ALEXANDER WILSON. xxvii 



awe, and held them more as preceptors, or friends, to whose steady- 

 guidance he could trust, than as participators in all his whims and 

 youthful frolics ; and we find him in frequent society with Gavin 

 Turnbull, E. Picken, and James Kennedy, who formed part of his 

 companions in his song of "The Group." It was by their means 

 that he was introduced to a debating society held in the Edinburgh 

 Pantheon, where the merits of various questions given out for 

 discussion were contested in speeches by individuals taking different 

 sides, and decided by the votes of the audience, which consisted 

 of both ladies and gentlemen. Wilson made all his addresses in 

 poetry, generally in the form of a tale applicable to the subject, 

 and wrote for this society several pieces, which, considering the 

 time he devoted to them, may rank among the best of his juvenile 

 performances. 



The first address he delivered there was unpremeditated ; he had 

 gone without any intention of mingling in the debate ; but, after 

 others had spoken upon the subject, " Whether affection or interest 

 was the greatest inducement to matrimony," — his feelings had been 

 warmed, and a pause ensuing, during which the audience seemed 

 to expect some other orator, he availed himself of the opportunity, 

 and delivered an address which astonished the audience as much 

 as it surprised himself. The ice was now broken unawares ; he 

 began to throw aside his natural diffidence, and appeared a frequent 

 disputant. He took part in the questions, " Whether is diffidence 

 or the allurements of pleasure, the greatest bar to the progress 

 of knowledge 1 " " Whether suffering humanity received most 

 assistance from the male or female sex 1 " and " Whether is disap- 

 pointment in love, or the loss of fortune, hardest to bear ? " But, 

 of all his poems written for this society, the best perhaps is the 

 " Laurel Disputed," or a comparison of the merits of Allan Ramsay 

 and Robert Fergusson. I received the following history of this 

 poem : — Wilson one day called upon Mr Brodie, at Quarleton, to ask 

 his advice regarding a letter he had received from James Kennedy, 

 at Edinburgh, intimating that a prize was to be awarded at the 

 Pantheon for the best essay upon " Whether have the exertions of 

 Allan Ramsay or Robert Fergusson done most honour to Scottish 

 poetry." Kennedy intended to compete, and strongly urged Wilson 

 to do the same, and offered to present his essay, as those in poetry 

 might be delivered by deputy. Mr Brodie, however, advised Wilson 



