224) Mary Somerville. 



along with the biography of his father, written by 

 Mr. Young, who sent me a copy of it. Though 

 highly sensible of the honour, I declined to under- 

 take so formidable a work, fearing that I should not 

 do justice to the memory of so great a man. 



I have always been in communication with some 

 of the most distinguished men of the United States.. 

 Washington Irving frequently came to see me when 

 he was in London ; he was as agreeable in conversa- 

 tion as he was distinguished as an author. No one 

 could be more amiable than Admiral Wilkes, of the 

 U. S. navy : he had all the frankness of a sailor. 

 We saw a good deal of him when he was in London, 

 and I had a long letter from him, giving me an ac- 

 count of his fleet, his plan for circumnavigation, &c. &c. 

 I never had the good fortune to become personally 

 acquainted with Captain Maury, of the U. S. navy, 

 author of that fascinating book, the "Physical 

 Geography of the Sea," but I am indebted to him 

 for a copy of that work, and of his valuable charts. 

 Mr. Dana, who is an honour to his country, sent me 

 copies of his works, to which I have had occasion 

 frequently to refer as acknowledged authority on 

 many branches of natural history I should be un- 

 grateful if I did not acknowledge the kindness 

 I received from the Silliman family, who informed 

 me of any scientific discovery in the United States, 



