LITERARY AND DOMESTIC LIFE. 423 



part of human nature, and that the whole meaning of a man's 

 character may be traced to his humor. But it is an element coming 

 and going, with other qualities, with all that composes the inner 

 spirit ; often, it is true, in abeyance, but never crushed ; always 

 asserting its rights, not unfrequently with an incongruity which, in 

 its unexpected intrusion, does not rob it of charm, but rather adds' 

 to its power. 



Wilson's humor has been described as being sometimes too broad ; 

 perhaps, in the " Noctes," he occasionally makes use of an impasto 

 laid on a little too roughly. But who ever enjoyed his conversa- 

 tion at home or abroad, among the woods and wilds of nature, or 

 on the busy streets of Edinburgh, that was not as often overpow- 

 ered by his humor as by his wit, by his wisdom as by his eloquence ? 

 His manner in mixing the talk with the walk was peculiar. He 

 took several steps alongside of you, conducting you on to the 

 essential point, then, when he had reached that, he stopped, " right- 

 about faced," stood in front of you, looking full at you, and deliv- 

 ered the conclusion, then released you from the stop you were forced 

 to make, walked on a few paces, and turned in the same manner 

 again. 



Latterly, a walk to the College was rather too much for him, and 

 he generally took a cab from George Street. This in time became 

 his habit, and gave rise occasionally to the most riotous behavior 

 among the cab-drivers, who used to be on the look-out for his ap- 

 proach, all desirous of driving him. The moment that well-known 

 figure was seen, an uproar began. His appearance and dress were 

 too peculiar not to be recognized a good way oif, for no one wore 

 a hat with so broad a brim, covered with such a deep crape, his 

 long hair flowing carelessly about his neck, and his black coat but- 

 toned across his chest, now somewhat portly. Still, despite in- 

 creasing infirmity, his step was free, and he looked leonine in 

 strength and bearing. So did he when he sat for his photograph 

 to Mr. T>. O. Hill, an engraving from which is prefixed to this 

 work. In this product of that wonderful art, then in its infancy, 

 comes out the character of the man ; the block, as it were, from 

 nature, not softened down or refined away by that delicacy which 

 so often makes portrait-painting insensate, but great in its original 

 strength ; with a something, perhaps more of the man, and a little 

 less of the poet in his look, than painting would have given, yet 



