26 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. I 



mation. They both said, they had never seen such a boy. Be- 

 sides the captain, he met on board a Miss Peacock, a most 

 intelligent lady who had been in Ireland, England, etc. George 

 did question her, and got quite in love with her, saying, ' she 

 could speak about everything, just like his mother.' Before 

 parting, he gave her a cordial kiss." 



Ere we pass beyond early boyhood, one or two friends may 

 be allowed to give their impressions. The following is kindly 

 contributed by an accomplished lady, an intimate and frequent 

 visitor, in whom interest was awakened by the unusual intelli- 

 gence of several of the children : 



" I remember well the time when my dear friend Mrs. Wilson 

 introduced me to her then numerous young family, consisting of 

 her own six children, and four children of her deceased sister, 

 Mrs. Russell. I, from the first, admired the perfect subordina- 

 tion maintained among them, and also observed that their 

 obedience did not appear to proceed from fear but from love. 

 Among the group, George and John, the twins, were very in- 

 teresting. They did not resemble each other ; George was more 

 active, perhaps both in mind and body, but they were like in 

 having a loving nature. I never saw them differ for a moment. 

 They were always together, and always busy, the one assisting 

 the other in some mutual plan of operations, each taking the 

 part that best suited his genius. John was a dear gentle boy. 

 I grieved much when he was taken ill, and, after severe suffer- 

 ing, died. Mrs. Wilson's household was, indeed, an edifying 

 sight. All the young people were employed, attending to their 

 respective duties ; no frivolous excuse being allowed to prevent 

 the performance of the allotted lesson. When it was duly ac- 

 complished, then the expected pleasure awaited them of joining 

 in the conversation, with their mother, and any guest who might 

 be present. The subjects discussed were generally such as inter- 

 ested and instructed their young minds, and I remember George 

 standing, looking at his mother with his observant eye, drinking 

 in her remarks, or modestly making an observation of his own. 

 I always, from the first, thought him a very clever boy. He 

 might not be constantly at the top of his class in the High 



