For the last twenty years he lived chiefly on
tea, using it three times a-day; his pipe was his first companion in the
morning, and last at night. He never remembered to have taken a dose of
physic in his life; prior to his last fatal accident, nor of having a
day's illness but once.
The association of gardening with pastoral poetry, was exemplified in
Shenstone's design of the Leasowes--as Mr. Whately observes--a perfect
picture of his mind, simple, elegant, and amiable, and which will always
suggest a doubt whether the spot inspired his verses, or whether in the
scenes which he formed, he only realized the pastoral images which
abound in his songs. That elegant trifler, Horace Walpole, was
enthusiastically fond of gardening. One day telling his nurseryman that
he would have his trees planted irregularly, he replied, "Yes, sir, I
understand; you would have them hung down--somewhat _poetical_."
PHILO.
* * * * *
NOTES OF A READER.
* * * * *
PORTRAIT OF SIR WALTER SCOTT.
Appended to a fine portrait of Sir Walter Scott, in the _Literary
Souvenir_ for 1829, is the following--by _Barry Cornwall_:--
We can scarcely imagine a thing much more pleasant indeed, to an artist,
than to be brought face to face with some famous person, and permitted
to examine and scrutinize his features, with that careful and intense
curiosity, that seems necessary to the perfecting a likeness.
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