THE PEOFESSOK AND HIS CLASS. 231 



that season for an excursion to the pastoral vales of Yarrow and 

 Ettrick, where glittering rivers, 



"Winding through the pomp of cultivated nature," 



attracted more than one poet's admiration ; for if Wordsworth sang 

 in verse, Wilson uttered in prose, how " in spirit all streams are 

 one that flow through the forest. Ettrick and Yarrow come rush- 

 ing into each other's arms, aboon the haughs o' Selkirk, aud then 

 flow Tweed-blent to the sea." In the month of May, he sent an 

 invitation to his students resident in the south of Scotland, to meet 

 him at "Tibby Shiels's," where they were to wander a day with 

 him " to enjoy the first gentle embrace of spring in some solitary 

 spot." Where could it have been better selected than at St. Mary's 

 Loch ? It was said that the meeting was one of unspeakable delight ; 

 the hills were adorned with the freshest green, and the calm, quiet 

 lake reflected the surrounding verdure in its deep waters, and they 

 beheld 



" The swan on still St. Mary's lake, 

 Float double swan and shadow." 



The Professor spoke of the love of nature, and his words impressed 

 them all, and of the poet of Altrive, " our own shepherd, dear to all 

 the rills that issue, in thousands, from their own recesses among the 

 braes ; for when a poet walks through regions his genius has sung, 

 all nature does him homage, from cloud to clod — from the sky to 

 green earth — all living creatures therein included, from eagle to the 

 mole. James knows this, and is happy among the hills." And was 

 that little company then assembled by the " dowie holms," not happy 

 too ? Wilson was in his brightest mood ; no one was overlooked ; 

 joyously and pleasantly passed the day ; and before evening laid its 

 westering shadows into gloaming, he called his students around 

 him, and, rising up, " he shook his wild locks among them, blessed 

 them, called them his children," and bade them adieu. Surely a 

 kindly recognition of these young men in manner such as this would 

 bring benefit with it not less lasting, than when, in graver state, he 

 prelected, ex cathedra, to his assembled class. 



We get an idea of what that class was from the following recol- 

 lections, which Mr. John Hill Burton has kindly sent to me. He 

 says : — 



" I first saw and made the acquaintance of Professor Wilson 



