614 TRAVEL IN EUROPE AND AMERICA. [1871, 



Iliad ? It was discussed in our club last week by my 

 neighbor, who read extracts from this, Lord Derby's, 

 and other translations : it was thought to be as read- 

 able as Lord Derby's, to adhere quite as closely to the 

 original, and to reflect more truly the simple direct- 

 ness of Homer, both of expression and thought. I 

 should like to know what you think of it. 



The most important matter, as concerns myself, is, 

 that I am busy with plans of building, having found 

 a man who is disposed to give the money for con- 

 structing here, adjacent to the herbarium, a much 

 needed botanical lecture-room and laboratory for stu- 

 dents. Between the herbarium (which, you know, 

 adjoins our house, and communicates with it) and the 

 conservatory, there is a space of 127 feet. This we 

 mean to fill up : First, with a one-story brick build- 

 ing 60 X 38 feet, rather less than one half for botanical 

 laboratory and cabinet, the rest lecture-room ; then a 

 lobby, and the remainder of the distance a low stove 

 and a short, cool greenhouse, to establish connection 

 with our present hothouse. Then, on the one hand, I 

 can bring plants at all seasons into the lecture-room ; 

 and on the other I can reach the same under cover, 

 from my private study, through the herbarium ; and 

 Mrs. Gray may walk, in winter, from her dining- 

 room, through our little drawing-room, entry, library 

 or parlor, my study, greenhouse corridor, herbarium, 

 lobby, laboratory, lecture-room, passage, stove and 

 coolhouse, into conservatory, of three compartments, 

 a long affair, but don't imagine anything at all grand. 

 A snake, of which our house is the head and the 

 farthest wing of the conservatory the tail, will give 

 the best idea. In a lucky time I asked a man to build 

 in this 127 feet, at an expense of at least twelve 



