Willis, Nathaniel Parker
Nathaniel Parker (1806-1867), an American poet, humorist, and miscellaneous writer. He was born at Portland, Maine. He was educated at Yale and was engaged soon after to edit two annuals, The Legendary and The Token, for S. G. Goodrich. Later, he established the American Monthly Magazine at Boston. This was later merged in the New York Mirror. Willis traveled in Europe and Asia Minor writing. He wrote Pencilings by the Way during this journey. On returning to the United States he edited successively The Corsair, The New Mirror, The Evening Mirror, and The Home Journal. Titles of his writings are Two Ways of Dying for a Husband, Dashes at Life with a Free Pencil, and People I Have Met. Willis was the most prominent American journalist of his time. His humorous writings were much appreciated and his poems were popular. His books are little read at the present time.
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Willow-tree
The Willow, as might be expected, had many superstitious notions connected with it, since, according to the authorized version of the English Bible, the Israelites are said to have hung their harps on willow trees. The weeping willow is said to have, ever since the time of the Jews' captivity in Babylon, drooped its branches, in sympathy with this circumstance. The common willow was held to be under the protection of the devil, and it was said that, if any were to cast a knot upon a young willow, and sit under it, and thereupon renounce his or her baptism, the devil would confer upon them supernatural power.
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Wilson, Alexander
Alexander (1766-1813), a Scottish-American ornithologist. He was born in the weaving village of Paisley, Scotland, and died at Philadelphia. His youth and early manhood he spent weaving at the loom, writing poetry, or peddling. One poem published anonymously in 1792 under the title of Watty and Meg was ascribed to Burns and had an enormous circulation. Having been so unwise as to attack a fellow citizen in print he was arrested and required to burn the libel with his own hand at Paisley cross. He was a naturalist by inclination and resolved now to migrate to Philadelphia. Here he taught school, roamed the forests, formed the acquaintance of William Bartram, whose gardens are still the delight of Philadelphia, and resolved finally to prepare an account of American birds. Wilson's Ornithology, in nine volumes, with beautifully colored plates, was the result of years of ceaseless toil. The first volume appeared in 1808; the last, a year after his death. Sets are now rare and are worth a large sum. After Wilson had become famous Paisley revised its opinion and erected a monument to his memory. A more acceptable tribute is that of the ornithologists who have attached his name to several birds, as Wilson's tern, Wilson's snipe, Wilson's plover, etc.
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Wilson, Henry
Henry (1812-1875), a prominent American statesman. He was born at Farmington, New Hampshire . His original name was Jeremiah Colbaith, which, however, he changed to Henry Wilson on coming of age. He was educated chiefly on a farm and at the shoemaker's bench. He saved a little money at his trade and attended various academies. He was one of the early founders of the shoe trade at Natick. In 1840 the Whigs sent Wilson to the legislature of Massachusetts. From that time on he was a prominent figure in the politics of his adopted state. He cooperated with John G. Whittier in antislavery work. He was a member of the Free-Soil party , and later was one of the organizers of the Republican party . He held various positions. In 1853 he entered the United States Senate, a position to which he was elected in all four times. In 1872 he was elected vice-president by the Republicans. Although regarded with disfavor in the South, Henry Wilson was a man of integrity and determination, a sincere patriot. The most prominent of his writings was a History of the Rise and Fall of the Slave Power in America.
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Wilson, John
John (1785-1854), a Scottish man of letters. He was educated at Glasgow and at Oxford. He was a fine scholar and was considered an athlete. A modest inheritance rendered him independent for a time of his profession of the law. Frequent papers in Blackwood's over the pen name of Christopher North brought him into notice. He became a professor of moral philosophy in the University of Edinburgh. His most popular work is the Noctes Ambrosianae, descriptive extracts from which have found their way into school readers. His magazine articles were collected under the title of Recreations of Christopher North. Such subjects as catching a trout, coursing a hare, and the rescue of a child from the eagle's nest he handles admirably. See Hogg ; Jeffrey ; Aytoun ; Blackwood ; William
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Wimbledon Common
an open, breezy heath of 628 acres, 7 miles S. W. of London. Here from 1860 till 1889 in July was held the annual meeting of the National Rifle Association, since transferred to Bisley near Woking. Linnæus here first saw the gorse in bloom; m; and here many duels were fought. Wimbledon now is practically a suburb of London, with a number of magnificent houses. Pop. about 60,000. INCHELL, ALEXANDER, an American geologist; born in Dutchess co., N. Y., Dec. 31, 1824. He lectured extensively and contributed to many His writings include: journals. "Sketches of Creation" (1870); Geological Chart" (1870); "The Doctrine of ; "Science and Re- Evolution" (1874); ligion" (1877); "Preadamites” (1880); "Sparks from a Geologist's Hammer" (1881); "World and Life" (1883); Geological Excursions" (1884); "Geo- 66 logical Studies" (1886); and "Walks and Talks in the Geological Field" (1886). He died in Ann Arbor Arbor , Mich., Feb. 19, 1891.
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Winch
The common winch for well purposes is simply an axle on which the rope is wound by means of a crank at one or both ends. For heavier purposes, gearing is employed in their construction, to obtain an increased power. See STEAM-WINCH.
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Winckelmann
JOHANN JOACHIM, a German archæologist, the founder of scientific archæology and of classic art history; born in Stendal, Germany, Dec. 9, 1717. He was the first to consider the masterpieces of classical antiquity as representative of a stage in the development of taste, and to formulate the theory of evolution in art. He seems to have obtained his first clue from some observation of Velleius Paterculus and Quintilian. His greatest work is a "History of the Art of Antiquity" (1764), later on supplemented by "Observations on the History of Art" (1767). He also published: "Thoughts on the Imitation of Greek Works in Painting and Sculpture" (1755); "Architecture of the Ancients" (1762); "Unknown Memorials (or Monuments) of Antiquity" (1767); and many essays and pamphlets. He died in Trieste, June 8, 1768.
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