[344] The Rev. Dr. Thomas Somerville, minister of Jedburgh, author of the _History of Great Britain during the reign of Queen Anne_, and other works, died 14th May 1830, in the ninetieth year of his age, and sixty-fourth of his ministry.--J.G.L. Autobiographical Memorials of his _Life and Times_, 1741-1814, 8vo, Edinburgh, were published in 1861. [345] _Much Ado about Nothing_, Act III. Sc. 5. [346] Afterwards Judge in the Court of Session from 1843, author of _Gleams of Thought reflected from Milton_, etc. It was of this witty and humorous judge Mr. Lockhart wrote the sportive lines:-- "Here lies that peerless paper peer Lord Peter, Who broke the laws of God and man and metre." Lord Robertson died in 1855. [347] Act III. Sc. 3. [348] One of Scott's old High School mates.--_Life_, vol. i. p. 163. [349] Burns's _Epistle to J. Smith_. OCTOBER _October_ 1.--Wrote my task, then walked from one till half-past four. Dogs took a hare. They always catch one on Sunday--a Puritan would say the devil was in them. I think I shall get more done this evening. I would fain conclude the volume at the Treaty of Tilsit, which will make it a pretty long one, by the by. J.B. expressed himself much pleased with _Nap_., which gives me much courage. He is gloomy enough when things are not well. And then I will try something at my _Canongate_. They talk about the pitcher going to the well; but if it goes not to the well, how shall we get water? It will bring home none when it stands on the shelf, I trow. In literature, as in love, courage is half the battle. "The public born to be controlled Stoops to the forward and the bold." _October_ 2.--Wrote my task. Went out at one and wrought in the wood till four. I was made happy by a letter from my nephew, little Walter, as we used to call him, from his age and size, compared to those of his cousin. He has been kindly received at Bombay by the Governor Mountstuart Elphinstone, and by Sir Thomas Bradford. He is taking his ground, I think, prudently, and is likely to get on. Already first Lieutenant of Engineers--that is well to begin with. Colonel Ferguson, Miss Margaret, and some ladies, friends of theirs, dine, also Mr. and Mrs. Laidlaw, and James Laidlaw, and young Mr. N. Milne. _October_ 3.--I wrote my task as usual, but, strange to tell, there is a want of paper. I expect some to-day. In the meantime, to avoid all quarrel with Dame Duty, I cut up some other leaves into the usual statutory size. They say of a fowl that if you draw a chalk line on a table, and lay chick-a-diddle down with his bill upon it, the poor thing will imagine himself opposed by an insurmountable barrier, which he will not attempt to cross. Suchlike are one-half of the obstacles which serve to interrupt our best resolves, and such is my pretended want of paper. It is like Sterne's want of _sous_ when he went to relieve the _Pauvre Honteux_.