208 



MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



points, and within these few days, have not scrupled to circulate 

 reports that I am a bad husband and a bad father. I confess that 

 this has atfected me greatly ; as, whatever my faults or errors may 

 have been, it is true as holy writ that I do tenderly love my wife and 

 children, and would willingly lay down my life for their sakes. I 

 need not say that such base insinuations have roused the indignation 

 of my friends ; but though calumny is in general ultimately 

 defeated, it often gains its ends for the time being ; and in this case 

 it is likely to operate to my disadvantage with some of the electors 

 whose minds are not yet made up. Now you, my dear sir, mar- 

 ried me to one of the most sinless and inoffensive of human beings, 

 whom not to love would indeed prove me to be a wretch Avithout a 

 soul, or a heart, or a mind, and to treat whom otherwise than 

 kindly and tenderly would be an outrage against nature. God has 

 blessed me with six innocent children, for whom I pray every night ; 

 and all my earthly happiness is in the bosom of my family. But to 

 you I need say no more on such a subject. As an answer to all 

 such calumnies, I fear not that my future life will be satisfactory ; 

 but, meanwhile, you will be doing me another friendly office by 

 writing to me another letter, containing your sentiments of me as a 

 man, — such a letter as you would wish to address to a friend who 

 has ever loved and respected you, on understanding that he has 

 been basely, falsely, aud cruelly calumniated. The electors are 

 satisfied with my talents, and even my enemies have ceased now to 

 depreciate them ; but the attack is now made on my moral character, 

 and they are striving to injure me in the public estimation by 

 charges which, at the same time, cannot, in spite of their falsehood, 

 tail to give me indescribable pain. I am, my dear sir, ever yours 

 affectionately, John Wilson." 



Mr. Fleming's reply is not extant, but the answer to a similar 

 request addressed to Mrs. Grant of Laggan may be given as a cu- 

 riosity in literature, being, it is to be hoped, the last specimen that 

 will be seen of such a testimonial to any candidate for a professor- 

 ship. My father wrote to Mrs. Grant as follows : — 



" Sunday Afternoon. 

 "My dear Madam: — During the course of the canvass in which 

 I have for some time past been engaged, I am sorry to know that 



