SKETCH

OF

THE AUTHOR'S LIFE.

ALEXANDER WILSON was born in the town of Paisley, in the west of Scotland, on the sixth day of July, 1766. His father, who was also named Alexander, followed the distilling business; an humble occupation, which neither allowed him much time for the improvement of his mind, nor yielded him much more than the necessaries of life. He was illiterate and poor; and died on the 5th June, 1816, at the age of eightyeight. His mother was a native of Jura, one of the Hebrides or Western Islands of Scotland. She is said to have been a woman of delicate health, but of good understanding; and passionately fond of Scotch music, a taste for which she early inculcated on her son; who, in his riper years, cultivated it as one of the principal amusements of his life. She died when Alexander was about ten years old, leaving him, and two sisters, to mourn their irreparable loss; a loss which her affectionate son never ceased to deplore, as it deprived him of his best friend; one who had fostered his infant mind; and who had looked forward, with fond expectation, to that day,

"When, clad in sable gown, with solemn air,

"The walls of God's own house should echo back his prayer:"

for it appears to have been her wish that he should be educated for the ministry.

At a school in Paisley, Wilson was taught the common rudiments of learning. But what proficiency he made, whether he was distinguished from his schoolmates or not, my memo

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rials of his early life do not inform me. It appears that he was initiated in the elements of the Latin tongue; but having been removed from school at the age of twelve or thirteen, the amount of knowledge acquired could not have been great; and I have reason to believe that he never afterwards resumed the study. His early productions show that his English education had not only been greatly circumscribed, but very imperfect. He wrote, as all self-taught authors write, carelessly and incorrectly; his sentences, constructed by the ear, often displease one by their gross violations of the rules of grammar; an essential part of learning to which he never seriously applied himself, until, after his arrival in America, he found it necessary to qualify himself for an instructor of youth.

Wilson's father, feeling the want of a helper in the government of an infant family, again entered into the matrimonial state. The maiden name of this second wife was Brown.

It was the intention of the father that Alexander should be educated for a physician; but this design was not relished by the son, who had, through the impertinent interference of some persons, imbibed some prejudices against the profession, which were the cause of the project's being abandoned.

It being the wish of the step-mother that the boy should be put to a trade, he was accordingly apprenticed to his brotherin-law, William Duncan, who then resided in Paisley, to learn the art of weaving. That this determination was the result of good sense there can be no doubt; the employment had the tendency to fix a disposition somewhat impetuous and wavering; and the useful knowledge acquired thereby he was enabled, at a subsequent period of life, to turn to account, when mental exertion, even with superior resources, would have availed him but little.

The scheme of being taught a trade met with little or no opposition from the subject of this memoir, his father's house no longer affording him that pleasure which it had done during the life of her who had given him existence. Some difference had arisen between him and his step-mother; whether from

undutiful conduct of his, or harsh treatment of hers, I know not; but it may be asserted with truth, that she continued an object of his aversion through life; which was manifest from the circumstance that, in the many letters which he wrote from America to his father, he seldom, if ever, mentioned her name. She is still living, and must, doubtless, feel not a little rejoiced that her predictions with respect to the "lazy weaver," as Sandy was termed at home, who, instead of minding his business, mispent his time in making verses, were never verified. But, in justice to her character, we must state, that, if she was an unkind step-mother, she nevertheless proved herself to be a faithful and affectionate wife; and supported, by her industry, her husband when he became, by age and infirmities, incapable of labour.

At an early period of his life Wilson evinced a strong desire for learning; and this was encouraged by a spirit of emulation which prevailed among his youthful acquaintance, who, like himself, happily devoted many of their vacant hours to literary pursuits. He had free access to a collection of magazines and essays, which, by some good luck, his father had become possessed of; and these, as he himself often asserted, "were the first books that gave him a fondness for reading and reflection." This remarkable instance of the beneficial tendency of periodical publications we record with pleasure; and it may be adduced as an argument in favour of affording patronage, in our young country, to a species of literature so well adapted to the leisure of a commercial people; and which, since the days of Addison, has had so powerful an influence on the taste and morals of the British nation.

