1 86 Ikin0s of tbe "Kofc, Ifttfle, anb 6un 



paints himself. I love Scotland and her whisky well. 

 Nowhere have I met bolder, stouter drinkers, or enjoyed 

 more rational conviviality of the sort that brings no 

 headache in the morning and keeps within the limit 

 of becoming mirth. Wherefore I grieve to think that 

 those symposia at Ambrose's are impositions, and those 

 jolly bon vivants phantoms that never wore human flesh. 



The grave duties of his professional chair did not 

 interfere with John Wilson's love of sport or hamper 

 his taste for unconventional adventure, as the following 

 anecdote proves : 



"About a year after he had entered upon his new 

 duties the Professor was rambling during vacation-time 

 in the South of Scotland, having for a while exchanged 

 the gown for the old ' sporting-jacket.' On his return 

 to Edinburgh, he was obliged to pass through Hawick, 

 where, on his arrival, finding it to be fair-day, he 

 readily availed himself of the opportunity to witness 

 the amusements going on. These happened to include 

 a ' little mill ' between two members of the local ' fancy.' 

 His interest in pugilism attracted him to the spot, where 

 he soon discovered something very wrong, and a degree 

 of injustice being perpetrated which he could not stand. 

 It was the work of a moment to espouse the weaker 

 side, a proceeding which naturally drew down upon 

 him the hostility of the opposite party. The result 

 was to him, however, of little consequence. There was 

 nothing for it but to beat or be beaten. He was soon 

 ' in position ' ; and before his unknown adversary well 

 knew what was coming, the skilled fist of the Professor 

 had planted such a ' facer ' as did not require repetition. 



