ALEXANDER WILSON. 
XXV11 
before the sheriff, imprisoned, and compelled publicly to 
burn the offensive poem. That, in writing it, he acted 
as the tool of others, not from any malignant feelings in 
himself, is evident from his subsequent conduct. Before 
leaving Paisley for America, he waited on some whom he 
had satirized, and requested forgiveness for any uneasiness 
which his writings might have occasioned. Many years 
afterwards — a short time before his death — he invited his, 
brother David to join him in America. David went 
accordingly, taking with him copies of all the poet's 
satirical pieces, which he had carefully collected, thinking, 
probably, that they would be received as an acceptable 
present. But Wilson, the instant they were produced, 
threw them into the fire, saying, “ These were the sins 
of my youth ; and, had I taken my good old father’s 
advice, they never would have seen the light.” 
This unfortunate event seems to have had some effect 
in slackening the ties which bound Wilson to his native 
country. There were also other causes at work. The 
French Revolution was at that time awaking the hopes or 
the fears of all who saw in it, either the commencement 
of a new and glorious era of political freedom, or, as it 
finally proved, of a period of anarchy and bloodshed. 
Wilson, like many other ardent-minded men, beheld it in 
the former aspect, and rapturously hailed its appearance. 
He associated himself with those who entitled themselves 
the Friends of the People ; and, as his conduct had 
recently given umbrage to those in power, he was marked 
as a dangerous character. In this condition, foiled in his 
efforts to acquire a poet’s name ; depressed by poverty ; 
hated by those who had smarted beneath his lash ; and 
suspected on account of his politics ; it is not to be 
wondered at, that Wilson listened willingly to the flatter- 
ing accounts regarding America, and speedily resolved 
to seek that abode of Utopian excellence. This resolu- 
tion was the more easily adopted, that he had never 
