238 THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 



success of his lecturing in one season would necessarily 

 ensure, not only an equal, but a far greater success in 

 the next. No doubt he was badly advised by many of 

 the Americans themselves, who, as personal friends, 

 wished for a speedy repetition of the visit on personal 

 grounds. No doubt, too, the interested representations 

 of his incompetent American agent had great weight 

 with him, and he was led to believe that the financial 

 success of a second visit would not only be absolutely 

 assured, but would greatly exceed that of the first. But 

 the greatest mistake of all was that of overlooking the 

 fact that the forthcoming season would be taken up with 

 the Presidential and other elections, that the Americans, 

 absorbed in their deep and burning ardour for politics, 

 would have neither time nor thought for anything but 

 canvassing and party meetings, and that, consequently, 

 even under the most favourable conditions, no measure 

 of pecuniary or other success could be expected. And 

 so evil counsels prevailed, and a second transatlantic 

 journey was undertaken. 



This, however, did not commence until compara- 

 tively late in the year, and the earlier part of the autumn 

 was occupied as usual with lectures in England. These 

 alone saved the season from total and absolute failure. 

 The first, on " Pond Life," was delivered at Coventry on 

 September 23rd. This was followed by " Spider Life," 

 at the Eoyal Naval School, New Cross, on October 3rd. 

 On the 7th of the same month the same lecture was 

 given at Tonbridge Grammar School. " Pond Life " 

 came again on the 9th at Saffron Walden, where the 



