414. MEMOIR OF JOHN WILSON. 



may range with Victoria. But follow your own taste, which is as 

 good, or better than mine. 



" The five will make the room look gay, and they leave this by 

 the wagon on the 8th instant, directed to be left at Langholm till 

 called for. 



" I close my session on Friday, the 12th, or perhaps a day or two 

 sooner. The weather here is fine, and I trust you will have a good 

 lambing season in spite of the severities since you left us. I see 

 prices are somewhat better, and trust this year may be considerably 

 more favorable than the last two. My own motions are not fixed 

 for the future ; but I shall not leave this before the latter end of 

 May for any other quarter. Four hundred persons were assembled 

 to inter Kemp in the Scott Monument. I heard of it at eleven 

 o'clock ; saw M'Neill, and after much angry discussion with a dep- 

 utation, stopped the funeral, and turned it into the West Kirkyard. 

 They had got leave from . . . and some other fools, and had kept 

 the public ignorant of the proceedings. Very general approbation 

 of our interference is not unmixed with savage or sulky exaspera- 

 tion among the ten-pounders who stood up for their order. It 

 would have been a vulgar outrage. Next day's Witness was inso- 

 lent, but since, there has been a calm sough. The general commit- 

 tee have since passed resolutions approving our conduct. We 

 passed them ourselves, and I moved them in a strong speech, to 

 which there was no reply. 



" A Professor of Music was to be chosen on Saturday, the 3d 

 March. We were all met ; but neither party could tell how it 

 might go, as there were two doubtful votes. The Bennettites 

 boldly moved, on false and foolish pretence of giving time to a 

 new candidate named Pearson, to postpone the election till the 1st 

 of June ; and this motion was carried by one. They hope some- 

 thing may occur before then, to give Bennett a better chance ; and 

 they expect to have the vote of the Chemical Professor, who is to 

 be elected in a few weeks, which may turn the scales. . . . We are 

 all well, and Mary will visit you soon. I leave Blair, who is well, 

 to speak for his own motions. He has been talking of going to 

 Billholm for some days past. With love from all here and in Carl- 

 ton Street — I am, your affectionate father, J. Wilson." 



Soon after this home-loving spirit has assisted in making the 



