“ 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.

Lhe 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-~
visioned grate, but at times aware 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
seelng 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,

* Noctes Ambrose.