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delineate, even in outline, the moral and scientific character of Mr 

 James Wilson, had I not felt that whatever might be thought 

 or said of him elsewhere, something was due to his memory in this 

 place and at this time. I should not have attempted it, because 

 the branches of science which he cultivated have never occupied my 

 attention, and because the whole of his character, both in its moral 

 and intellectual aspects, has already been depicted by our brother 

 Professor George Wilson, who knew his honoured- namesake more 

 intimately than I did, and who is far better qualified than I am to 

 speak of his scientific labours. Indeed, I must confess th;it, what- 

 ever, in the execution of the office assigned me, I feel bound to say 

 respecting our excellent and lamented brother, James Wilson, is 

 either borrowed from or confirmed by the beautiful Memoir of him 

 which has appeared in the Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, 

 from the pen of Dr George Wilson — not a kinsman, I believe, but 

 certainly a man of kindred spirit with the subject of his Memoir. 



A weakness of constitution, which manifested itself in his early 

 manhood, withdrew Mr Wilson from the labours of a profession ; and 

 as his leisure permitted, so his inclination prompted him to devote 

 himself to the study of animated nature. His retiring modesty 

 could not prevent his becoming known as an accomplished natural- 

 ist ; " and after the death of the late Professor Edward Forbes, the 

 Chair of Natural History in the University of Edinburgh was offered 

 to, but declined by, Mr Wilson. He was an acknowledged authority 

 on Entomology, and scarcely less distinguished as an Ornithologist 

 and Ichthyologist." His published contributions to science, generally 

 anonymous, were extensive and important. To the seventh edition 

 of The Encyclopmdia Britannica alone he furnished a whole volume 

 of articles, amounting to 649 pages, all on subjects of Natural 

 History. He contributed largely to the various scientific journals, 

 and to the transactions of scientific societies, while at the same time 

 his literary talent and genial humour were shown by many inter- 

 esting papers which appeared in the more popular Magaznes and 

 Reviews of his time. 



But Mr Wilson has a higher claim on our affectionate remem- 

 brance than could be founded upon his scientific labouis alone. He 

 was a good man of a high type of goodness. The gentleness of his 

 temper must have been apparent to all who had any intercourse with 



