218 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 



they mean." This is me. I only began ray lecture by explaining 

 that the " Entomarchetype " signified the typical arthropodous, 

 trachseiferous, hexapodous, annulate. Consequent consternation. 

 Then I told the audience that, if they wished, the whole of the 

 lecture should be given in that style, but that if they preferred 

 simple language they might have it. 



On December 8th, " Pond and Stream " was given 

 as a private lecture before the members of the " Ladies' 

 Saturday Club " at Boston. On the following Monday 

 came the " Whale," at Salem, Mass., which elicited the 

 following pretty little piece of criticism from one of the 

 leading newspapers : 



When I went to the lecture my feeling was : " What a pity he 

 has not a more interesting subject. Whales 1 I don't see how he 

 can say much that I shall care to hear about them." But when 

 there, and when I came away, I wondered if anything else could be 

 so interesting. 



My father's own account of the lecture, and of the 

 subsequent " Reception " which was held in his honour, 

 is as follows : 



December llth. Yesterday I lectured at Salem, and quite took 

 the place by storm. The audience screwed an hour and fifty minutes 

 out of me, and then grumbled because the lecture was so short. 



Afterwards, Mr. W , my host, gave a " Reception." Salem is the 



scientific centre of America, just as Boston represents literature, and 

 Harvard education. More than thirty of the leading men were 

 there, and they were all so taken with the lecture that they want to 

 get me to return and give a course. Such a supper ! Game of 

 various kinds, fruits various, shell-oysters, oysters in patties, stewed, 

 fried, and done in all kinds of ways ; pyramids of ice ; champagne in 

 big glass jugs ; and everything in similar style. 



This morning, on leaving the building, I found a carriage for me, 

 with orders to be at my disposal all day. 



