It appears that Lord Monboddo, in spite of failing health and very advanced age, felt a wish to pay one more visit to the English metropolis, in the literary circles of which he was fond of mingling. That he had actually set out upon this formidable journey, was known to Dr. Gregory, who, being a few hours afterwards at a short distance from Edinburgh, was a little surprised to meet his venerable friend returning homewards. He was on horseback, equipped in his usual travelling costume,—cocked hat, scarlet roquelaure, and jack-boots, but looking extremely ill and depressed in spirits. "What, so soon returned?" was Dr. Gregory's exclamation. "Yes," said the old man, "I feel myself quite unequal to the journey, and was just thinking of a passage in Horace, and adapting it to my own case." "What, 'Solve senescentem?'" said the Doctor. "No," replied his lordship, "it is one not quite so hackneyed." He then repeated, with much emotion, the following lines from the second Satire of the second book:
"Seu recreare volet tenuatum corpus; ubique
Accedent anni, et tractari mollius ætas
Imbecilla volet."
This was the last time Dr. Gregory saw him out of doors, and he died not long after.
W. L. Nichols.
Bath.
ST. VALENTINE.
The subjoined cutting from an American newspaper (Wooster Democrat, Feb. 3) will show the persistent vitality of popular follies, and at the same time serve to exhibit the peculiar literature of transatlantic advertisements: