ALEXANDER WILSON, 
XXV 
table Miscellany , as improved versions of our old coarse, 
but vigorous traditionary songs and ballads. Fergusson, 
on the other hand, never sinks beneath the regions of 
poetic inspiration, and frequently takes the heart by sur- 
prise with a sudden gush of fervent and tender feeling. 
— But we must break away from this seductive topic. 
Wilson remained long enough in Edinburgh to compose 
and recite in public two other poetical essays, and to 
publish (1791) “ The Laurel Disputed;” then returned 
to Lochwinnoch, with some increase of fame, but none 
of wealth. It appears, however, that he at that time 
formed some literary connections in Edinburgh, which 
might have been of advantage ; for we find him con- 
tributing to the Bee , a periodical work, conducted by the 
late Dr Anderson, one of the fathers of modern Scottish 
literature. It is probable that his unsettled circumstances 
may have been the chief rea son why he failed to profit by 
that favourable opening, as the Doctor’s benevolence was 
unlimited, and his influence at that time considerable. 
An intimacy still more congenial promised about 
this period to commence, — one which would probably 
have been close and permanent, but for the rapidly 
approaching crisis in Wilson’s destiny, — we mean an 
intimacy with Burns. By the kindness of a valued 
friend,* to whom we are indebted for many interesting 
communications concerning Wilson, we were put in pos- 
session of the following anecdote ; — - “ Shortly after the 
publication of Burns’s poems, Wilson wrote to him, 
objecting to certain of them, on account of their im- 
proper tendency. At this time the two poets were 
quite unacquainted. Burns returned for answer, that 
he was so much accustomed to communications of that 
* P. A. Ramsay, Esq. Paisley, a gentleman to whom we beg to 
tender our warmest acknowledgments for the ready zeal with which 
he entered into, and prosecuted, those researches concerning the 
subject of this memoir, from which we ourselves were unavoidably 
precluded. 
