civ LIFE OF 



his mind or body was harassed or agitated for the accomplishment 

 of any favourite project. He was seized with dysentery, and yielded, 

 after an attack of ten days, to a power which his constitution 

 was unable longer to withstand.* Thus closed the life of "Wilson, 

 chequered from its commencement with changes of fortune very 

 varied, — active in the extreme, and having, for its chief objects, the 

 good or temporary relief of his fellow-men, with an ardent desire to 

 communicate to them and illustrate the wonders and beauties in the 

 works of his Creator. How far he has succeeded, must be judged 

 of from the evidences he has left : of his wishes and anxiety for 

 their perfection, there can be only one opinion. 



As a poet Wilson is much esteemed by his townsmen, and perhaps 

 his writings are there more highly appreciated, from the circumstance 

 that many of the characters alluded to are still alive, and the scenes 

 and incidents of their young days, which are often portrayed, are 

 still vivid on their memories. Such recollection, and the retracing 

 of their former companionship, will bear with them charms which 

 another generation will not so highly prize, and who will judge of 

 his productions with more impartial minds. I do not mean, on 

 this account, to despise his poems ; but they will not stand in that 

 high place where his most enthusiastic admirers station them. They 

 all bear the mark of truth in the manners, the scenes, and the in- 

 cidents which they delineate, and show most correctly the view 

 which their author took of his subject, and the feelings with which 

 he was at the moment impressed ; but they were avowedly written 

 almost at the moment of conception, without bestowing very great 

 care on their composition. He never appears really to have studied 

 with a view to a fine poem, or to have attended to the rules of the 

 art. He was passionately fond of poetry ; and his ear was formed, 

 and style taken, from the favourite authors he so constantly perused. 

 If he had devoted himself to this branch with the same ardour that 

 he engaged in ornithology, and bestowed an equal portion of time 

 on it, he would probably have risen to considerable eminence, but 

 it was only his relaxation and amusement. It was attended, how- 



* The immediate cause of his last illness is stated by Captain Warnock to 

 have been a cold, caught during a long chase after some much desired bird, 

 in the course of which, and when overheated, he swam several rivers and 

 small creeks. 



