line 191. 'Colin Mackenzie, Esq., of Portmore. See "Border Minstrelsy," iv. 351.'--LOCKHART. Mackenzie had been Scott's friend from boyhood, and he received his copy of 'Marmion' at Lympstone, where he was, owing to feeble health, as mentioned in the text. He was a son-in-law of Sir William Forbes, and in acknowledging receipt of the poem he said, 'I must thank you for the elegant and delicate allusion in which you express your friendship for myself--Forbes-- and, above all, that sweet memorial of his late excellent father.'-- 'Life of Scott,' ii. 152. line 194. 'Sir William Rae of St. Catherine's, Bart., subsequently Lord Advocate of Scotland, was a distinguished member of the volunteer corps to which Sir Walter Scott belonged; and he, the Poet, Mr. Skene, Mr. Mackenzie, and a few other friends, had formed themselves into a little semi-military club, the meetings of which were held at their family supper tables in rotation.'--LOCKHART. line 195. 'The late Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo, Bart., son of the author of the "Life of Beattie."'--LOCKHART. line 196. The Mimosa pudica, or sensitive plant. See Shelley's poem on the subject:-- 'The Sensitive Plant was the earliest Upgathered into the bosom of rest; A sweet child weary of its delight, The feeblest and yet the favourite, Cradled within the embrace of night.' line 200. Cp. 'L'Allegro,' 31, 'Sport that wrinkled Care derides.' line 206. See King Lear, iii. 4. 138, where Edgar, as Poor Tom, says that he has had 'three suits to his back, six shirts to his body, horse to ride, and weapon to wear.' CANTO FOURTH. line 31. 'ALIAS "Will o' the Wisp." This personage is a strolling demon or esprit follet, who, once upon a time, got admittance into a monastery as a scullion, and played the monks many pranks. He was also a sort of Robin Goodfellow, and Jack o' Lanthern. It is in allusion to this mischievous demon that Milton's clown speaks,-- "She was pinched, and pulled, she said, And he by FRIAR'S LANTHERN led." '"The History of Friar Rush" is of extreme rarity, and, for some time, even the existence of such a book was doubted, although it is expressly alluded to by Reginald Scot, in his "Discovery of Witchcraft." I have perused a copy in the valuable library of my friend Mr. Heber; and I observe, from Mr. Beloe's "Anecdotes of Literature," that there is one in the excellent collection of the Marquis of Stafford.'--SCOTT. It may be added, on the authority of Keightley, that Friar Rush 'haunted houses, not fields, and was never the same with Jack-o'- the-Lanthorn.' See note on Milton's 'L'Allegro,' 104, in Clarendon Press edition, also Preface to Midsummer Night's Dream in same series.