Professor George Wilson, 75 



fied or abandoned. Nevertlieless, that the doctrine of progressive 

 development may contain in it the germs of a true theory, I am 

 far from denying. The consideration of this question will came 

 before you when the age of the White Sandstone of Elgin is dis- 

 cussed — a rock hitherto referred to the Old Red, or Devonian for- 

 mation, but now ascertained to contain several reptilian forms, o^ 

 so high an organisation as to raise a doubt in the minds of many 

 geologists whether so old a place in the series can correctly be 

 assigned to it. 



The Late Professor George WiIso7i of Edinhurgli. 



"We observe with deep regret the announcement of the decease 

 of this excellent and able man. In the great work of wedding 

 science to the useful arts, and in the power of making its hardest 

 truths intelligible and acceptable to the common mind he has left 

 few equals and no superior. We copy the following notice from 

 the "Scottish Press": 



The death of Professor George Wilson is an event with cannot 

 but be deeply and widely felt. By many amongst us it will be 

 deplored as a grievous personal loss, to the interests of science 

 generally, it is great indeed, but to the University of Edinburgh 

 it may almost be said to be irreparable. We have no wish to 

 magnify the acquirements of the dead at the expense of those of 

 the living, nor would we wish it to be thought that we write under 

 a sense of despondency occasioned by the removal of one who was 

 ao wise and kind a counsellor; but Dr. George Wilson's connec- 

 tion with the University and the department of science in which 

 he laboured so ardently until the close of his life was in one sense 

 so peculiar as to justify the remark we have made. The Chair 

 of Technology which he was destined to fill for so short a time, 

 was not so much created for him as by him. The foundation of 

 his Professorship was, so to speak, only the recognition of his 

 untiring efforts for the advancement of truth and the application 

 of science to the industrial arts. It was felt not only that he was 

 the best man who could be selected, but that he was the only man 

 who fulfilled all the conditions necessary to render such a profes- 

 sorship as that of Technology permanently efiective. The saying 

 that thoroughly original men not only make their own instru- 



