l6o MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. VII. 



lectures a week. To a sister he writes, November 26 : 

 " You will not suspect me of vanity if I tell you a thing or 

 two about my lectures. I have twenty students at my ten 

 A.M. medical class ; forty at my twelve o'clock (three days a 

 week) veterinary class ; some hundred young ladies at the 

 Scottish Institution ; and some two hundred stout fellows at 

 the School of Arts. 



" It is sometimes difficult to disentangle the one from the 

 other, and, accordingly, I called the young ladies gentlemen, 

 and made them all smile. Last Saturday, however, I took 

 care to write on my notes, at various places, the word ladies^ 

 to prevent mistakes, and, as I had abundance of magnificent 

 experiments, the bonny lassies looked bonnier, and were all 

 well pleased. 



" I shall never forget the first sight of the sea of faces at 

 the introductory lecture at the School of Arts, rising tier 

 above tier, piled to the very ceiling. I cast my eye around 

 for a familiar face, and lighted on uncle's white head, like 

 the foam on the crest of a billow. A dragoon soldier like- 

 wise attracted me with his red coat and his mustaches, and 

 I now look instinctively for him. He is a Scots Grey, a fine 

 tall fellow, and must have stuff in him to come there all 

 the way from Jock's Lodge. He takes notes, and is very 

 attentive ; I take quite an interest in the worthy soldier. 

 This class is rapidly increasing under my care over its 

 former numbers, and is my favourite class. My great 

 pleasure in it is lecturing to the working people, to whom 

 I may do intellec ual and moral service." 



" Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily," was evidently more 

 than ever George Wilson's motto. He could not give a 

 lecture without taking much more trouble than was neces- 

 sary in preparing for its illustration, and in the School of 

 Arts this was most evident. His lectures were usually 



