96 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. .CHAP. V. 



we will hope the best, and we shall all be very glad to 

 see you." 



The brotherhood referred to in this letter was an object 

 of deep interest to George Wilson, and exercised an in- 

 fluence over him so beneficial in many respects, that we 

 cannot pass it over without notice. It arose out of an 

 association of students who edited a weekly magazine, called 

 the Maga. Various records of its commencement exist 

 among the private papers of the Society. In an address to 

 its members, by the chief office-bearer in 1838, its forma- 

 tion is thus mentioned : " Established by a few congenial 

 souls to commune together, it was first called the Maga 

 Club ; its objects were literature and good fellowship. The 

 principles which regulated it, however, were so excellent 

 that many craved an admittance into it, and its objects be- 

 came enlarged, its aim more pretending ; from a club it 

 rose to a brotherhood, a brotherhood devoted to the 

 search of truth in every department of knowledge." The 

 name by which the members made themselves known was 

 " The Universal Brotherhood of the Friends of Truth." 



To help each other in the search after truth was their 

 avowed object, and so wide-embracing were its desires as 

 to aim at " becoming a mental and moral safeguard to the 

 world, and a bond of union among all nations." As its 

 original founders were men whose talents gave them a high 

 place in the Edinburgh University, entrance to their circle 

 was eagerly desired by their fellow-students. Before long, 

 branches were formed elsewhere, and many who have since 

 distinguished themselves in various departments of science, 

 were amongst the early members. One proof that amongst 

 them were young men of promise may be found in the fact 

 that six of them have been chosen to fill chairs in the 





