MEMOIRS OF JAMES WILSON, Esq., OF WOODVILLEa.

If it were only that he was the brother of Christopher North, we should feel some interest in the subject of this biography; but James Wilson was not a person needing the help of illustrious kinship to give interest to his life and character. It is true that neither life nor character were of the kind that make much noise in the world, but both were intrinsically beautiful. One finds very little resemblance, physical or mental, between James Wilson and his eminent relative. The gifts of imagination and humour, indeed, the two possessed in common, but, even so far as these are concerned, it is difficult to realize that the glowing, impetuous flights and broad fun of the Professor are really the same qualities in kind as the tender fancies and delicate half-melancholy playfulness of the younger brother.

If the reader can conjure up a scientific and Christian Charles Lamb he will be able to form some notion of the manner of man made known in Hamilton's pages.

Dr.

James Wilson was born at Paisley, in the month of November, 1795. Never robust in constitution, his childhood and boyhood were quiet and somewhat solitary. The "ruling passion" early developed itself-so early that we find the young naturalist, when only in his seventeenth year, elected a member of the Wernerian Society, founded by Professor Jameson in the year 1808. At eighteen he began to study the law, but it was an uncongenial pursuit, which he followed with little zeal or interest, and was before long relinquished. From his twenty-first to his twenty-fifth year he was a good deal a wanderer. In 1816 he made a tour on the Continent; and after his return took a journey to Paris to purchase, for the University of Edinburgh, the series of ornithological specimens now known as the Dufresne Collection. In 1819 he visited Sweden; and the winter of 1820-21 was spent in Italy, where a tendency to pulmonary disease compelled him to seek a refuge from the bleak airs of his native North. It was in the summer of 1822 that he made the acquaintance of a lady who exercised such an important and happy influence upon his subsequent life, and to whom were addressed some of the pleasantest of the letters with which Dr. Hamilton favours us. Some of these letters give such a faithful exhibition of the character of the writer, that we cannot describe Mr. Wilson better than by selecting a few extracts. On one day he writes:

"I rushed over [in a hackney coach] to the Wernerian Society last Saturday, and was so bold, besides transacting my own especial business, as to stay to the meeting. I got a bit of a fright, however; for the first paper read, I found, was an attack upon myself that is, upon certain doctrines which I had advocated in a paper read to, and published by, the Society some years ago: so that I was obliged in my own defence, and in spite of that great degree of modesty which I possess, and which I hope you have observed, and give me due credit for, to get up and make the following excellent speech from a corner, in a low and plaintive voice:

"Mr. President,-Sir.' But it would be egotistical were I to proceed any further."

a

The following shews him under another aspect. He is recounting an

"Memoirs of James Wilson, Esq., of Woodville. By James Hamilton, D.D., F.L.S." (London: Nisbet and Co.)

excursion made at early morning into a solitary valley of Arran. After describing the silence and darkness reigning over the place, he proceeds:— "The morning as I thought was growing darker and darker still. I feared total eclipse', and was about to retrace my steps towards the narrow pass by which I had entered, at this time entirely concealed by a rocky barrier, when all at once a low sweet voice was heard from the stump of an elder-tree, and the beautiful dark-eyed bird, the soother of many an hour of weary solitude, stood confessed before me. I could scarcely resist the first sudden impulse which had almost driven me towards him. He seemed to bend his radiant eyes upon me, as if he had recognised an ancient friend, and I sat down upon the grass, and listened to his plaintive melody as intently as if nothing else had existed in the world but himself and me. The gray crags and castellated clouds, and that secluded valley, so magnificent in its death-like solitude, were at once forgotten ... But at last I rose, and, as I left the valley, the beautiful creature seemed to deepen and yet extend the compass of its voice, as if it knew no end; and the last and only sound which I heard in that sublime region was the song of that single solitary bird. I then gained the mouth of the valley, and descended to the sea-shore; and I said to myself, If I have elbow-room in the cabin, I shall tell my cousin about this delightful creature:' and I have done so now."

