214 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



forthwith disappeared into oblivion, in the midst of a hearty ehorus 

 of hisses. 



My father lost no time in addressing himself to his important 

 labors, and applied in all quarters, where help was to be rehed on, 

 for advice and assistance in collecting materials to guide him in the 

 preparation of his lectures. Three days after the election he 

 writes to his friend, Mr. John Smith, the Glasgow publisher : — 



"53 Queen Street, July 22. 



"My dear Sir: — Many thanks for your very kind letter. The 

 contest was, you know, of a most savage nature, but I never feared 

 for the result. A protest was given in by the defeated party, but 

 that means nothing, and I will be Professor to my dying day. 



" It is quite impossible for me to visit you at Dunoon, however 

 delightful it would-be. My labors are not yet commenced, but 

 they must be incessant and severe ; and I do not intend to leave 

 Edinburgh for one single day till after I have finished the course of 

 Lectures. Nothing but perseverance and industry can bring me 

 even respectably through my toils, and they shall not be wanting. 



"What works do you know of on Natural Theology? Ask 

 Wardlaw. 



" In short, the next month is to be passed by in reading and 

 thinking alone, and all information you can communicate about 

 books and men will be acceptable." 



On the 3d of August he again wrote to Mr. Smith : — 



" My dear Sin : — All is now fixed respecting my election, verb- 

 ally as well as virtually. The Minute of Election is to be read, so 

 says an old and obsolete law, twice in Council, and Deacon Pater- 

 son, as you probably know, gave notice on the 19th, that he would 

 move to rescind the election. Accordingly, on the first .reading of 

 the minute (Wednesday following election), he rose and declared 

 his intention of opening a bagful of charges against me, which, he 

 said, would cause my friends to rescind the election. This he tried 

 to do yesterday, but my friends would not suffer his green bag to 

 be opened. On this, he made a long prepared speech, full of all 

 manner of calumnies against me, during which he was repeatedly 

 called to order even by some of my opponents. At last, a vote 



