IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I *"liM IIIIM *"IIIM |m .■ iiP illll 2.0 1.8 1 1.25 1.4 1.6 \< 6" — ► V2 ^/W' %' >>^ 0% "y '/ V /#/ Photographic Sciences Corporation 4^ # i\^^ ^ - A ^ ^^ %^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY 14580 (716) 872-4503 f\^ L-^- &>/ fA \ KMIiKK, 1892. No. 10. THE LATE 81R DANIEL WILSON. LL.D. ITU the life and career of the President of Toronto l'ni\ersity, the public of Canada, are lainiliar, for at the time of his deatti, on the bth of August last, the daily press of the country, published very full accounts. Sir Daniel Wilson was born in Kui:'- burfjh, on tlio 5th of January, iSi(), and was the second son of Mr. Archibald Wilson, a prominent merchant o\' Aukl Reekie. He received his education at the famous Hijrh Schoiil of that cit\, and indue time proceeded to the more famous I'niversitv, whore he i:;-really distinij- r.ished himself. Like his brotiier Cieori^e. the chemist and professor, he early evinced a taste for science and letters. .At the age of twenty-one, he went to lA-indon, taking up archaeology as a favorite pursuit, and performing literary wiirk for the newspapers, magazines and reviews. Having a natural fomlness for art, he devoted much of his time to tlravv- ing and engrav ing, becoming proficient in biHh departments, in a very short time. He returned to I'^dinburgh. continued his contributions to the press, assisted the Messrs. Black by writing many of the leading articles in the luicyclopjedia l^ritannica, 8th edition, and edited, with conspicuous ability, the proceedings of the Scottish Antiquary. He loved to wander about the streets of old Hdin- hurgh, and with all the enthusiasm of an antiquarian, investigated every object of interest, with which he came in contact. The result o( his labors foimd expression in 1847, in his remarkable voli'me, " .Me- morials of Kdinburgh in the Olden Time," which he illustrated himself, many of his sketches being dr;"vn on wood by his own hand, an art which he had acquired in hngland. .A quarter of a century later, a second edition appeared, and in i8c)o, the revised edition, sumptuously illustrated, was issued. This work In- st.antly gave him fame, but it was his iVe-historic .Annals of Scotland, 1851, which drew the plaudits and encomiums ot men high in the field of scientific re- search, and gave to him a name .and a character, which remained with him to the last. In 186-;, this able book appeared again, rev ised and enlarged. Hallam the historian declared it to be the most scientilic treatment of the archaeological ev idences of primitive history which had ever been written, an opinion which was shiirei.! by the most eminent scientists of the day. .Among such leaders in the ield of investigation. Dr. Wilson enjoved m enviable place, while his position in all literary and educational circles was not less exalted, in 1853, through the good oflices of Lord L-lgin, influenced, it is said, by Hallam's statement, he was appointed professor of History and I'^ng- lish Literature at University College, Toronto. From that date until his death, he has been identified with the growth w ;8K 7//£ DOMINION ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY. and development oi hij^'hcr cdiic.-ition in Ontario. To trace its liistorv and achieve- ment, step by step, is to write the story ot Dr. Wilson's lite. He embarked on the duties allotted to him with zeal and vif^or. He had been installed but a tew months in his ciiair, when the i'rir.eipal- ship of McCiil! I'niversity was otVered him. High as the post was, howeser, he felt compelled to decline it. He worked with j^real industry and perse- verence. His extraordinar)' tact and versatility, liis varied accomplisiiments, his g'eniality and stron<;' common-sense served him well, and he instantly became successful in the hij^hest det^ree, as lec- turer, examiner, and member oi the Sen- ate and Council of the University. His elucidation of the subjects belong'ing to his Chair was clear and convincing, and his manner of address was so pleasing, that he was never at a loss for an audience of delighted listeners. The right word to say came to him very readily. In addition to his college wotk, he devoted many hours to literature, ethnolog}-, archieology and popular science, producing valuable papers and monographs on all these departments of intellectual development. To the various transactions of the learned bodies of the old and new worlds, he was a frequent and much-prized contributor, while his lectures before public institutions, his numerous writings in the press and in the serials, his contributions to the Itincy- clopjL'dia Britannica, and Chambers's luicyclopajdia and the several books he contrived to publish from time to time, kept his name well to the front as an original and scholarlj- thinker. He foimd lime to.