358 MEMOIR OF GEORGE WILSON. CHAP. IX 



The two shook hands and parted friends, 



And wondered they had been so hot. 

 A story 's good if well it ends, 



And here you see 's the wondrous dot 



MORAL. 



This worthy man no doul>t had his distresses, 



But well he could afford to laugh ; 

 He might mistake his millstones for his cheeses, 



But none could ask him for his autograph. 



As the friendship with Lord Jeffrey has been alluded to, one 

 or two extracts from his letters may be given to show the extent 

 of his regard. Feeling assured that had Lord Jeffrey now been 

 in life, a similar testimony would have been given, we feel at 

 liberty to make use of them. In a note acknowledging a paper, 

 possibly his article on ' Chemistry and Natural Theology/ in the 

 ' British Quarterly Review/ Lord Jeffrey says, "I thank you very 

 heartily for your touching and earnest homily. I do not perhaps 

 go entirely along with you in some of your conclusions, but I 

 never read anything you write, without feeling myself the better 

 for it, and being made more aware of the leavening and pervad- 

 ing effect of an earnest and fearless charity." The following 

 letter is given entire, with an omission only of some extraneous 

 remarks, of temporary interest. It apparently contains a refer- 

 ence to the article mentioned in the preceding extract : 



" 24, MORAY PLACE, Wednesday, 15th March 1848. 



" MY DEAR DR. WILSON, I was very sorry to miss you when 

 you took the trouble to call the other day, and if I had not been 

 very seriously unwell ever since, I should have made another 

 attempt to see you before starting for England, as (if at all able 

 for the journey) we now propose doing in the course of to- 

 morrow, not that I have anything in the way of business, or 

 of any moment otherwise, to talk to you about, but merely to 

 shake hands with you, to thank you for the very striking, 

 courageous, and useful paper you were good enough to send me ; 

 and to assure you (though I feel I can do that better in this way 

 than to your face) that I have a very sincere admiration for your 

 gifts and attainments ; and, if you will allow me to say it, a 

 very true affection for the many lovable traits I have discovered 



