XIV 
LIFE OF 
Such is a rude sketch of the nature of the society in which 
Wilson spent his infancy and early youth. The son of honest 
and industrious parents, whose circumstances were never such as 
to enable him to procure those branches of education at length so 
eminently displayed, he was indebted almost to his own exertions, 
and the generous assistance of some friends, who were capable and 
willing to direct his mind in the occasional sallies of his younger 
days, and allowed him access to their larger libraries, for the 
rudiments, at least, of all his after acquirements. 
The father of our author was a respectable gauze weaver in 
Paisley, where he spent the greater part of his early life ; but 
having married, he removed to Auchinbathie Tower, near the village 
of Lochwinnoch, thinking that more extensive and varied employ- 
ment would improve the condition of an increasing family. He 
now rented a piece of ground, which he cultivated himself, keeping, 
at the same time, employment for several looms, and commencing 
a sort of trade in distilling and smuggling. He would thus seem 
to have been of a somewhat speculative disposition, but in other 
respects was well informed, and bore the character of a shrewd, 
upright, and independent man. His eldest son, Alexander , now 
better known as the “ American Ornithologist ,” was born at Paisley 
on the 6th of July, 1766, previous to the removal of his father from 
that town. His childhood was most likely passed as that of many 
others ; nor can it be supposed that the boyish pranks of one born 
in comparative obscurity, should have been treasured up and 
converted into the dawning promises of future greatness, or his 
young mind charged 
With meanings that he never had, 
Or, having, kept conceal’d. 
In the earliest notice of his youth, we find him near Lochwinnoch 
in the capacity of a herd, (to Mr Stevenson of the Threepwood,) 
a circumstance accidentally recorded, from his having already 
attempted to celebrate the beauties of Castle Semple in a song,* 
* Castle Semple stands sae sweet, 
The parks around are bonnie, O ; 
The ewes and lambs ye ’ll hear them bleat, 
And the herd’s name is Johnnie, O, &c. 
Paisley Magazine for November, 1828, p. 583* 