^, to connect himself with such bodies as the Canadian Institute, the \'oung Men's Christian Association, the Ontario Teachers' Association, the Coun- cil of Public Instruction, the News Hoy's Home (of which he was a foimder), etc. The gentler sex had ever in hiin ;i warm friend of the cause of higher education of women. To the poor he was always kind, giving freely of his means, with the heart and svmpathyofa philanthropist. In 1 88 1, on the death of Dr. McCaul, Professor Wilson was promoted to the Presidency of the L'ni\ersity. The choice was a good one, and he soon gave evidence of his remarkable skill as an ad- ministrator and executive officer. Under his government the College made great strides in all its departments, and many students from all parts of Canada and the I nited .States were attracted to its walls. VV\inien were admitted to the lectire rooms, and their- number during thj last hall do/en years has increaseil rapidly. In favcnir of I'niversity federation. Dr. Wilson tlitl his utmost to promi>te that laudable object, and lived long- enough to witness the fulfilment of the greater I'/art ^.^i his scheme. He saw, too, many colleges aililiate with his beloved university. I'"aith in her future he always had. In i8()i, at Commencement Day, he said in an address : " We welcome an expansion of our resources in the realiza- tion oi the long controverted scheme oi universitv federation. A university em- bracing several well etpiipped colleges, stimulating each other in healthful and friendly rivalry, cannot fail to acquire ad- ditional strength thereby. I anticipate at no distant date, as a result of this union oi our resources, theellicienl organization oi post-graduate work, such as cannot fail to largely increase the inlluence of this university as a centre of higher culture." .Always before the eyes of his students he kept in view the great moral truths. Kindly adv ice he ever gave to them, and all who came to him felt drawn by love and tender sympathy. In his youth, he was a companionable man. In his old age, there was wo change in his relations with his fellows. To younj^- and old the sweet simplicity of his nature was always present. On that commencement Day, to which reference has just been made, he said, turning to the 4)ost of bright young faces before him, the students of the year, who had just welcomed him with the song of " He's a jolly good fellow" : " \'our opportunities are exceptionally g-reat. We seem to be at the near close of one great cycle in the intellectual life of the l^lnglish race, and as we watch with eager expectancy for the promise of the new dawn, every environment is calculated to stimulate the rising generation to noble aspirations and imtlagging zeal. Once before in the j^rand era of the Reforma- tion, under another great Queen, the brilliant IClizabethan age shows forth in unparalleled splendor with its poetic idealist .Spenser turning back wistfully to the age of chiv airy and romance, and its Shakespeare, gratidest of realists, master- ing the supreme compass of humanity for all time. Once again, under wise and noble queenly rule, we have wit- nessed an outburst of genius in many respects recalling that of the Elizabethan age. But it too draws to its clo.se. Of gn THE [.ATI: SIR DANIEL WILSON, L.L.D. S«9 its uiilN. o lectwro tlij last rapii.llv. .•(.leiation, promiUf veil loiif,^ cut <:i^ tliL- ' saw, Uh>, is helovoU lie always it Day, he L'lconie an le realix.a- sclieme ot eisity em- collef^es, iltht'ul and icqiiire ad- it icipate at this union •jrani/alion i cannot fail nee of this ;r culture." students he )ral truths. 