ALEXANDER WILSON. 
XVII 
of the most beautiful and romantic mountain streams I have ever 
seen. These solitary walks confirmed the pensive and diffident turn 
of his mind, but fitted it to enjoy the deeper solitudes he was after- 
wards destined to traverse. It was here that he brooded over what 
he then considered his ill-fated lot, or formed and reformed schemes 
for his future advancement ; where he saw nature as she was in her 
mild and soothing aspects and more placid skies, her green wood- 
lands and brawling brooks ; and he afterwards loved to contrast them 
with the glowing lights and majestic rivers of another hemisphere, 
with forests where 
The century-living crow, 
Whose birth was in their tops, grew old, and died 
Among their branches. — 
These scenes, and incidents connected with them, are oftep 
portrayed in his poems with considerable beauty and simplicity, 
and always shew that they were the free effusions of what he at 
the moment felt.* 
About this period his father removed permanently to Auchin- 
batliie Tower, that he might more easily superintend the different 
occupations in which he was engaged, and Wilson again betook 
himself to Paisley, where he wrought in a two-loom room, having 
Mr Brodie, afterwards schoolmaster atQuarleton, for his companion ; 
and his diffidence was so great, that nearly three weeks elapsed 
before a regular conversation and acquaintance took place, which, 
however, ripened into an ardent friendship that neither distance 
nor his various pursuits could obliterate. His love for study became 
now confirmed. Salust, Virgil, and other Latin authors, and many 
of the more esteemed English poets, supplied from various sources, 
were the companions of his loom. Much of his time was occupied 
in their perusal, and they were the cause of many a broken thread. 
Brodie, from his better education, being able to appreciate the 
merits of these authors, soon found the way to the heart of our 
young enthusiast, and yet expresses his lively pleasure and recol- 
lection of the many days which they spent together. He describes 
* The banks of the Calder, near the Loups, furnished the incidents for the 
Disconsolate Wren, a tale told with great feeling and simplicity, evincing 
accurate observation of the nature and manners of the birds introduced in it. 
