64 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



persons ought to abhor astronomy much more than geol 

 ogy, which only relates theologically to a question of time 

 on one subject. But I must conclude, with sincere regard, 



Yours very truly, 



ROBERT BAKEWELL. 



P. S. On the 10th of this month I believe I shall stand 

 on the seventy-first arch of the bridge. 



FROM MR. BAKEWELL. 

 HAMPSTEAD, (near London,) October 30, 1839. 



I HAVE often thought of what I mentioned in a 



former letter, the formation of a simple universal lan 

 guage for correspondence among all Europeans and their 

 descendants. I believe it might easily be practised and 

 learned, and serve also as a commodious short-hand for 

 all nations. I hope I shall be able to explain the intro 

 ductory principles, and leave it to be worked out by your 

 self, or some of your compatriots who take the lead in use 

 ful inventions. What think you of the insect-tree lately 

 discovered in South America, see the "Athenaeum," num 

 ber for October. We have something analogous in the 

 animalcule swimming with great activity, and then fixing 

 themselves and becoming vegetables. Young sponges, too, 

 are described as extremely frolicsome for some time, before 

 they grow steady and fix themselves to one place for life. 

 The whole of animal and vegetable life is truly h._ 'vellous; 

 the propagation of species by common natural laws is as 

 wonderful as their instant creation out of nothing could be, 

 or that an oak should, at a certain state of its growth, b^- 

 come a man. Take an egg in your hand for the first time ; 

 could you believe that it would become an eagle ? To 

 return to Mr. M.'s book. I exceedingly regret that my 

 health will not allow me to do it justice in a review. I 

 believe I told him it was my intention to send you an ac 

 count, which I am not now equal to. 



I am anxious about Dr. Mantell. I have not seen or 