3 them, and ivvn by love s youth, he In his old lis relations and old the was always lent Day, to 11 made, he right young ; of the year, •ith the song ^v" : " Vour lally great, close of one il life of the h with eager of the new calculated to ion to noble zeal. Once lie Reforma- Queen, the lows forth in Il its poetic < wistfully to ance, and its ilists, master- of humanity under wi.se ,'e have wil- lius in many ; Elizabethan ts close. Of its eminent historians and philiiso|">hers, some o'i the foremost lia\ c already jiassed away. Its most distiiiL;uishoi.l men nl' science are among the honored doad. I^rowning now tningles his iliisi with the eider chiefs o'( song' in the pool's cor- ner o'i the great abbey, and there, too, a fitting place has been t'ound for the memorial bust oi New luiglaiul's grace- ful lyrical poet. Longfellow. In tlie pre- parations already in jiiogrcss for tiie fitting conimenioration '.I'i .a grander cy- cle, completing the resolving centuries since Columbus 400 years ago, braved the mysterious terrors oi ocean and re- vealed to luirope another unrld, the Poet Laureate has been invited to pen the ode that shall voice Ameiica's celebration of her new birth. Mui the \eter.in poet pleads the privilege of age. lie has laid aside his singing robes. His lyre is un- strung. It seems in all ways as if another great era had run its course, and " .V^ in A llicatri' the i-jo of iirh Allur ;i well ^racL-il .Tilor k'aM-. \.\\<- -liij^f. .Arc icily litnt (Ui him that imiUin iu\l." So we, not idly, but in anxious expect- ancy, watch for the promise ot the new dawn." In the compass of this sketch, which, owing' to want o'i space, must be con- siderably iibbrev iated, it will not be ne- cessary to dwell further on Dr. Wilson s university life, nor will it be deemed ne- cessary to deal at length with his writings, lie wrote many books. He wasatrueand melodious poet, and though " Spring Wild l-'lowers," was, as he used to say, a youthful production, it contained many verses of striking power and origin- ality. In later life, good fruit continued to drop from his muse. He lo\ed poetr\' and poets. His life of Chatterton is a charming study of the " marvellous boy," superior to Da\id Masson's monograph on the same subject, more loxingly done, and richer in information. His essay on Caliban, or the missing link, is ingenious, critical, and full of lofty imagination. .\ curious volume, "The Right-hand; Lefl- handedness," growing out of papers read before the Royal Society of Canada, and the Canadian Institute of Toronto, was the last x'olume from his pen. It con- tains eleven chapters of very interesting d;ita about the "dishonoured hand," for which history, the various sciences, liter- ature and the scriptures, have been levied upon for allusions and exemplars. The great work of Dr. Wilson, howe\ er, is 'Prehistoricman; researches intotheorigin o'i civili/.'ilion." On that book, his fame as an investigator, .nul scientist, will rest. It has not a dull page, though the subject is ileep and often abstruse. Light is thrown o\\ the ilark places with a power little short o{ the magical, while the splendid literary style i>f the author, ol'ten poetic, ;uul always luminous, gives to the work an attractiveness which compels attention. When the Blacks of Ivdiriburgh decided to issue the ninth edition i^i their I'lncycldf^a'dia /in'ftiiniicd, they did luit fiirget their old friend, living in Toronto. They entrusted him with the articles on .\rch;eology, (pre-liistoric) Canada, Chatterton, .Montreal, Ontario, Toronto, Robert l'"ergusson, Ldinburgh, anil several others. He was very proud at beitig asked to write the article on his native city, especially as he was living so far away from the scene. .\: he was the best authorit) on tlu- subject, lu^'Wever, it was not singular that the publishers of the Eti(Vc/(if>(Ci/iii deniandei.1 his pen. When Lord Lome founded, in 1882, the Royal Society of Can;ida, he called on Prof. Wilson to aid him in the task. He be- came the first president of section 11, which is concerned witliLnglish litera ure, history and archiuology. In 1S85 he was uniinimouslv elected president o\' that im- portant botlv . The Transactions contain many valuable papers from his hand, and at the last annual meeting, held in Ottawa in .May and June last, he read a most in- teresting and valuable paper on the law of copyright. The society crdered it to be printed. At this meeting he was particularly bright and cheerful, though his face bore traces of fatigue and hard work. He had a kindl}' word for everyone, and in the discussions which came up on Dr. Patter- son's papers on the Language of the Beo- thiks or Red Indians of Newfoundland, and Sir William Alexaiuler and the Scot- tisli attempts at the colonization of Nova Scotia ; Prof, tleorge Hryce's .