THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 287 



Thos. Catton, Mr. G. A. Brown, Mr. George Heath, and 

 Professor Henslow,^ and I have made several engagements 

 to dine, etc. 



March 5. Since I left Edinburgh, I have not had a 

 day as brilliant as this in point of being surrounded by 

 learned men. This morning I took a long walk among 

 the Colleges, and watched many birds ; while thus em- 

 ployed, a well dressed man handed me a card on which 

 was written in English, " The bearer desires to meet with 

 some one who speaks either French, Italian, or Spanish." 

 I spoke to him in Spanish and French, both of which he 

 knew well. He showed me a certificate from the consul 

 of Sweden, at Leith, which affirmed his story, that he 

 with three sailors had been shipwrecked, and now wished 

 to return to the Continent, but they had only a few shill- 

 ings, and none of them spoke English. I gave him a 

 sovereign, just as I saw Professor Sedgwick approach- 

 ing; he came to my room to see my birds, but could only 

 give me a short time as he had a lecture to deliver. I 

 returned to my rooms, and just as I was finishing lunch 

 the Vice-Chancellor made his appearance, — a small old 

 man, with hair as white as snow, dressed in a flowing 

 gown, with two little bits of white muslin in lieu of 

 cravat. He remained with me upwards of two hours; he 

 admired my work, and promised to do all he could. I 

 was delighted with his conversation; he is a man of wide 

 knowledge, and it seemed to me of sound judgment. 

 Professor Henslow invited me to dine on Friday, and 

 just as I finished my note of acceptance, came in with 

 three gentlemen. At four I went to Mr. Greenwood's to 

 dine; as I entered I saw with dismay upwards of thirty 

 gentlemen; I was introduced to one after another, and 

 then we went to the " Hall," where dinner was set. This 

 hall resembled the interior of a Gothic church ; a short 

 prayer was said, and we sat down to a sumptuous dinner. 



1 John Stevens Henslow, botanist, 1796-1861. 



