THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 253 



look of genius that one is always expecting to meet with 

 in a man of his superior talents ; he looked pale and pen- 

 siv^e. He wished much to see my drawings, and appointed 

 Thursday at eight of the morning, when, knowing the 

 value of his time, I retired. Several persons came to see 

 me or my drawings, among others Mr. Gallatin, the Amer- 

 ican minister. I went to Covent Garden Theatre with Mr. 

 Bentley in the evening, as he had an admittance ticket. 

 The theatre opens at six, and orders are not good after 

 seven. I saw Madame Vestris ; she sings middling well, 

 but not so well in my opinion as Miss Neville in Edin- 

 burgh. The four brothers Hermann I admired very 

 much; their voices sounded like four flutes. 



May 29. I have been about indeed like a post-boy, 

 taking letters everywhere. In the evening I went to 

 the Athenaeum at the corner of Waterloo Place, expecting 

 to meet Sir Thomas Lawrence and other gentlemen ; but 

 I was assured that about eleven or half-past was the fash- 

 ionable time for these gentlemen to assemble ; so I re- 

 turned to my rooms, being worn out ; for I must have 

 walked forty miles on these hard pavements, from Idol 

 Lane to Grosvenor Square, and across in many different 

 directions, all equally far apart. 



Tuesday, May 30. At twelve o'clock I proceeded with 

 some of my drawings to see Mr. Gallatin, our Envoy cx- 

 traordmaire. He has the ease and charm of manner of a 

 perfect gentleman, and addressed me in French. Seated 

 by his side we soon travelled (in conversation) to Amer- 

 ica; he detests the English, and spoke in no measured 

 terms of London as the most disagreeable place in Europe. 

 While we were talking Mrs. and Miss Gallatin came in, and 

 the topic w^as changed, and my drawings were exhibited. 

 The ladies knew every plant, and Mr. Gallatin nearly every 

 bird. I found at home that new suit of clothes that my 

 friend Basil Hall insisted upon my procuring. I looked 

 this remarkable black dress well over, put it on, and thus 



