6 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. ('HAP. I. 



On his first appearance at the annual public school examination, 

 George recited the ' Newcastle Apothecary/ receiving at its close 

 the encomium, " Well done, Bolus ! " Hence the name we find 

 him appropriating in the following letter, believed to be the 

 first he penned ; and in which it will be seen he already parodies 

 an early and lasting favourite, " John Gilpin." It was written 

 while from home, during the vacation immediately following his 

 recitation, when he was not above seven, and is addressed, 

 " My mother, Edinburgh." 



" MY DEAR MOTHER, We left Edinburgh on a very disagree- 

 able day; we arrived safe and well. I take a bowl of whey 

 porridge every morning. Bolus takes a drink of milk eveiy 

 morning and evening. You will receive six peas-bannocks on 

 Saturday with the box. Janet Brown is going to make you a 

 sweet-milk cheese. 



" Now let us sing, long 

 Live the King, and 

 Bolus, long live lie ; 

 And when he next 

 Does say this piece, may 

 I be there to see. 



" Your affectionate son, GEORGE WILSON." 



As a specimen of progress, a letter may be given of a later 

 year, while at a farmhouse in Peeblesshire, where he saw much 

 that excited wonder in a town-bred boy. The wide kitchen- 

 chimney, where, sitting on the seats in its sides, he could look 

 up and see the stars, was one of the novelties never forgotten. 

 The letter is partly to his sister Mary, and partly to his mother. 

 Mary, it will be remembered, was five years his senior, and was, 

 like himself, a child of unusual promise. 



" ROM ANNO MAINS, September 15th. 



" CARA MARIA, Tua epistola venit mihi sex- dies. Vides 

 scrips! te secundum oras. Scribam te major epistola post. Epis- 

 tola abs Matre venit ad Nancy. Spero ut Mater et mea parva 

 Soror sunt melior. Ab tuo Prater, GEORGIUS WILSON." 



" Send me two or three old pill-boxes to put the insects in. 



