Peter Collinson, the botanist, to "whom the English gardens are indebted for many new and curious species, which be acquired by means of an extensive correspondence in America," was highly gratified when Linnæus baptised a plant with his name, and with great spirit asserts his honourable claim: "Something, I think, was due to me for the great number of plants and seeds I have annually procured from abroad, and you have been so good as to pay it by giving me a species of eternity, botanically speaking; that is, a name as long as men and books endure." Such is the true animating language of these patriotic enthusiasts! Some lives at the close of Peacham's Emblems give an idea of an English fruit garden in 1612. He mentions that cherries were not long known, and gives an origin to the name of filbert.

“The Persian Peach, and fruitful

Quince;"

And there the forward Almond grew, With Cherries known no long time

since;

The Winter Warden, orchard's pride; The Philibert that loves the vale, And red Queen-Apple,‡ so envide

Of school-boies, passing by the pale."

TAM-O'SHANTER.

Thomas Reid, so celebrated as Tam O'Shanter by Burns, was born in Kyle of Ayrshire. His first entrance into active life, was in the capacity of plough-boy to William Burns, the father of the poet, whom Thomas described as a man of great capacity, as being very fond of an argument, of rigid morals, and a strict disciplinarian-so much so, that

The quiace, says Le Grand, comes from Sydon, a town of Crete.

+Peacham has here given a note:-"The filbert, so named by Philibert, a King of France, who cansed by arte sundry kinds to be brought forth; as did a gardener of Otranto, in Italie, by clove-gilliflowers, and carnations of

such colours as we now see them."

The queen apple was probably distinguished in compliment to Elizabeth. In Moffet's Health's Improvement there is an account of apples which are said to have been " grafted upon a mulberry-stock, and then was thorough red, as our queen-apples, called by Ruellins Rubelli ana, and Claudiana by Pliny." The race is not extinct; an apple of this description is yet

to be found.

when the labours of the day were over, the whole family sat down by the blazing “haʼingle,” and upon no pretence whatever could any of the inmates leave the house after night. This was a circumstance that was not altogether to Thomas's liking. He had heard other plough-boys with rapture recount scenes of rustic jollity, which had fallen in their way, while out on nocturnal visits to the fair daughters or servant girls of the neighbouring farmers-scenes of which he was prac tically ignorant. And more—he had become acquainted with a young woman he had met at Maybole Fair, and having promised to call upon her at her father's house, owing to his master's regularity of housekeeping, he had found it totally impracticable.

To have one night's sport, was his nightly and daily study for a long time. It so happened that his mistress about this time was brought to bed. Thomas hailed the bustle of that happy period, as a fit time to compass his long meditated visit. Mrs. Burns lay in the spence. The gossips were met around ing of the storm which raged without, the kitchen fire, listening to the howland thundered down the chimney. It his eye upon his master, who, with was a January blast. Thomas kept clasped "hands and uplifted eyes sat in the muckle chair in the ingle neuk," as if engaged in supplication at the throne of grace for the safety of his wife and child. Thomas drew his chair nearer the door, and upon some little bustle in the kitchen, he reached the hallen, and was just emerging into darkness, when the hoarse voice of the angry Burns rung in the ears of the almost petrified plough-boy:-" Where awa', Tam?" "The auld doure whalp," muttered Tam, as he shut the door and resumed his stocking, "I was gaun to the door to see if this win' was tirring the thack aff the riggin." "Thou needs na gang to look the night," cried the rigid overseer of Doonholm," whan it is sae mirk, thou coudna' see thy finger afore thee." It was indeed “a waefu nicht." Such a night as this might give rise to these admirable lines of that bard, about to be ushered into the world:

"That night a child might understand The deil had business on his hand."

sive and thoughtful Burns was given It was a little before the now pen.

durable nature.

In due time the joyful father had his first-born son laid in his arms, his joy knew no bounds. The bicker was now sent round with increasing rapidity, and Thomas, then in his fourteenth year, was carried to his bed, to use his own words, "between the late and the early, in a guide way, for the first time." Such was the birth-night

of the Poet.

How long Thomas Reid remained in the service of William Burns is uncertain. It appears, however, that he was with him when Robert went first to plough, as Thomas has repeatedly told, as an instance of Burns's early addiction to reading, that he has seen him go to, and return from ploughing, with a book in his hand; and at meal-times, “suping his parritch" with one hand, and holding the book in the other.

