83 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 71. 



melancholy evidence of the unsuccessful sale of the book. On 

 the last page of the work was the word " Finis," in large type, 

 and to save the reprinting of this page, he had impressed by 

 hand, a stamp of a round pattern, so as to obliterate it ; the 32 

 pages added contained a continuation of his curious prose 

 journal. The duel occupation of pedlar and poet does not 

 seem to have been a happy combination, and he was confronted 

 with the dreaded alternative : " Renounce poetry and all its 

 distracting notions, descend to the laborer's vale of life, there 

 attend the dictates of prudence, and toil or stari'c." 



As Wilson advanced in knowledge he became ashamed of 

 his boyish publications. Lawson once attempted to criticise 

 and he snatched the volume from his hand and threw it into 

 the fire. Ord could not induce him to loan or allow him to 

 read the copy in his possession. On the fly leaf he had written : 

 " I published these poems when only twenty-two, an age more 

 abundant in sail than ballast. Reader, let this soften the rigor 

 of criticism a little. — Gray's Ferry, Jnly Gth, 1804." ^ 



Though open air work had improved his health, he was not 

 yet capable of great physical exertion without evil results. In 

 January, ITOl, he writes his father that he was scarcely able to 

 move for four days after running one stormy night from Pais- 

 ly to Glasgow and back again, a round trip of about twelve 

 miles. 



In 1792 he published anonymously at a penny a copy, his 

 best dialect poem "Watty and Meg or the Taming of a Shrew." 

 It passed through seven or eight editions and was at first 

 ascribed to Burns, which gave the author a great deal of sat- 

 isfaction. It is a faithful word picture of a vulgar type, re- 

 flecting the vices of the time; and at once entitled Wilson to a 

 seat among the minor poets of his country. The sale of the 



^Robert Smith, bookseller in Taisley, is said to have publishecl a 

 collection of Wilson's minor poems in 1814, title not given ; but an 

 1816 collection, which should not be confounded with the so-called 

 " Crichton " edition of the same date, is entitled : Poems. Chiefly 

 In the Scotch Dialect, by Alexander Wilson, Paisley. Printed by J. 

 Noilson, for R. Smith. Booksellers. 1810, pp. 1-228 (about 8x5 

 inches). 



