" OLD CHRISTOPHER." 57 



were among the list of his subscribers. He visited 

 Scotland, and felt delighted with the natural beau- 

 ties of that northern land, where he found not a 

 few of his warmest admirers and steadfast friends. 



The pages of Professor Wilson contain a pleasing 

 testimony to the favourable impression the great 

 naturalist produced among some of the choice spirits 

 of the Scottish capital.* 



" We were sitting one night lately," he says, " all 

 alone by ourselves, almost unconsciously eyeing 

 the embers, fire without flame, in the many- 

 vision ed grate, but at times aw r are of the symbols 

 and emblems there beautifully built up of the 

 on-goings of human life, when a knocking, not 

 loud but resolute, came to the front-door. At first 

 we supposed it might be some late home-going 

 knight-errant, from a feast of shells, in a mood 

 between ' malice and true love,' seeking to disquiet 

 the slumbers of old Christopher, in expectation of 

 seeing his nightcap popped out of the window, 

 simulating a scold upon the audacious sleep-breaker. 

 So we benevolently laid back our head on our easy 

 chair, and pursued our speculations on the state of 

 affairs in general. . . But the knocking would not 

 leave off; and, listening to its character, we felt 

 assured it came from the fist of a friend. So 

 we gathered up our slippered feet from the rug, 



* JToctes Ambrosiance. 



