282 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. X. 



labours of the new sphere. In the spring of 1855, Dr. 

 Wilson formed the centre of a merry group, seated one 

 bright and sunny day on the grassy banks of the Doune, 

 beside the old castle, about nine miles from the Bridge of 

 Allan. While one of the young ladies Miss Black, now 

 Mrs. Henry Lees arranged an impromptu cushion, to add 

 to his comfort, she volunteered the promise, that should he 

 ever be a Professor, she would work a cushion for his Chair. 

 The promise, lightly made, with little expectation of its 

 being claimed, was faithfully fulfilled, and her beautiful 

 cushion, on which flowers were worked in beads, was an 

 object of much pride, and a source of much pleasure to 

 its recipient, the donor being one whose friendship he 

 highly valued. The following verses were sent in acknow- 

 ledgment : 



THE CHAIR OF TECHNOLOGY AND ITS CUSHION. 



The Queen of England in her might, 



She made a wondrous Chair ; 

 She beckoned to a Scottish wight, 



And said, " Ho ! sit thou there !" 



The Scottish wight, he bowed his head, 



And stammered an apology ; 

 " Nay ! sit thou there !" the Queen she said, 



' ' In my chair of Technology. 



" To all my subjects, now I say, 



I make thee a professor ; 

 Of this great Chair, by night and day, 



I make thee sole possessor." 



It was a strange, unheard-of Chair, 



And every part was new ; 

 The wood that made it was so rare. 



No one knew where it grew. 

 All through the land the people went, 



And stopping at each college, " Hey !" 

 They cried, " Oh 1 tell us what is meant 



By this Chair of Technology?" 



