A COUNTRY NATURALIST. 155 



of his boyish enthusiasm he roamed over the 

 hills like a partridge. Unfortunately the 

 crass ignorance of the dalesfolk rendered him 

 a prey to the grossest superstition. Wilson * 

 made long journeys, often at night, among 

 the hills and woods, and by the sea. The 

 country folk said that the lonely calling which 

 took him so far afield might be honest; but 

 they shook their heads, and some even ventured 

 to say that he was a " wise man " — a dealer in 

 mysteries, and given to dark sayings. 



The evil repute which ignorance and super- 

 stition caused to gather round Wilson's early 

 life was probably the cause of his removing to 

 the little grey market-town where he ultimately 

 died. To the superstitious notions which 

 prevailed against him and his consequent 

 removal we probably owe his Synapsis of 

 British Plants. He had studied long and hard 

 in his native dale, and had found abundant 

 and rare material. But the want of some good 

 guide — some standard work wherewith to verify 

 his specimens — he sorely felt. Instead of this 

 he only possessed an old " Herbal," as full of 



* John Wilson, author of A Synopsis of British Plants 

 after Mr. Ray's method. 1744. 



