226 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



and another. Here was a poet, an orator, a philosopher, fitted in 

 any one of these characters to excite the interest and respect of 

 youthful hearers. But it was not these qualities alone or chiefly 

 that called forth the affectionate homage of so many hearts ; what 

 knit them to the Professor was the heart they found in him, the 

 large and generous soul of a man that could be resorted to and 

 relied on, as well as respected and admired. No man ever had a 

 deeper and kindlier sympathy with the feelings of youth ; none 

 could be prompter and sincerer to give advice and assistance when 

 required. Himself endowed with that best gift, a heart that never 

 grew old, he could still, Avhen things were no longer with him " as 

 they had been of yore," enter into the thoughts and aspirations of 

 those starting fresh in life, and give them encouragement, and ex- 

 change ideas with them, in no strained or formal fashion. No 

 wonder that such a man was popular, that his name is still dear, 

 and awakens a thrill of filial affection and pride in the hearts of men 

 who once knew him as their preceptor and friend. 



I should have liked much, had I been able, to give some account 

 of the Professor's lectures,* and his appearance in his class. But I 



* The following is the Syllabus of his course, drawn up by the Professor for the Edinburgh 

 University Almanac, as delivered in the session 1S33—4, apparently the same in arrangement as 

 originally determined on in his consultations with his friend Blair. In what year he remodelled 

 his course, having previously remodelled his views on the great question of the nature of the 

 Moral Faculty, I have not ascertained. It was at least subsequent to the year 1SS7, to which Mr. 

 Smith's sketch refers. In later years he began in his first lecture with the subject of the Moral 

 Faculty, the discussion of which extended, Mr. Nicolson informs me, over thirty-seven lectures, 

 occupying the time from the commencement of the session in November to the Christmas recess : 



"moral philosophy. 

 " This Class meets at Twelve o'clock. 



" Moral Philosophy attempts to ascertain, as far as human reason can do so, the law which 

 must regulate the conduct of Man as a moral being. Inasmuch as it does not derive this law 

 from any authority, but endeavors to deduce it from principles founded in the nature of things, it 

 takes the name of a science. It may be called the Science of Duty. 



" The first object, therefore, will be to find those principles on which this law of duty must be 

 grounded. For this purpose we have to consider — 1st, The nature of the human being who is the 

 subject of such a law.; and 2d, The relations in which he is placed; his nature and his relations 

 concurring to determine the character of his moral obligations. 



" When the nature of man has been considered, and also the various relations of which he is 

 capable, we shall have fully before us the ground of all his moral obligations; and it will remain 

 to show what they are, to deduce the law which the principles we shall have obtained will assign. 

 Put when we shall have gone over the examination of his nature, the mere statement of his re- 

 lations will so unavoidably include the idea of the duties that spring from them, that it would 

 be doing a sort of violence to the understanding to separate them ; and therefore the consideration 

 of his Duties will be included in the Second Division of the Course. 



"But the performance of duty does not necessarily take place upon its being known. There are 

 difficulties and impediments which arise in the weaknesses, the passions, the whole character of 

 him who is to perform it. Hence there arises a separate inquiry into the means to which man is to 



