108 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. III. 



The last entry in the journal treats of the lectures given at 

 home ; though written at a later date, its contents make it suit- 

 able for our notice at present. 



"May 1839. Following out the proposal to amend the sub- 

 jects of ladies' conversation and study, I assembled some of them 

 in my father's house, and delivered a course of lectures on 

 chemistry, especially the chemistry of nature. It was in the 

 winter of 1837-38, so that I was then cet. 19 ; the majority of 

 my audience were older by a year or two. I was greatly 

 praised and encouraged, most kindly listened to and assisted in 

 many ways, especially by John Macgillivray, a generous, unself- 

 ish, happy fellow, without whose aid I should have come on 

 very poorly. This course, which began iii October, was first 

 interrupted by the illness of my sister, and afterwards, in 

 February, by the mournful indisposition of my cousin Catherine, 

 so that only ten or twelve lectures were given. 



" I place here the names of those who smiled on a juvenile 

 attempt, both because I would keep on record the titles of those 

 persons who gave rise to many a happy thought, and that as I 

 hope to address other audiences, I may not lose the recollection 

 of my first, which was more kind, generous, and forgiving to- 

 wards me than any future audience ever can be." 



Of the list which follows of twenty- seven names, thirteen 

 have passed into the unseen world, almost all in the bloom of 

 youth and hope, so that it recalls sadly, years of anxiety, fear, 

 suspense, and desolation to the hearts in whose depths all those 

 loved ones lie buried. In a letter of 1839, George says to his 

 brother, referring to the death of his cousin Catherine, " How 

 little did I think, when last winter I assembled a few happy, 

 youthful forms to hear of my favourite science, that in another 

 year two of the fairest, and kindest, and seemingly most healthful 

 of them should be struck down by the demon disease of our 

 country." 



The correspondence with Daniel continues the narrative : 



