1817 32. MATEKNAL INFLUENCE. 5 



earth contained ; and the peculiar love of twins for each other 

 was felt by him in all its force. To this has been attributed 

 " something of that wonderful power of attaching himself, and 

 being personally loved, which was one of his strongest, as it was 

 one of his most winning powers." * 



His mother is " regarded by all who knew her as a woman of 

 rare natural gifts, who zealously fostered in her children the 

 love of knowledge which they inherited/' 2 " Any one who has 

 had the privilege to know him, and to enjoy his bright and 

 rich and beautiful mind, will not need to go far to learn where 

 it was that her son George got all of that genius and worth and 

 delightfulness which is transmissible. She verifies what is so 

 often and so truly said of the mothers of remarkable men. 

 She was his first and best alma mater, and in many senses his 

 last, for her influence over him continued through life." 3 



It was a custom of his mother's to pay each night a visit to 

 the little cot of her twin boys, and repeat over them Jacob's 

 blessing, " The God which fed me all my life long, unto this 

 day, the Angel that redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads ! " 

 So fascinating was this to George, that in mature years he 

 has told a friend how he used to lie awake watching for it, 

 pretending to be asleep that he might enjoy it to the 

 full. In the family, this blessing seemed in consequence set 

 apart, as it were, to the twins, and inseparably associated with 

 them. 



Eealizing that education is the developing and training of 

 every faculty of mind and body, the children were encouraged 

 in all pursuits likely to further this. A healthy moral and reli- 

 gious atmosphere surrounded them ; their individual tastes and 

 powers were carefully watched and elicited, and a kindly confi- 

 dence encouraged. About the age of four, each one was sent to 

 an elementary school, and the boys afterwards to that of Mr. 

 Knight, a teacher well known for his care in laying the solid 

 substratum so often neglected in schools of greater pretension. 



1 ' Hone Subsecivse,' Second Series. Article, " Dr. George Wilson." 



2 < North British Review ' for February 1856. Article, " Colour Blindness.' 



3 ' Horae Subsecivfe/ p. 104. 



