better known by his classical appellation of Florentius Volusenus, was born about the year 1500. He is supposed to have been born on the banks of the river Lossie, near Elgin, and to have received a part of his education in the university of Aberdeen. He afterwards prosecuted his studies at Paris, and was there employed as tutor to a son of Cardinal Wolsey's brother. Such an appointment might have led to much higher honour and emolument; but the death of the cardinal, which took place in 1530, compelled him to search for new employment. Another cardinal, Jean de Lorraine, encouraged him in the pursuit of learning, by assigning to him an annual pension, of which however the amount was probably small, nor does it appear to have been punctually paid. He likewise obtained the favour of Jean du Bellay, bishop of Paris; and in the year 1534, when that prelate was employed on an embassy to Rome, Wilson was included in his train, and had proceeded as far as Avignon, when he was detained by a malady which compelled him to relinquish his engagement. In addition to his bodily ailments, he had now to complain of the exhausted state of his purse; and thus he was again left to seek a new path of preferment. He appears to have been personally known to Cromwell, then secretary of state, as well as to Gardiner bishop of Winchester, Fisher bishop of Rochester, and Fox bishop of Hereford. On reaching Avignon, he was informed that the bishop of the diocese was anxious to find some person properly qualified to teach the public school of Carpentras. This prelate was the celebrated Cardinal Sadoletto, who was himself distinguished for his Latinity. Wilson lost no time in proceeding to the episcopal residence, where he experienced a very gracious reception. The cardinal, as we learn from one of his letters, was impressed with a most favourable opinion of his character and attainments. His nice ear was gratified with Wilson's classical Latinity; nor was he a little surprised on learning that his visitor was a native of a country so wild and remote as Scotland. He was speedily appointed master of the school, with an annual salary of seventy crowns, which at that period was no considerable sum. At Carpentras he appears to have fixed his residence in the month of November 1535. To the vocation of teaching grammar he would evidently have preferred that of teaching philosophy. He did not abandon his philosophical studies, nor did he neglect the study of theology. His earliest publication was a theological tract, printed at Lyon in 1539. He next published the elegant work which has chiefly recommended him to the notice of posterity: "De Animi Tranquillitate Dialogus, Florentio Voseno autore." Lugduni, 1543, 4to. Wilson probably continued to reside at Carpentras till the year 1546, when he had formed the resolution of returning to his native country. He seems to have cherished no antipathy towards the cause of reformation. The increasing defection from the Roman church he imputes, in terms sufficiently plain, to the pride, luxury, and negligence of the prelates; and three of the Italian reformers, Martyr, Ochino, and Lascio, he mentions, not merely without censure, but even with undissembled approbation. Having proceeded on his journey as far as Vienne in Dauphiny, he was there arrested by the stroke of death, before the termination of the year 1546.