1844-54. PHILOSOPHICAL INSTITUTION. 325 



ing aside the green baize hanging from the table, and with 

 shaggy head and paws visible, gazed with wonder at the assem- 

 bly before him. The effect was irresistibly comic, for it seemed 

 as if, in imitation of his master, he had thoughts of setting up 

 on his own account. But poor Grim never had another chance 

 of winning public confidence, being compelled henceforth to 

 spend the evenings at home, listening for the step of him he 

 loved so well. 



Within the decade now under notice, several courses of lec- 

 tures were delivered under the auspices of the same Institution. 

 The prelections usually delivered to its members differ widely 

 from those addressed to most popular assemblies. The audience 

 which it calls forth regularly throughout each winter, is one 

 that might stimulate any lecturer to put forth his best powers. 

 The highest efforts of such men as Euskin, Kingsley, Hugh 

 Miller, and many of like eminence, have been elicited by it, and 

 not a few works of value have resulted from the publication of 

 lectures given either in whole, or in part, to the members of 

 this Institution. A favourite lecturer, such as George Wilson 

 proved to be pre-eminently, is sure to attract a large number of 

 intelligent, educated, and critically appreciative listeners. To 

 address audiences so intelligent and so courteous was a source 

 of gratification, affording an arena on which his powers had 

 wider scope than the limits of his ordinary field could give. 



Few can estimate the amount of forethought and trouble 

 which a popular scientific lecture, illustrated by experiments, 

 entails : but so far was Dr. Wilson from grudging this trouble, 

 that he invariably prepared for each evening, and with the 

 greatest care, more than could be delivered, and received con- 

 vincing proofs of appreciation in the unwavering attention of 

 his hearers, even sometimes for an hour and three-quarters. 

 An hour before he began seats were eagerly secured by them, 

 and from half- past seven till ten have they frequently been in 

 attendance, night after night. To him these lectures involved 

 loss of sleep and appetite, such as made them the most injurious 

 to health of all his labours. A list before us of fifty-two items, 

 required for the illustrating experimentally of one lecture, testi- 

 fies to these facts, while the more elaborate of his prelections 



