378 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



plating the approach of death Avith the clearness and full strength of 

 his mind and faculties, and of instructing those around him, by 

 solemn precept and memorable example, by what means alone 

 humanity, conscious of its own frailty, can sustain that prospect 

 with humble serenity."* This event made no change in my father's 

 relations with the Magazine, but two years later a trial came that 

 deadened his interest, and the willingness of his hand to work. 



" What is to become of next Magazine ?" was the question on 

 Monday evening, while the printers were waiting for MS., and he 

 had but a few pages to give them. How he worked that night and 

 next two days may be seen by examining the number of the Maga- 

 zine for October, of which he wrote with his own hand 56 out of the 

 142 pages required. His articles were : " A Glance at the Noctes 

 of Athenseus ;" and a "Review of Coleridge's Poetical Works." 



For the remainder of this year, and for the two subsequent years, 

 he gave the most tmequivocal proofs of his regard for his friend's 

 memory, and his interest in his family, by continuing his labors 

 with unflagging industry. In glancing over his contributions for 

 1835, I perceive that in January he had three; in February five; 

 in March two ; in May two ; in July five ; in August four ; in Sep- 

 tember three ; and in October and November one in each month, 

 making a total of twenty-six articles during the twelve months. Of 

 all these criticisms I have only space to allude to the very brilliant 

 series of papers on Spenser, regarding which Mr. Hallam remarks, 

 that "It has been justly observed by a living writer of the most 

 ardent and enthusiastic genius, whose eloquence is as the rush of 

 mighty waters, and has left it for others almost as invidious to 

 praise in terms of less rapture, as to censure what he has borne 

 along in the stream of unhesitating eulogy, that ' no poet has ever 

 had a more exquisite sense of the beautiful than Spenser.' "f 



In 1836 and 1837, he continued to contribute an article at least 

 once a month until his own great loss paralyzed him. 



The following letters were written in the autumn of 1835 from 

 the banks of the Clyde : — 



" The Baths, Helensburgh, 

 1835, Tuesday, 12 o'clock. 

 " My dear Jane : — I dined with Miss Sym on Sunday, and was 

 kindly received by her and Mr. Andrew. 



* Blaclacood, October, 1837. * Literature of Europe, voL il., p. 136. 



