122 FIRST JOURNEY IN EUROPE. [1839, 



from the custom-house ; then took the Hampstead 

 coach to dine at Sir Francis Palgrave's. Excepting 

 Hooker and Joe, I almost forget who the guests were. 

 I was not interested in any of them particularly. Sir 

 Francis was very agreeable ; his conversational powers 

 are almost equal to his erudition. His lady, who 

 looks very much like Lady Hooker, is, like all that 

 family, learned and accomplished. I was glad also to 

 meet Hooker's eldest daughter. 



The boys interested me much ; I think I never saw 

 more intelligent lads. Sir Francis asked me to call 

 at the Chapter-House, Westminster Abbey, his office 

 as Keeper of the Records, and he would show me the 

 Domesday Book. How a sight of it would electrify 

 Dr. Barrett ! He asked me at dinner the meaning of 

 the term locofoco as applied to a party in the United 

 States. I gave him the story of the meeting in Tam- 

 many Hall which gave rise to the designation, which 

 afforded much amusement. 



Sunday evening, January 27. I was better pre- 

 pared than last Sabbath, for I took pains to call yes- 

 terday at the office of the Religious Tract Society, 

 and found where Baptist Noel preached. It is St. 

 John's Chapel, at considerable distance from here. 

 Nevertheless I attended there to-day, and have reason 

 to be glad that I did so, for I heard a most excellent 

 sermon in the morning, from Psalm ciii. 10-12. Mr. 

 Noel is a most simple, winning preacher, and his ser- 

 mon was the most thoroughly evangelical and earnest 

 I ever heard from an Episcopal pulpit. I wish I 

 could give you some idea of it. I took notes for your 

 benefit as well as I could, and have written them out, 

 but they will give you a very imperfect idea of it. 

 The church, a large one, with double galleries around 



