118 FIRST JOURNEY IN EUROPE. [1839, 



antiquities, etc. These last are much more grand than 

 I had supposed. Indeed, I was struck with wonder. 

 I hope sometime to spend a day or two in looking 

 through these rich collections. Called on Lyell the 

 geologist. 



We dined with Dr. Roget, the secretary of the 

 Royal Society, where we met Sir Francis Staunton, a 

 great Oriental scholar and traveler, Professor Royle, 

 Dr. Boott, and two others whose names I forget. But 

 best of all Dr. Boott brought me a letter from Dr. 

 Torrey, dated December 25 (Christmas), and I soon 

 contrived to get into a quiet corner to read it ; right 

 glad I was to hear from home once more ; I will 

 answer it to-morrow. We left very early, as Hooker 

 was to go to Hampstead, where Sir Francis Palgrave 

 resides. Joe and I walked with him, till he should 

 find a stage ; but as none overtook us and the night 

 was fine we walked the whole way, three or four miles, 

 and having left Sir William safe and sound, and seen 

 Sir Francis Palgrave for a moment, the remainder of 

 the family having retired to rest, Joe and I walked 

 back again to town. I confess I am a little tired, and 

 am quite willing to go to bed. A Dieu. 



Wednesday, January 23, 1839. -- Breakfasted and 

 dined with Mr. Bentham, and studied plants with him 

 all day and a good portion of the evening, excepting 

 an hour or so in the morning when we walked out, and 

 Bentham took me through the splendid house of the 

 Athenaeum Club, and we also visited the National Gal- 

 lery, and saw fine paintings in great numbers from 

 almost every artist ancient or modern. It is very 

 near my lodgings, and I intend to visit it again. Here 

 are some of West's original pictures, and likewise the 

 paintings or sketches of Hogarth from which his well- 



