Biographical sketch of the late George Wilson, M.D / by Professor Balfour.

  • John Hutton Balfour
Date:
1860
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Biographical sketch of the late George Wilson, M.D / by Professor Balfour. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    PROFESSOR GEORGE WILSON. The late Professor George Wilson, whose life we purpose to notice in the following pages, was a man of exquisite literary power and fancy. His writings extend over a wide range of literature and science, and they are deservedly popular. By his death, the University of Edinburgh has been deprived of one of its bright ornaments, and Chemistry has lost one of its most felicitous and pleasing expounders. Dr Wilson was born in Edinburgh, on 21st February 1818 ; and was thus, at his death, in the forty-first year of his age. His parents were highly respectable, though not in such an elevated station as to diminish the credit due to his own exer- tions in attaining the position which he ultimately reached; but it deserves to be noticed, that he may be included in the number of distinguished men who have been in a great degree indebted for the development of their talents to the maternal character and influence.1 His father, Mr Archibald Wilson, was a wine-merchant in Edinburgh, and died about sixteen years ago. His mother, Janet Aitken, who is still living, was the youngest daughter of a land-surveyor in Greenock. She is a lady of great intelligence and piety, and she devoted much attention to the education of her children. There were eleven of the family; but of these only three now remain,—a son, Dr Daniel Wilson, the well- known author of The Prehistoric Annals of Scotland, at pre- sent Professor of English Literature and History in the Univer- sity of Toronto,—and two daughters. From his childhood, George was distinguished by many noble qualities—great truthfulness, 1 Lord Neaves' Opening Address to the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Decem-
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