of this popular right, which had been overturned by an act of parliament passed
in 1712. In these exertions, however, botli Mr Willison and his party were
unsuccessful till the year 1734, when they were fortunate enough to procure
the co-operation of the General Assembly in their views. That body had
hitherto strenuously seconded the enforcement of the system of exclusive
patronage, but in the year just named it happened to be composed of men who
entertained directly opposite sentiments on that subject to those avowed and
acted upon by their predecessors; so opposite, indeed, that they determined,
in the following year, 1735, to apply to parliament for a repeal of the
patronage act. The known abilities, zeal, and activity of Mr Willison suggested him as one of the fittest persons to proceed to London on this important mission, and he was accordingly appointed, with two other clergymen, Messrs
Gordon and Mackintosh, to perform that duty; but the application was unsuccessful.
Mr Willison also distinguished himself by the strenuous efforts he made to keep the peace of the church, by endeavouring to prevent those schisms, and to reconcile those differences, which led to the separation of large bodies of Christians from the established church, and which first began to manifest themselves about this period. His efforts were unsuccessful, but not the less meritorious on that account.
Besides being a popular preacher, Mr Willison was also a popular author, and in the religious world his name, in the latter capacity, still stands, and will long stand, deservedly high. His principal works are, "The Afflicted Man's Companion," written, as he himself says, with the benevolent intention "that the afflicted may have a book in their houses, and at their bed sides, as a monitor to preach to them in private, when they are restrained from hearing sermons in public;" and the work is admirably calculated to have the soothing effect intended by its able and amiable author; "The Church's Danger and Ministers' Duty;" "A Sacramental Directory;" "A Sacramental Catechism ;" " An Example of Plain Catechising;" "The Balm of Gilead;" "Sacramental Meditations;" "Appendix to Sacramental Meditations;" "A Fair and Impartial Testimony;" "Gospel Hymns;" "Popery another Gospel;" and "The Young Communicant's Catechism." An edition of these very useful and pious works, in one volume, 4to, was published at Aberdeen in 1817.
Mr Willison is described as having been most exemplary in all the relations of life, and singularly faithful and laborious in the discharge of the important duties of his sacred office, especially in visiting and comforting the sick. In this benevolent work he made no distinction between the rich and the poor, or, if he did, it was in favour of the latter. Neither did he confine his exertions in such cases to those of his own persuasion, but with a truly Christian liberality of sentiment, readily obeyed the calls of all in affliction, whatever their religious creed might be, who sought his aid.
Mr Willison died at Dundee, on the 3rd of May, 1750, in the seventieth year of his age, and the forty-seventh of his ministry.
WILSON, Alexander, the celebrated Ornithologist, was born in Paisley, on the 6th July, 1766. His father was at that time a distiller in a limited way; poor in circumstances, but sober, religious, and industrious, and possessed of sagacity and intelligence much beyond most men in his sphere of life. From the period of his son's birth, he entertained the project so fondly cherished by almost every parent among our Scottish peasantry, of rearing him up to be a minister of the gospel. There is no evidence to show that young Wilson displayed any unusual precocity of intellect or bias of disposition to jus-
