late Professor of Practical Astronomy in Glasgow. 283 



he happened one day to make to a letter-foundery, along with a 

 friend who wanted to purchase some printing- types. In the 

 course of seeing the common operations of the workmen usually 

 shewn to strangers, he was much captivated with the curious 

 contrivances made use of in that business. Some short while af- 

 terwards, when reflecting upon what had been shewn in the letter- 

 foundery, he was led to imagine that a certain great improve- 

 ment of the art might possibly be effected, and of a kind, too, 

 that, if successfully accomplished, promised to reward the inven- 

 tor with considerable emolument. His ideas upon that subject 

 he presently imparted to a friend a little older than himself, who 

 had also come from St Andrew's, and who was possessed of a 

 considerable share of ingenuity, constancy, and enterprise. The 

 consequence of this was, a resolution on the part of both these 

 young adventurers to relinquish, as soon as it could be done 

 with propriety, all other pursuits, and unite their exertions in 

 prosecuting the business of letter-founding upon an improved 

 plan. 



It was not long ere they were enabled to carry into effect 

 this resolution, and they first established a small type-foundery 

 at St Andrew's, and one on a larger scale, two years afterwards, 

 at Camlachie, a village near Glasgow. 



In this situation, Mr WILSON had contracted habits of inti- 

 macy and friendship with several persons of the most respectable 

 character, particularly with the Professors belonging to the Uni- 

 versity of Glasgow, and with Messrs ROBERT and ANDREW Fou- 

 us, University printers, The growing reputation of the Uni- 

 versity Press, conducted by these gentlemen, gave additional 

 scope to Mr WILSON to exert his abilities in constructing their 

 types, and being now left entirely to follow his own judgment 

 and tagte, his talents as an artist became every year more con- 

 spicuous. When the design was formed by the gentlemen of 



