227 
dead bodies of the Volunteers. I hare no doubt he would have felt 
an equal interest, and an equal confidence, in the volunteer move- 
ment of the present day. 
While these pages were in preparation, we were deprived of an- 
other eminent and valuable member of the Society in Professor 
George Wilson, who has been suddenly carried off in the prime 
of life. 
Dr Wilson was born in Edinburgh in the year 1818, and was 
thus, at his death, in the 41st year of his age. His parents were 
highly respectable, though not in such an elevated station as to 
diminish the credit due to his own exertions in attaining the position 
which he ultimately reached ; but it deserves to be noticed, that he 
may be included in the number of distinguished men who have been 
in a great degree indebted for the development of their talents to 
the maternal character and influence. Dr Wilson’s mother, a lady of 
remarkable intelligence, energy, and piety, is still living, to cherish 
the memory of his love to her, and of his many virtues and high 
reputation. 
Pie was educated at the High School, where he always maintained 
a good place in his class. He entered the University of Edinburgh 
in or about the year 1834, and took his medical degree in 1839. 
In the interval, his attention came to be more specially directed to 
the chemical department of medical science, and he was successively 
engaged as chemical assistant to Dr Christison and to Professor 
Graham of London. 
In 1840 he began to lecture in Edinburgh on chemistry in con- 
nection with the extra Academical Medical School. But at this 
time his health received a severe shock from the effects of excessive 
exertion during a pedestrian tour, which rendered amputation of the 
foot necessary, and ultimately led to a delicacy of constitution which 
settled upon his lungs. 
He continued to teach as a private lecturer for upwards of fifteen 
years, and during that period secured the admiration, respect, and 
love of all who came in contact with him. His pursuit of knowledge 
was extensive and indefatigable, and his power of exposition was 
marked by the greatest clearness and animation, such as never failed 
to awaken in his hearers the strongest interest in the subject he was 
treating. He all along continued to cultivate a wide range of general 
VOL. iv. 2 H 