It was when the cousin-who was no cousin-here addressed became his wife, that Mr. Wilson established himself at Woodville, the beautiful and busy home in which he passed the remainder of his days. The account of Woodville, its pets and its pursuits, forms, perhaps, the most agreeable part of Dr. Hamilton's memoir. It would be impossible to find a better illustration of "domestic peace" than was presented by the household at Woodville. There, upon his own domains, the loving-hearted naturalist was at liberty to congregate around him as many of his feathered and other favourites as his inclination prompted; and a most heterogeneous assembly was accordingly gathered. Hedgehogs, ichneumons, dogs, rabbits, pigeons, jackdaws, cockatoos, parrakeets, all might be found there, living in happy harmony; as for the birds, there was open house kept for their accommodation, and seldom a summer went by without some destitute family being domiciliated. The prime pet and presiding genius of the motley company was an ancient chaffinch, who lived under Mr. Wilson's patronage for upwards of fifteen years, and was singularly attached to him. When his master approached him, "Shilly" invariably crested his feathers and gave voice to his satisfaction in a particular tune; and further testified his sense of kindnesses received by more than once bringing choice specimens of spiders for the entomologist's delectation.

In the midst of this circle, and with the presence of a beloved wife and children to shed sunshine on his way, Mr. Wilson laboured diligently at his chosen studies. That he worked hard and profitably, there is abundant evidence. Besides his numerous contributions to the various periodicals of the day, he furnished no less than nine hundred pages to the Encyclopædia Britannica. The articles on Angling, the Animal Kingdom, Animalculæ, the Bee, Entomology, Fisheries, Helminthology, Ichthyology, Mammalia, Ornithology, Reptiles and Serpents, were all from his pen, and give proof of the patient research and active industry of those tranquil years. And his avocations were not prosecuted in seclusion. The study he liked best was the family-room, and the chit-chat of his children or guests, and even reading aloud caused no disturbance or annoyance.

To Mr. Wilson belongs the distinction of being the first to invest encyclopedical literature in an attractive garb. The driest scientific facts received an inspiration of grace in passing through his mind, and he would not condescend to shape his thoughts or style to pattern. "Although writing for a dictionary, he was not haunted," his biographer affectionately

tells us, "by the fear of prigs and pedants, but allowed his bright and genial nature to come freely forth." The consequences were that his articles were very uncanonically inviting, and were read with pleasure.

Thirty-two years James Wilson lived at Woodville,-years not free from loss and sorrow, but on the whole, perhaps, happier and more serene than the same long period in the lives of most men. It was in the spring of 1856 that he died; and his death was peaceful as his life had been. Sunday, the 18th of May, was his last day on earth. It was a day of no terror or regret to him. "There is no darkness in the valley; it is all light," was the cheering and beautiful testimony of his departing spirit.

We have not done the justice to Dr. Hamilton's volume that we should have liked to do; but we hope even this brief notice of its contents may induce some readers to undertake the perusal of his very admirable Memoir.

CORRESPONDENCE OF SYLVANUS URBAN.

"LIBER WINTON;" COLLATION OF PRINTED TEXT. MR. URBAN,- Having collated the printed text of the Liber Winton, in vol. iv. of the "Domesday Book of the Record Commission," with the MS. in the possession of the Society of Antiquaries, and found some errors of importance, I forward the following list for insertion (if you please) in the GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, because it is desirable that in works like the Liber Winton, archæologists, scholars, and others who have occasion to use or to refer to them, should be able to rely implicitly upon the printed copy; and by communicating these corrections to your pages, I hope to put it in the power of all who possess the volume to render that portion of it in every essential particular a correct transcript of the original. And I further hope, that those who have occasion to collate the text of any part of Domesday Book itself or any of the supplementary Surveys with the original, may be induced by this contribution to publish their lists of errata, that possessors of these immensely valuable works may have the benefit of their labour, and render their copies more completely trustworthy.

