A POET, PROFESSOR AND PUGILIST.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 218, 3 September 1887, Page 5

A POET, PROFESSOR AND PUGILIST.

ATo.st people have beard of John Wilson r poet, Professor of Moral Philosophy at the Edinburgh University, a boxer whose fists were dieaded even by the professional hunting-man, and angler about thestrangest mix up oi character that ever existed in one piece of humanity. When he was at Oxford there was a noted pugilist in the classic town, named Jack Soands, dreaded by everyone, and who was very fond of playing the bully in consequence. One day he met Wilson while out walking, ir.d according to his wont, tried to pick a qu.urel with him. The young student at once offered to light. "Fight me T cried the fellow. " Djn't you know who lam V " Oh, yes j I know who you are, and ] mean to let you feel who I am,"' was the cool rejoinder ; and in five minutes Mr Jacks Hoands had got his belly full. " You must be either Jack Wilson or the devil, /or I was never licked in Oxford before," he said, as he tried to staunch the flowing btreuni from his nasal oi'L'an. But, above all, Wil&on was an enthusiastic angler, and wa& so lucky with his rod that it seemed as if there was a competition among the trout at to which should first have the honour of t-wallow ing his bait, for they came to him. not in single files, but in battalions. Hogg* the Ettrick Shepherd, used to tell a story how Wilson once came into a Scotch country inn, where a famished party had eaten up all in the house, and were still hungry. "Do you like trout?" inquired the professor. Of couree they did Upon which he proceeded to produce the lesult of his day's sport. " His creel was fu'/' says the shepherd, xi \n<i shooting-bag <t«s iv', hi& jacket pouches were iu\ the pcuches of his very breeks weio fu', half a dizen wee anes in his waistcoat, no' to forget them in the croon of his hat, and last oi a', there being r:o place to stow away ony mair, a willow wand drawn through the gills of some dUzen great big anes." To repeat a few of his angling feats - in one place he took six, at another 10, at another 18 dozen. One day, while limping about, having wounded his heel leaping with a band of tinkeis, the professor began to fish in Loch Awe. He hooked one of the large a out for which the lake is famous. His line was weak, and, afraid to lose the fish, he cast himself into the loch, yielding to the motions of the 6trong cieatuie until it became fatigued and manageable. Then he swam ashore with his victim, and carried it home ; the injured heel, for which he had no bandage, bleeding all the way.