178 Notices of the Life of Professor Wilson, 



and true genius which all those writings display, will ever give 

 the name of George Wilson a high place among the illustrious 

 dead We are sure it will be grateful to those of our readers 

 who may not have access to other sources of information to be 

 ut in possession of the following particulars of his history. 



Dr. Wilson was born in Edinburgh, on 21st February 1818; 

 and was thus, at his death, in the forty-first year of his age. 

 " His parents were highly respectal>le, though not in such an 

 elevated station as to diminish the credit due to his own exertions 

 in attaining the position which he ultimately reached ; but it 

 deserves to be noticed, that he may be included in the number of 

 distinguished men who have been in a great degree indebted for 

 the development of their talents to the maternal character and 

 influence." 



His father, Mr. Archibald Wilson, was a wine merchant in 

 Edinburgh, and died about sixteen years ago. His mother, Janet 

 Aitken, who is still living, was the youngest daughter of a land- 

 surveyor in Greenock. She was a lady of great intelligence and 

 piety, and she devoted much attention to the education of her 

 children. There were eleven of the family; but of these only 

 three now remain, — a son, Dr. Daniel Wilson, the well-known 

 author of "The Prehistoric Annals of Scotland," at present Pro- 

 fessor of English Literature and History in the University of 

 Toronto, — and two daughters. From his childhood, George was 

 distinguished by many noble qualities — great truthfulness, self- 

 sacrifice, delicate sense of honour, and generous feelings. 

 Studious, and with a marked love for books, he gave early promise 

 of great mental ability. 



In 1822 he commenced his studies in a private school, and in 

 1828 he entered as a pupil of the High School, under Mr. Ben- 

 jamin Mackay, an able classical teacher. He was always among 

 the first five in the class, and was remarkable for his general 

 hnowledge — a quality which was exhibited during life, and which 

 seemed afterwards to fit him specially for the situation he occu- 

 pied in the University. So warm were his aff"ections, and such 

 his power of attracting others, that from his boyhood onwards no 

 one was more generally beloved. While at school, in 1828-29, 

 he and his brothers formed among their companions a " Juvenile 

 Society for the Advancement of Knowledge." They met once a 

 week in his father's house, when papers were read on natural 



