BURNS' CENTENARY. 465 



" I see I have been rhapsodizing, but I don't often do so. I 

 hope one of these days for an opportunity of addressing the de- 

 votional meeting of our Edinburgh University students. If so, 

 I shall try to urge the scientific class to believe in Christ as the 

 Head of the Schools of Science as much as of the Church called 

 by His name, and to ask the litterateurs what the tongues of men 

 and of angels will do for them if faith, hope, and charity, are 

 not in their hearts, and the greatest amongst the three charity. 



" Send me the Eecreation Essay. As a nation we are, I sup- 

 pose, the worst in the world at keeping holiday. We take our 

 pleasure sadly, and the sadly changes wofully fast into sinfully. 



" The Total Abstinence Society here wanted me to speak at 

 a great Centenary Burns meeting, but I was glad that I had a 

 previous engagement. I wish the abstainers all success, but 

 their merits and those of Burns belong to very different cate- 

 gories. I could not praise them together, and to make a memo- 

 rial celebration of Burns an occasion for pointing morals from 

 his sins, is, I think, a duty not asked by God or man at our 

 hands. I refer to this as an unfortunate endeavour to turn a 

 holiday into a fast- day. Let holidays be holidays. I count on 

 a copy of your paper. 



" The best of good wishes to May, and love the fondest, best, 

 and truest to A, till Valentine's Day come. Secularities an- 

 other time. I will allow my letter conscience a small siesta. 

 Jessie sends a Christmas-box full of love. 



" Your affectionate friend, GEORGE WILSON." 



To Dr. Cairns he speaks of the time spent at Bridge of Allan 

 as " four delightful clays of rest and recruitment of body and 

 soul, including, or rather included in, ' rest in the Lord.' Since 

 returning, I have been greatly better, and I am now workably 

 well. A load of labour has saved you the infliction of a letter 

 hitherto. ... I was at a very delightful devotional meeting of 

 medical students in the University on Friday night. They 

 asked me to preside, and after in vain trying to write a suitable 

 address, I resolved, in God's strength, to speak from my heart 

 to theirs, in the name of Christ, and it pleased the blessed Spirit 

 to give me some utterance for them. I am to preside next week 



2 G 



