"The reputation you have acquired by professional merit, with the respect which is universally shown to you on account of your practical observance of moral philosophy, has induced me to select you as a protector of the following work; which being evidently intended to promote a cause for which you was always a zealous advocate, I have nourished the most flattering hopes that you will be rather pleased than offended by this unwarrantable presumption. "It is necessary I should deviate from the general rule of celebrating a patron's virtues in a high strain of panegyric, being sensible how generally yours are known, and how justly admired."--P. 3. The ode contains only ten lines: "Virtue, a mere chimera amongst the fair, Is now quite vanquished into air; Formerly it was thought a thing of worth, But now who thinks of such poor stuff. It's only put on to deceive, That us poor mortals on them may crave; Fall down and swear their beauty far Surpasses what are ever saw! Then they who think all's true that's said," &c. I omit the final line as unseemly. Dr. Saxby is mentioned only on the title-page, and that part of the dedication which I have copied. He must have been a sensitive man to have felt such an attack, and a prompt one to settle his account with the author so quickly. As it is obvious that the ode was published solely to annoy him, we may be allowed to hope that in the "severe personal chastisement" he was not sparing of whipcord. The absence of place of publication and printer's name render inquiry difficult; and there is no indication as to whether Dr. Saxby was of Divinity, Law, or Physic. H. B. C. U. U. Club. _"My mind to me a kingdom is"_ (Vol. i., pp. 302. 489.; Vol. vi., pp. 555. 615.).--The idea is Shakspeare's (Third Part of _Hen. VI._): "_Keeper._ Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king. _K. Henry._ Why, so I am in mind; and that's enough." C. MANSFIELD INGLEBY. Birmingham. _Claret_ (Vol. vii., p. 237.).--The word claret seems to me to be the same as the French word _clairet_, both adjective and substantive; as a substantive it means a low and cheap sort of _claret_, sold in France, and drawn from the barrel like beer in England; as an adjective it is a diminutive of _clair_, and implies that the wine is transparent. JOHN LAMMENS. Manchester. _Suicide at Marseilles_ (Vol. vii., pp. 180. 316.).--The original authority for the custom at Marseilles, of keeping poison at the public expense for the accommodation of all who could give the senate satisfactory reasons for committing suicide, is Valerius Maximus, lib. ii. cap. vi. Sec. 7. ZEUS. _Etymology of Slang_ (Vol. vii., p. 331.).--