1859. GENERAL MOURNING. 493 



of the common calamity, by the hushed attention, and even re- 

 verence with which they received every allusion to his memory." 



For two days a deep gloom settled on the city, not on any 

 one class in particular, for rich and poor, learned and unlearned, 

 seemed equally affected. The experience of one seemed that of 

 all : " Though not much in the habit of meeting with Professor 

 Wilson, he felt almost as if suffering from a family bereave- 

 ment." x In the Chamber of Commerce a touching allusion was 

 made by its Chairman, 2 before reading a report on the Industrial 

 Museum : " The Technological Chair promised to be one of the 

 most popular in the University ; and by none, next to his own 

 relatives and personal friends, will his loss be so much deplored 

 as by those who were more immediately connected with him in 

 his class, the laboratory, and the Museum, even to their most 

 humble dependants, who worked as much from love as duty. 

 Who, indeed, would not have worked for Dr. Wilson? Though not 

 a stone had been laid of the building which was to be the Indus- 

 trial Museum of Scotland, it had obtained a name that reached 

 to distant lands, from which gifts were continually flowing in 

 to assist the Museum, established with so much diligence and 

 success." A lecture to this body had been promised by Pro- 

 fessor Wilson in the December following, the subject having 

 reference to the combination of masters and workmen in indus- 

 trial pursuits. 



An instance of the love of dependants was strikingly afforded 

 in the case of a workman whom he had for many years em- 

 ployed occasionally, and with whom, as was his wont, many a 

 kindly word and jest had passed. This man, now old and 

 feeble, was lying ill at the same time as his friend, and, knowing 

 the strength of his love, the relatives around tried to keep him 

 in ignorance of Dr. Wilson's death. The attempt was vain. It 

 was the one subject on every lip, and learning it from a visitor, 

 he sank from that moment, unable to bear the shock. 



Some few were able to forget themselves in his joy, as 

 when one lady said, on hearing of his dismissal, " How glad I 

 am !" so intensely realizing the blessedness of the change to 



1 Mr. Charles Cowan, at a meeting of the Merchant Company, Nov. 25. 



2 Mr. R. M. Smith. 