Fol. 534, col. 1, l. 16, for "Lenerunessone" lege "Leuerunessone."

Fol. 534, col. 2, l. 13, for "Thome seiete" lege "Thomeseiete."

Fol. 536, col. 1, l. 10, for "brinsigesone" lege "brincigesone."

Fol. 536, col. 2, l. 3, for "caddebelloc" lege "taddebelloc."

Fol. 536, col. 2, last line, for "lauanclaria" lege "lauandaria."

Fol. 537, col. 1, l. 22, for “Suithelinga” lege "Snithelinga."

It only remains to be stated that I have noted here none but important errata, such as impair the value of the printed copy only as a facsimile (so to speak) of the original, and interfere in no respect with the meaning of any passage I have not noted.

Fol. 532, col. 1, l. 4, for "fi" lege "fit." 533, 1, l. 15, "Alg. Har." begins

a new paragraph.

Fol. 533, col. 1, l. 19, for "9 s" lege" 98." 2, l. 6, for "vs" lege “vq;”

in margin "vsq."

Fol. 539, col. 2, l. 16, for "Alclied"
540, "
1,,, 19,

دو

وو

lege "Bvcchestret."

lege "Aldied." 7, for "Svcchestret"

Fol. 540, col. 1, l. 10, for "Godiug" lege "Goding."

Fol. 541, col. 2, l. 6, omit "7."

دو

543, 1, 15 from bottom, for "Wrlecota" lege "Wdecota." Fol. 543, col. 2, l. 5 from bottom, for “fur” lege "sur.”

Fol. 545, col. 1, l. 9, after "Bari" insert "7."

Fol. 546, col. 2, l. 14, for "cornem" lege "tornem"

Fol. 548, col. 1, l. 8 from bottom, for "curtellar" lege "turtellar."

Fol. 551, col. 1, l. 20, for "Eislia" lege "Fislia."

Fol. 555, col. 1, l. 1, lege "Tailebroc." 556, 1,,, 19, for "hantacheuesle" lege "hantachensele."

دو

Fol. 561, col. 2, l. 13, for "lisgard" lege "liegard."

I am, &c.,

B. B. WOODWARD.

Haverstock-hill, London, June, 1859.

ANTIQUARIAN RESEARCHES.

SOCIETY OF ANTIQUARIES.

Anniversary, May 3. This being the day for the election of President, Council, and Officers, after an address from the Chair from EARL STANHOPE, the ballot was taken, and the following list returned :—

Eleven Members from the Old Council.

The Earl Stanhope, President.

C. Octavius Morgan, Esq., M.P., V.-P.
John Bruce, Esq., V.-P.

Sir John P. Boileau, Bart., V.-P.

Frederic Ouvry, Esq., Treasurer.

Ten Members of the New Council.
W. Durrant Cooper, Esq.

Right Hon. C. Tennyson D'Eyncourt.
Edward Hawkins, Esq.

The Lord Henniker.

Joseph Jackson Howard, Esq.

Augustus Wollaston Franks, Esq., Di- Rev. Thomas Hugo.

rector.

James Whatman, Esq., M.P.

The Marquess of Bristol.

John Winter Jones, Esq.
Rev. Charles Kingsley.

William Tite, Esq., M.P.

Richard H. Major, Esq.

Sir Thomas Phillipps, Bart.

William Salt, Esq.

William J. Thoms, Esq.

John Yonge Akerman, Esq., Secretary.

May 12. JOHN BRUCE, Esq., V.-P., in the Chair.

A special vote of thanks was given to Mr. Samuel L. Sotheby, for his present of a copy of his work, Principia Typographica.

The President's nomination of the Marquess of Bristol to be a VicePresident of the Society was read.

Mr. Joseph John William Watson, Mr. Charles Fortescue Tagart, and Dr. John Doran, were elected Fellows.

Mr. FRANKS, Director, exhibited and presented a sketch in oil colours representing a portion of the aqueduct of the Aquæ Virginis at Rome.