Caledonia is fruitful of versemen: every village has its poets; and so prevalent is the habit of jingling rhymes, that a scholar is considered as possessing no taste, if he do not attune the Scottish lyre to those themes, which the amor patriæ, the national pride of a Scotsman, has identified with his very existence.

That poetry would attract the regard of Wilson was to be ex

pected; it was the vehicle of sentiments which were in unison with his sanguine temperament; he had early imbibed a love of virtue, and it now assumed a romantic cast by assimilation with the high-wrought efforts of fancy, combined with the melody of song.

After an apprenticeship of about five years, Wilson became his own master; and, relinquishing the occupation of weaving, he resolved to gratify his taste for rural scenery, by journeying into the interior of the country, in the capacity of a pedler. He was now about eighteen, full of ardour and vivacity; had a constitution capable of great exertion; and a mind which promised resources amid every difficulty. Having been initiated in the art of trading, he shouldered his pack, and cheerfully set out in quest of riches. In a mind of a romantic turn, Scotland affords situations abundantly calculated to arouse all those associations which the sublime and beautiful in nature inspire. Wilson was an enthusiast; and the charms of those mountains, vallies, and streams, which had been immortalized in song, filled his soul with rapture, and incited some of the earliest efforts of his youthful muse.

To him who would accumulate wealth by trade, the muses must not be propitious. That abstraction of mind from worldly concerns which letters require, but ill qualifies one to descend to those arts, which, in order to be successfully practised, must be the unceasing objects of solicitude and attention. While the trader was feasting his eyes upon the beauties of a landscape, or enditing an elegy or a song, the auspicious moment to drive a bargain was neglected, or some more fortunate rival was allowed to supplant him. From the habit of surveying the works of nature arose an indifference to the employment of trading, which became more disgusting at each interview with the muses; and nothing but the dread of poverty induced him to conform to the vulgar avocations of common life.

Burns was now the favourite of the public; and from the unexampled success of this humble son of genius, many aspired to the honours of the laurel, who otherwise would have con

fined their views of renown to the limited circle of their family or acquaintance. Among this number may be reckoned our Wilson; who, believing that he possessed the talent of poetical expression, ventured to exhibit his essays to his friends, whose approbation encouraged him to renewed perseverance, in the hope of emerging from that condition in society which his aspiring soul could not but disdain.

In consequence of his literary attainments, and correct moral deportment, he was admitted to the society of several gentlemen of talents and respectability, who descried in our youth the promise of eminence. Flattered by attentions, which are always grateful to the ingenuous mind, he was imboldened to the purpose of collecting and publishing his poetical attempts; hoping thereby to secure funds sufficient to enable him to persevere in the walks of learning, which, to his glowing fancy, appeared to be strewed with flowers.

In pursuance of this design he printed proposals; and, being "resolved," to adopt his own language, "to make one bold push for the united interests of Pack and Poems," he once more set out to sell his merchandise, and obtain patronage to his work.

This expedition was unprofitable: he neither advanced his fortune, nor received the encouragement of many subscriptions. Fortunate would it have been for him, if, instead of giving vent to his spleen at the supposed want of discernment of rising merit, or lack of taste for the effusions of genius, he had permitted himself to be admonished of his imprudence by the indifference of the public, and had taken that for an act of friendship, which his wounded feelings did not fail to construe into contempt.

But in defiance of discouragement he published his volume, under the title of "Poems, Humorous, Satirical and Serious.” The writer of this sketch has it now before him; and finds in it the following remarks, in the hand-writing of the author himself: "I published these poems when only twenty-two-an age more abundant in sail than ballast. Reader, let this soften the rigor of criticism a little." Dated, "Gray's-Ferry,