LIFE OF WILSOU. xvii 
public to his own productions. He may be said to have envied 
the Ayrshire bard, and to this envy may be attributed his best 
production, ‘ Watty and Meg,’ which he wrote at Edinburgh 
in 1793 (1792.) He sent it to Nielson, printer, at Paisley, 
who had suffered by the publication of his former poems. As 
it was, by the advice of his friends, published anonymously, 
it was generally ascribed to Burns, and went rapidly through 
seven or eight editions. Wilson, however, shared no part of 
the profits, willing to compensate for the former losses his pub- 
lisher had sustained.”* 
The sketch above mentioned the author of this narrative 
showed to Wilson, and the latter told him that the relation was 
wanting in correctness. He pointedly denied the charge of 
envying the Ayrshire bard, and felt not a little scandalized at 
the unworthy imputation. He added, that no one entertained 
a more exalted idea of Burns’s genius, or rejoiced more at his 
merited success, than himself. 
Wilson now began to be dissatisfied with his lot. He was 
poor, and had no prospect of bettering his condition in his na- 
tive country. Having heard flattering accounts of America, 
he conceived the design of emigrating thither, and settling in 
the United States. 
It was some time in the latter part of the year 1793 that the 
resolution was formed of forsaking the land of his forefathers. 
His eye having been accidentally directed to a newspaper ad- 
vertisement, which stated that the American ship Swift would 
sail from the port of Belfast, in Ireland, on the first of May 
following, with passengers for Philadelphia, he communicated 
his scheme, in confidence, to his nephew, William Duncan, 
then a lad of sixteen, who consented to become his fellow-tra- 
veller in the voyage; and an agreement was entered into of de- 
parting in the above mentioned ship. 
The next subject of consideration was the procuring of funds; 
and as weaving presented the most eligible plan for this pur- 
pose, to the loom Wilson applied himself, for four months, 
* Cromek’s “ Select Scottish Song's,” vol. 2, p. 214. London, 1810. 
VOL. I. — C 