Mr. WILLIAM PERRY HERRICK, of Beau-Manor park, Leicestershire, exhibited, through Mr. J. Gough Nichols, two spear-heads, two celts, and an armlet, all of bronze, discovered at Beacon-hill, in Charnwood-forest.

Mr. HERRICK also exhibited and presented a lithographed print, representing the old family coach, constructed in 1740, and still preserved at Beau Manor.

The Rev. R. B. MATTHEWS exhibited the matrix of a seal found at Dorchester, Dorset, consisting of an antique onyx set in an oval rim of silver, on which is the legend,

SIGILLVM WILELMI DE MELECVBE.

The stone is engraved with the figure of a horse, standing, a palm-branch, and the letters TIA in the field.

Mr. G. R. CORNER exhibited the brass matrix of a seal found at Sutton Valence, Kent, bearing the device of a full-blown rose, and the legend,

SIGILLVM. IOHIS. DCI. HARSTH'CLCI.

Mr. C. H. GREGORY exhibited a metal fibula, set with pastes, found at Blandford, Dorset.

Mr. J. JACKSON HOWARD exhibited a rubbing from a brass in Stifford Church, Essex, representing a corpse in a winding-sheet, the hands on the breast clasping a heart inscribed IHC.

Mr. RICHARD BROOKE read a notice of antiquarian remains in Herefordshire, especially with reference to Caer Caradoc, and the earthwork commonly called the Camp of Caractacus.

May 19. The EARL STANHOPE, President, in the Chair.

The ballot was taken for Mr. Richard William Binns, and Mr. Robert Fitch, who were elected Fellows.

Mr. DAVID MOCATTA presented to the Society a small urn and a lamp in terra-cotta, said to have been found on the site of Clifford's Inn, London.

Mr. JOHN WILLIAMS presented to the Society an example of a pryckspur, in iron, found at Bow.

Mr. JOHN EVANS exhibited a gold cross of Irish workmanship, apparently of the twelfth century, said to have been found at Mellifont Abbey. Mr. J. G. NICHOLS read remarks on the transcript from an original document among the records preserved in her Majesty's Record Office, bearing the following title:-"Inventory of the goods belonging to the King's grace by the forfeiture of the Lady Hungerford, attainted of murder in Hilary term, anno xiiij. Regis Henrici VIII."

Mr. B. B. WOODWARD, in a letter to the Secretary, communicated a notice of the land limits recited in an unpublished charter of King Edwy, preserved in Winchester Cathedral Library, which contains the Saxon name of Ermine-street, "Earminga-stræt."

May 26. OCTAVIUS MORGAN, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair.
Mr. Alexander Nesbitt was elected Fellow.

Mr. RICHARD FRANKUM exhibited a wooden tankard in the form of a barrel, mounted in silver, apparently of the seventeenth century.

A series of views in Italy, sketches in pen and ink, were exhibited by Mr. W. M. RICE.

The Vice-President in the Chair exhibited a leaden bulla of Pope Gregory IX., who reigned from 1227 to 1241.

The Rev. H. M. SCARTH exhibited drawings, by himself, of the following objects:

1. The faces of a very remarkable and interesting Saxon cross, preserved in the chancel of Hackness Church, near Scarborough, with a restoration of the same, done by the Rev. Daniel Henry Haigh.

2. Two drawings of the head of a cross dug up in the churchyard at Winstone, Durham.

3. A drawing of a Roman bronze key, found near Chisenbury, Pewsey, Wilts.

The Director read a notice of transcripts of a series of letters of Elizabeth, Queen of Bohemia, addressed to Madame De la Tremouille, communicated by Mons. Paul Marchegay, archiviste at Angers.

The Rev. HARRY M. SCARTH then read remarks on the stone tumulus at Wellow, near Bath, which has recently been restored, and is now preserved from further injury.

June 2. FREDERICK OUVRY, Esq., Treasurer, and subsequently OCTAVIUS MORGAN, Esq., V.-P., in the Chair.