\ssiniboine river and its torts, and Mr. R. W. Mc- Lachlan's .\nnals of Nova Scotian cur- rency, he had much to say of a helpful character. The centre of a little group consisting of Sir William Dawson, Prin- cipal Cirant, Dr. Sandford Meniing, Dr. William Kingsford, the historian, and myself. Sir Daniel remarked in his quiet, quaint way, " 1 think I am really getting to be an old man, for the other day I was pointed out by some young ladies in the university as that ' (/eaf .^hl man, Sir I.^aniel Wilson.' Now, when one .arrives 590 THE DOMINION ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY. at that staj^c lie is old indeed." In iIk' j,^i'iK'ral lauj,"^!! which tuliowed, bulh Sir W'iiham Dausoii and I'liiuipal Cirant also declart'il that tiio} had iiiui>.Tf,''oiK' a similar expoiioiicc. Mut all insisted that the I'rL'sidcnt ot the I'liiversity of Torniitii was Iho younf,'-e.st of the party. i.ofl- haiuled himself, he ci>iild iisi' cither hand well, and when I mcntioncil to him that a very yoiin^ member K'i'i my family s\ as ad- dicted to the hiibit of iisiiij^ the left harul. he said. " I.et him use it, don't check him. It is ^ood to he able to emitU.)' both." From the first day oi its formation he w as a stronj^ frieiul oi the Royal Society c^i Canada. Hy the fellows of that body he \\;is i,freatl}- atlmireil, i\'S|iected and lined. He attende(.l nearly e\ery meetinj,"-, thoui;h the sessions often drew him away from his home in the middle ^.-^i his collet^e work, which pressed for complctiim. At all meetint^s, with perhaps two exceptions, he read papers, and addeil \aliie to the papers of others b\ the wealth of his own knowledj,^e oi the subjects treated, lie wa.s a good otV-hand speaker, and the humour which frequently enli\ened his remarks was relined, delicate and in- fectious. Sir Daniel Wilson w ;is, abo\ e ;dl things, a manly man, courageous in his conduct as well as in the expression \^'i his iipm- ions. It was not in his n.ature to shrink before disaster or trouble, or to succumb in the lace oi trial. Wiien the tire des- troyed the college buildings, Sir Daniel was one of the first to go to the scene, sasing by his wise direction, life and property, and for hours exhibiting the greatest energy. At about i i o'clock he hurrieil home lor a few minutes, say- ing ti> his ilaughli'r in a brave, cheerful tone, "the old buikling's gi>ne ; but never mirul, it wasn't half large enough, and we'll soon have a better one. (let me something, {which he named), and I'll be i)(V again, lo make sure it's quite out. " Prof. .Ashiey can'.e in a feu minutes later, saying, "oh .Mr. IVesident, don't be dis- couraged." "Discouraged!" replied Sir Daniel," I should think not, you'll see, we'll soon have a far liner buikling," atui olV they went together to do what more there remained to be done. I'rom that moment, not a murmur escajied Sir Dan- iel's lips, but his whole energy was de- voted imceasingly to building up the new edifice, and repairing the great tianiiige w hich fire and water had done. L'niversity after university granted him the highest academic honours they had to bestow. The various learned societies oi Cire.it Hritain antl .\merica and Canada were proud toenn^ll his name on their list of members, and in iS8S the Oueen. in reciignition of his invaluable services tii education, science and litera- ture, odered him knighthood. This honour he ;'.t lir t was tempted to ilecline for reasons personal to himself. Hut later counsels prev ailing he accepted the mark of his Sovereign's appreciation ol his work. The limitations to which this paper is subjected precludes ampler treat- ment oi -.'. subject which is full oi lessons. It is the siory of a beautiful life, useful in its every feature, perfect in its domesticity, simple, unaffected and true. (Ieokoi: SrrcwAKT, D.C.L., 1,1.. D. 14;{4;'3 > ^ ampler treai- uU of lessons. life, useful in s domesticil\ , .L.. i.L.n.