56 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. riTAP. IT. 



refund all outlay. Their acquiescence was readily gained to 

 this plan, and he and they were the mourners at the funeral. 



The gratitude of the men for this act of kindness was great. 

 Not content with thanks, they said, " Oh, sir ! is there nothing 

 we could do for you? would you like to see the club-room?" 

 He did pay it a visit to satisfy them that it was in their power 

 to give him pleasure. One memorial of the patient he retained, 

 a German prayer-book, hoping at some future day to visit his 

 native place, and communicate with his friends. 



This unprofessional cheating the dissecting-room of lawful 

 subjects was not a solitary case. Where his love or interest 

 was excited in patients, their bodies had a sacredness in his 

 eyes, and at almost any sacrifice he would save them from what 

 he deemed desecration. It may be supposed how much more 

 strongly such feelings influenced him in reference to relations 

 and friends, for whom his affection was so strong, and almost 

 passionate in degree, as to surprise those who casually became 

 aware of its nature. 



He was, in the days we now speak of, an impetuous, ardent, 

 and often impatient youth, capable of any act of unselfish devo- 

 tion to those dear to him, but abounding in strong and some- 

 times unreasonable aversions ; yet, with a certain waywardness, 

 there was mingled such a winning grace that it was a notorious 

 fact that when he chose, consciously or unconsciously, to exert 

 the power, no one could refuse him aught he asked. Indeed, 

 throughout life his powers of " coaxing" were often called into 

 requisition in cases where others had failed. Thus, while a 

 student, he was applied to by ladies whom he knew, to try what 

 could be done with an old woman in Portobello, a sea-bathing 

 resort a few miles from Edinburgh. She was aided by a charit- 

 able society, but for her own sake it was most desirable she 

 should become an inmate of the hospital. All persuasions or 

 entreaties to this effect, however, were in vain ; and so week 

 after week had passed, till George went down, and to the un- 

 bounded astonishment of the ladies, brought her triumphantly 

 to town in a cab, and deposited her, a subdued and willing cap- 

 tive, in one of the wards. From this digression, we return to 

 the private journal, as the best source of information in regard 



