1814-1840 OPENING OF A SCIENTIFIC CAREER 27 



with me, and however painful the separation is to all 

 of us, you will find that time will gradually accustom 

 you to my temporary absence ; and you will look on 

 a letter from me in the same light as you do one 

 of Johnie s, with this difference, that you have the 

 absolute certainty of seeing the second son (the go- 

 between the link between Willie and Johnie who 

 has part of the features and part of the character of 

 both) in less than a year, and probably in six or eight 

 months. Won t I rush home to Glasgow ? brimful of 

 London and Russia of sights, wonders, and travels, 

 a perfect Munchausen, telling most incredible stories 

 about bearded Muscovites, horrible escapes from bears 

 and wolves, burning suns and mountains of snow, 

 expatriated Poles and Siberian mines. How I was 

 introduced to the Emperor, how he smiled and bowed, 

 and by a smile and a bow secured a deathless immor 

 tality, and honourable mention in the 2 vols. royal 

 8vo which are to hand down to future times the 

 results of Mr. Hosie s * observations on men and 

 manners in Russia ; for a bow from a prince to a 

 geologist excuses the depopulation of Poland, and a 

 smile renders him amiable and attractive in the bosom 

 of his family and in all his private capacities. 



LONDON, 2$th March 1841. 

 MY DEAR WILLIE You will have heard all about 



1 Andrew Hosie was a nickname by which he was familiarly known among 

 his friends and associates. In another manuscript journal named The Renfield 

 Rocket, of later date than the Miscellaneous Journal already referred to, the 

 scientific doings of this personage are made the subject of jocular description. 

 A Scots song also appears there to celebrate his virtues, of which the refrain 

 runs 



My Hosie O ! my Hosie O ! 



He s neither thin nor brosy O ! 



There s no a lad in Scotland broad 



Can ever match wi Hosie O ! 



