161 



fossils, I know so little, that it ill becomes me to speak ; but I am not convinced 

 of the propriety of joining the Skiddaw slate, and all up to the Coniston flags, in 

 one group. I should rather have seen the fossils arranged the same as plants, viz. 

 the name of the individual and the place where found. 



I have almost lost the companionship of our old friend C. H. Wright. He is 

 living chiefly at Swineside, engaged by a Mr. Emerson in superintending about 

 thirty workmen driving levels into the bowels of the mountain on the north of the 

 river Caldew. The chief product I believe is Wolfram. They have met with a 

 little lead and copper, but little of anything is yet brought to market. 



I am very lonely. I have had no conversation with anyone respecting your 

 letters ; I could not lay them aside without some observation. 



If I have spoken freely, I hope it will be received with the same kindly feeling 

 with which you have always treated me. 



From Professor Sedgwick. 



Norwich, February 5th, 1854. 

 My dear Sir, — 



So you have completed your 88th year, while I have not yet quite 

 completed my 68th ; but spite of a difi-erence of more than twenty years in our 

 ages, you have in some respects the advantage over me. Your health this winter 

 has been far better than mine, and your clear hand-writing beats mine out and out. 

 I gave this Autumn, my thirty-sixth course of geological lectures, and to the largest 

 class I ever had to address. This was flatteriug to an old man, and perhaps I over- 

 exerted myself : for I broke down before the end of my course, and had such attacks 

 of swimming in the head that I was forced to suspend aU lectures for fifteen days. 

 The Term was hardly over when I was attacked by broDchitis, and was never able 

 to leave my room for twenty-nine days ; and when I had partially recovered and 

 began to go out, I had another attack of giddiness. So soon as I was able to travel, 

 I was sent 'by my doctor to my nephew and niece, who are in my Canon's residence 

 near this Cathedral ; and I was ordered to live on slops, to walk as much as I 

 could bear, and to abstain, as far as possible, from reading, writing, and thinking. 

 All this kind of abstinence I have practised almost literally ; so that after more 

 than three weeks' idleness at this place, I am now nearly off the sick list. An 

 accident to some lithographic plates last summer detained me three or four weeks 

 in Cambridge longer than I intended ; so that I had a very few days to spare for 

 my north country visit : and really had not time to visit Keswick and St. Bees' as 

 I had fully intended, and greatly wished: but if I have a few days to spare next 

 summer, I hope that I may still have the pleasure of shaking you by the hand, and 

 of congratulating you on your healthy and vigorous old age. My own Father lived 



