MEMOIR OP DR* WALKER. 49 



During the whole of his incumbency at Moffat, 

 he was under the necessity of keeping house in 

 Edinburgh, and enjoyed much the literary social 

 parties, which if not more frequent in those days 

 than after, were yet of a fashion somewhat different 

 from those of later times. Lord Kames had his 

 morning levees; Lord Monboddo, in imitation of 

 the ancients, had his learned suppers ; these he held 

 once a fortnight during the sitting of the Session, 

 and at them Dr. Walker was a frequent guest, along 

 with Drs. Black, Hutton, and Hope. Even after 

 his presentation to Colinton, Dr. Walker kept up 

 his Edinburgh establishment, though he was oftener 

 and longer a lodger at his manse, from its nearness 

 to town and the attractions of a fine garden. 



As might naturally have been expected, one great 

 source of delightful amusement to the Doctor was 

 horticulture ; and both the gardens of Moffat manse 

 and of Colinton bore ample testimony, in the rarity 

 of their plants and the beauty of their arrangements, 

 to his taste ; but his successors in each, preferring 

 the utile to the duke, delved up the rarities, and 

 planted, in their stead, turnip and carrot, kale and 

 potatoes. 



" Eheu ! fugaces posthume posthunc 



Labuntur horti !" 



He married, late in life, Jane Wallace Wauchope, 

 a sister of Mr. Wauchope of Niddry, who had also 

 passed her meridian. For many years Mrs. Walker 

 was in good health, and added much to the Doctor s 

 enjoyment of life ; at a late period, she was afflicted 



D 



