218 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



" I believe he followed the French, for he hated Reid. But though 

 an acute man, I cannot think he had any wisdom ; he was contin- 

 ually nibbling at the shoe-latchets of the mighty." He again recurs 

 to Stewart's Essays, which Blair is to read and consider, "but only 

 in the conviction that it is necessary for us, which it seems to be. 

 The truth is, that metaphysics must not be discarded entirely, for 

 my enemies will give out that I discard them because I do not un- 

 derstand them. I want, on the contrary, in the midst of my popu- 

 lar views, and in general, to show frequently a metaphysical power, 

 of which, perhaps, Stewart himself does not possess any very extra- 

 ordinary share. In the first lecture on the Physical Being of Man 

 this must be kept in view." 



This letter is dated August 7th, so that it would appear that 

 already, in the course of a fortnight, the Professor-elect had gone 

 pretty deep into his subject, and even got the length of having a 

 complete outline of his proposed course nearly matured. His good 

 friend Blair was not found wanting in this crisis, and appears to 

 have faithfully complied with his wishes, sending a regular series of 

 letters, embodying, in the form of answers and suggestions, the re- 

 sults of his profound and varied study of philosophy, ancient and 

 modern. Of these letters I have no specimen to give ; but there is 

 another of my father's sufficiently interesting to be quoted entire. 

 He is at this time apparently (for it is without date) far advanced 

 in his preparations, and has reached that part of his course where 

 the inquiry passed from the region of morals into that of religion. 



" My dearest Blair : — I would fain hope that your useful and 

 enabling letters do not interfere too much with your own pursuits, 

 whatever these may be. The morning that brings me a legible 

 sibylline leaf, is generally followed by a more quiet-minded day. 



" I wish you to send me two or three letters, if possible, on that 

 division of the passions regarding religion. It is imperfectly done, 

 and altogether the whole subject of Natural Theology and our du- 

 ties to the Deity is heavy. However, I have remedied that in some 

 measure, and will do so still more this session. What I direct your 

 attention to is the History of Idolatry. Some views of its dreadful, 

 beautiful, reverent, voluptuous character and kind ; and some fine 

 things in the mythological system of the Greeks, in as far as feeling, 

 passion, or imagination were concerned. Every thing historical 



