380 MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



The following note to Mr. Findlay accompanied a report of the 

 speeches on this occasion : — 



"6 Gloucester Place, September 1. 

 " My dear Friend: — The pen is idle ; not cold the heart ! I for- 

 get not ever the friends of my heart. This report is a very imperfect 

 one, but I thought you might not dislike to see it. I will write 

 very soon, and at length. We are all well, and unite in kindest re- 

 gards and remembrances. Ever yours most affectionately, 



" John Wulson." 



As an illustration of his humorous post-prandial speeches, I give 

 an extract from the report : — " Mr. Campbell had been pleased to 

 give them an animated character of his physical power ; all he would 

 say was that nature had blessed him with a sound mind in a sound 

 body, and he had felt her kindness in this, that it had enabled him 

 in his travels and wanderings to move with independence and free- 

 dom from all the restraints that weakness of body might imply. He 

 remembered seeing it mentioned in the public prints some years ago 

 that he resembled the wild man of the wood, but little did he dream 

 that at last he was to grow into a resemblance of their immortal 

 Wallace." After some further observations, in which the learned 

 Professor spoke warmly and eloquently of the genius of Mr. Camp- 

 bell, he referred to the remarks of that gentleman about the circles 

 of reputation that surrounded him, and his reception at the dinner 

 of the Campbell Club. Perhaps, he observed, it was not so great 

 an achievement for Mr. Campbell to come 400 miles to receive the 

 honors awaiting him, as it was for him (Mr. W.) to go forty miles 

 to see those honors bestowed upon him ; while the little discharge 

 of applause with which his appearance was welcomed, was to be 

 regarded only as a humble tribute due to Mr. Campbell's superior 

 artillery. He gave Mr. Campbell willingly the possession of all the 

 outer circles. He gave him London — undisputed possession of Lon- 

 don — also of Edinburgh ; he did not ask for Glasgow ; but here in 

 Paisley (tremendous cheering which drowned the rest of the sen- 

 tence), they would agree with the justice of the sentiment, when he 

 said that had he been born in the poorest village in the land, he 

 would not have cause to be ashamed of his birthplace ; nor, he trusted, 

 would his birthplace have cause to be ashamed of him (cheers). But 

 when he considered where he was born — the town of Paisley — where 



