Wilson did much public speaking in his life and from the newspaper reports we have was quite a talented speaker. He also liked to promote his own talents and was a politically minded man who liked a cause to support.

His early endeavours seem to have revolved round his love of poetry, both as a self-proclaimed expert on the subject and a fairly prolific producer of poetry. He had no higher education and was largely self-taught, having left school at 11.

His first publication in his teens, “A Glance at Hinduism”, gives an early example of both his poetry and desire to support a just social cause. The publication is a rather long poem going into great detail about the rather gory subject of Hindu ceremonial body burning at death, not only of the deceased, but of their widow, who was expected to join her late husband on the pyre and be burnt alive leaving her children in the arms of strangers. The later part of the poem is an appeal to readers to act to oppose this cruel and barbaric practice.

He developed his interest in poetry and his own work to become an itinerant lecturer in poetry. His second publication “The Enthusiast” seems essentially to have been the publication of his lecture notes together with about 30 of his own poems.

 

On April 23rd 1831, the Manchester Times & Gazette reported:

“Mr Wilson’s lectures on poetry and the poets of Britain, with rhetorical illustrations, which were delivered in the Mechanic’s institution, on the evenings of the 12th,13th & 14th, were respectably attended.

..he could not have had them more attentive or more deeply interested…

The first impression on the mind of an auditor .. is that of a man of calm, thoughtful, unassuming modesty…

Behind this…, a certain something – call it power … with perfect ease and composure , every glance of the eye, every expression of the face, and every movement of the hand and face.. are unloosed to execute his purposes…

In his recitals, his sudden transitions from the pathetic to the stern, the tragic to the comic, the rapid to the slow, the soft to the loud, - accompanied by every variety of action, look, and expression of feeling, can only be equalled by some of our best dramatic performers..”

The article goes on at some length in this vein. We learn of

“..apt illustrations, forcible and beautiful similies- by an endless variety of personal and other anecdotes..”

 

On the 11th June 1831, The Manchester Times and Gazette reported Wilson had been lecturing on the benefit of Temperance societies . In this he gave the example of two sisters one of whose husbands fell victim of drink and its consequences whilst the other in a family that abstained for liquor flourished. (This became the basis of his tale, The Two Sisters). We are told;

“..a numerous auditory…applauded the numerous forcible and poetical passages it contained..” and that “ loud and long continued applause followed the delivery of this affecting picture.”

 

The Leeds Mercury of 10th March 1832 tells us he;

“delivered an address which occupied upwards of two hours in the Methodist Chapel, Albion street“ for the Leeds Temperance Society.

“he brought forward many objections which are raised against the necessity or advantage of such societies, and then answered them by such sound arguments as to completely to overturn them, and implant conviction in the minds of objectors”

 

We know from his correspondence that he was walking home to Berwick to take up the position of Editor at The Berwick Advertiser at the time. He was obviously sufficiently well known and in demand to take the opportunity to make various public address on his way home.

On 10th December 1834, The Morning Chronicle, a London paper, reported a public meeting of the inhabitants of Berwick, Tweedmouth and Spittle to debate the present “alarming crisis” (the political unrest surrounding The Great Reform Act and the pressure to widen the right to vote). In it Wilson,

“in a speech of considerable length, moved the address”.

It was resolved to write to his Majesty to express their concern of trust being put in a government so opposed to reform and the wishes of the people.

 

Wilson died young, on the cusp of his success. One does wonder where his career might have led had he survived his fatal illness, which his obituaries state was started by a burst blood vessel. Would it have been a successful literary career and he would be as well remembered as Walter Scott or Charles Dickens? Or would he have been drawn into politics and become a great liberal reforming figure of nineteenth century politics? Either, or even both, seemed to be possible.