22 
MEMOIR OF 
jestic rivers of the "Western Hemisphere. We find 
him speaking of his feelings and habits, about this 
time, in the following language : 
“ Here oft, beneath the shade, I lonely stray, 
When morning opes, or evening shuts the day ; 
Or when, more black than night, stem Fate appears, 
“With all her train of pale, despairing fears, — 
The winding walk, tho solitary wood, 
The uncouth grotto, melancholy, rude ; 
My refuge there, the attending muse to call, 
Or in Pope’s lofty page to loso them all.” 
Wilson having returned to Paisley, wrought along 
with Mr. David Brodio, afterwards a schoolmaster, 
in a tico-loom shop ; and so reserved was the dispo- 
sition of the man, that nearly three weeks elapsed 
before the fellow-operatives entered into conversa- 
tion, and commenced that friendship, which neither 
time nor distance could obliterate. Brodie being his 
superior in education, was of much use in Wilson’s 
studies of the Latin classics ; and in addition to 
these, he at this period perused somo of tho most 
esteemed English poets. Much of his time, while 
working at his dreary task, was taken up with 
these favourites, and many a broken thread was 
the consequence. The same acquaintance described 
him as of a very thoughtful turn of mind, con- 
stantly thinking aloud, and giving vent to poeti- 
cal effusions, which his keen imagination applied to 
the leading incidents of the day, or to the beauties 
of his last rural ramble. He would often indulge 
