XXII 
MEMOIR OF 
Ascending this stair, the voice of joy bursts on my ear, — 
the bridegroom and bride, surrounded by their jocund 
companions, circle the sparkling glass and humorous 
joke, or join in the raptures of the noisy dance — the 
squeaking fiddle breaking through the general uproar in 
sudden intervals, while the sounding floor groans beneath 
its unruly load. Leaving these happy mortals, and usher- 
ing into this silent mansion, a more solemn — a striking 
object, presents itself to my view. The windows, the 
furniture, and every thing that could lend one cheerful 
thought, are hung in solemn white ; and there, stretched 
pale and lifeless, lies the awful corpse ; while a few 
weeping friends sit, black and solitary, near the breathless 
clay. In this other place, the fearless sons of Bacchus 
extend their brazen throats, in shouts like bursting thun- 
der, to the praise of their gorgeous chief. Opening this 
door, the lonely matron explores, for consolation, her 
Bible : and, in this house, the wife brawls, the children 
shriek, and the poor husband bids me depart, lest his 
termagant’s fury should vent itself on me. In short, such 
an inconceivable variety daily occurs to my observation 
In real life, that would, were they moralized upon, convey 
more maxims of wisdom, and give a juster knowledge of 
mankind, than whole volumes of Lives and Adventures, 
that perhaps never had a being, except in the prolific 
brains of their fantastic authors.” 
This, it must be acknowledged, is a somewhat prolix and 
overstrained summing up of his observations ; but it proves 
Wilson to have been, at the early age of twenty-three, a man 
of great penetration, and strong native sense ; and shews 
that his mental culture had been much greater than might 
have been expected from his limited opportunities. At a 
subsequent period, he retraced his steps, taking with him 
copies of his poems, to distribute among subscribers, 
and endeavour to promote a more extensive circulation. 
Of this excursion also he has given an account in his 
