140 AI^EXANDE^R WII.SON t POET-NATURALIST 



lander" are examples, are biting satires on the 

 manufacturers, whom the weavers believed to be 

 oppressing them. They are crude, relentless 

 lampoons, and whether actually false or true, they 

 show the heat and bitterness of the hatred which 

 these weavers bore to their greedy employers. 

 But they brought upon Wilson the wrath of the 

 men against whom they were written, and it was 

 partly due to them that his career in Scotland 

 ended. 



In 1 791 there was printed in Paisley "The 

 Psalm-singer's Assistant," by Robert Gilmour, 

 and for it Wilson had furnished, at the request 

 of his friend Thomas Crichton, seven hymns. The 

 little song which is numbered fourth among these 

 is rare for its quiet beauty and serenity. 



Among the pieces of doubtful authorship at- 

 tributed to Wilson we mention as worthy of note 

 the ''Spouter." It is mentioned in the "Paisley 

 Repository" during Wilson's own lifetime among 

 his poems, and the frequent references in it to 

 other poems of his, as well as its general style, 

 indicate that he is its author. It is an humorous 

 account in Scotch of a rambling "Spouter" who 

 recites and sings for the benefit of the audience 

 that has gathered expecting to see a play of 

 some sort. The piece is chiefly made up of reci- 

 tations and songs of the "Spouter." The best of 

 these are a pathetic little song "Young Jeannie," 

 and a poem entitled "The Spirit of the Lake's 

 Song," which is really a remarkable musical gem, 

 suggesting — almost anticipating in theme — the 

 "Cloud" of Shelley, though it had none of the 



