THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 283 



banks of that same river, driving him from his prey. I 

 worked from seven this morning till dark. 



February 11. Precisely the same as yesterday, neither 

 cross nor dull, therefore, but perfectly happy. 



February 12. Still hard at it, and this evening the 

 objects on my paper look more like a bird and a fish than 

 like a windmill, as they have done. Three more days and 

 the drawing will be finished if I have no interruptions. 



February llf. No drawing to-day ; no, indeed ! At nine 

 this morning I was at the house of friend Hays, No. 21 

 Queen Street, to meet the Secretary of the Colonial Depart- 

 ment. Mr. Hays showed me a superb figure of a Hercules 

 in brass, found in France by a peasant while ploughing, 

 and for which i^300 has been refused. 



February 16. Yesterday I worked at my drawing all 

 day, and began this morning at seven, and worked till half- 

 past four, only ceasing my work to take a glass of milk 

 brought me by my landlady. I have looked carefully at 

 the effect and the finishing. Ah ! my Lucy, that I could 

 paint in oils as I can in my own style ! How proud I should 

 be, and what handsome pictures I should soon have on 

 hand. 



February 24. I heard to-day of the death of Mrs. Gregg 

 of Quarry Bank. I was grieved to know that kind lady, who 

 had showed me much hospitality, should have died ; I have 

 hesitated to write to her son-in-law, Mr. Rathbone, fearing 

 to disturb the solemnity of his sorrow. At the Linnasan 

 Society this evening, my friend Selby's work lay on the 

 table by mine, and very unfair comparisons were drawn 

 between the two ; I am quite sure that had he had the 

 same opportunities that my curious life has granted me, 

 his work would have been far superior to mine ; I supported 

 him to the best of my power. The fact is, / think, that no 

 man yet has done anything in the way of illustrating the 

 birds of England comparable to his great work; then 

 besides, he is an excellent man, devoted to his science, and 