It would appear that he had, in process of time, got better acquainted with his sweetheart at Maybole Fair, for he married her. It was on this occasion that he took the Shanter farm, which, with the assistance of his fatherin-law, he stocked and furnished. But fortune went against him,

"His cattle died, and blighted was

his corn," and an unfortunate friend, for whom he had become security for 150 l. failed. Under such a load of ill, he, like many others, sought for consolation in the "yill caup" and any errand which served as a pretext to visit the town of Ayr, renewed his worship to the "inspiring bold John Barleycorn," and he usually returned, like the Laird of Snottorston

"O'er a' the ills o' life victorious." But Thomas had many a domestic

squabble. His wife, naturally not of the sweetest temper, was doubly soured by the misfortunes of the world, and the dissipation of her help-mate, and often, when Tam

"Was gettin' fu' and unco happy," she sat at home,

“Gathering her brows like gathering storm,

Nursing her wrath to keep it warm." She, like too many in that district at that time, was very superstitious. Thomas took her by the weak side, and usually arrested her "light-horse-gallop of clish-maclaver" by some specious story of ghost or hobgoblin adventures, with which he had been detained. tinued state of dissipation and irreguHe had now got into such a conlarity, that he was obliged to leave the farm to the mercy of his creditors, and opened a small public house at the end of the old bridge on the water of Doon. It was while he was here that Tam O'Shanter made its appearance; a manuscript copy was sent to Thomas by post, with this motto

Change the name, and the

Story may be told of yourself. The celebrity of the poem brought numbers to his house, and he sold a great deal. But his spirit could not brook the brutal taunts and jeers which every day he was obliged to bear from his customers. He left off business and commenced labourer, at which he continued till he got an offer of a situation as overseer of hedges on the large estate of Castle Semple, at that time belonging to William M'Dowall, Esq. M. P. for Renfrewshire, which he accepted. With short intervals, he remained there till the day of his death. He was of such a character that he considered no man or class of men his superior, and no man his inferior.

Feeling the infirmities of old age approach, Mr. Harvey placed him at his west gate as gate-keeper, where he fell into a lingering disease, which soon put a period to his mortal career. As he had no friends nor relations (his wife having died about two years ago) Thomas had never cared for to-morrow; he was destitute of the means to support himself during his illness. The night before he died, he called for a half-mutchkin of whisky, and as a particular friend of his sat by the side of the bed, and who personally in

formed me, he, taking a glass of it in his hand, held it between him and the light, and eyed it for some time with a peculiar exhilarating expression of countenance even at such a crisis. Then, while pleasure sparkled in his eyes, he took his friend by the hand, and pressing it warmly, exclaimed, "This is the last whisky I in all probability will ever drink; and many and often is the times I have felt its power." Here's to thee, Jamie, and may thou never want a drap when thou art dry." He died next morning about eight o'clock.

MISCELLANEOUS.

ALEXANDRIAN LIBRARY.

The famous Alexandrian Library was founded by Ptolemy Soter, for the use of an academy which he had founded in the city of Alexandria; and by the additions of his successors, it came to be the finest library in the world, containing no fewer than 700,000 volumes. The method adopted and followed in collecting the books which formed this library was, to seize all those which were brought into Egypt by the Greeks, and other foreigners; they were then transcribed by persons kept for that purpose, the copies delivered to the proprietors, and the originals laid up in the library., Ptolemy Evergetes, having borrowed from the Athenians the works of Sophocles, Euripides, and Eschylus, returned them only the copies, which he had caused to be transcribed in the most beautiful manner, presenting the Athenians, at the same time, with fifteen talents (3,000l. sterling) for the exchange.

ST. SWITHIN

Was a celebrated Bishop of Winchester, who died in 868. He was buried in the church-yard, but it was afterwards intended to remove his body, on the 15th of July, into the choir of the church. It however rained so hard on that, and for forty days after, that the design was abandoned. Hence arose the common saying "That if it rains on St. Swithin, it will rain for forty days after."

PARLIAMENTARY BREECHES.

tells us, Members of Parliament wore In Queen Elizabeth's days, Mr. Strutt breeches so large, that there was ac

tually a scaffold erected round the inside of the Parliament House, for the accommodation of such members as wore these so huge. In the next age the custom was revived, and one man was detected of carrying therein a pair of sheets, two table cloths, ten napkins, four shirts, a brush, a glass, a comb, and a nightcap!

ANSWER OF DAVID GAM TO HENRY
THE FIFTH.

Before the memorable battle of

Agincourt, fought between Henry the Fifth of England, and the French, in the year 1415, Henry sent David Gam, a Welsh captain, to reconnoitre the enemy. On his return, being questioned as to the number of the enemy's troops, he replied,-" That there were enow to be killed, enow to be taken prisoners, and enow to run away." This brave fellow sacrificed his life to save that of his sovereign, in the ensuing conflict, and, as he lay expiring with his wounds, was knighted for his services.