1809-1842] EDINBURGH 7 



Der F 1 (I do not know how to spell the rest of the word). Letter 1 

 Before we got into our lodgings, we were staying at the Star 

 Hotel in Princes St., where to my surprise I met with an 

 old schoolfellow, whom I like very much ; he is just come 

 back from a walking tour in Switzerland and is now going 

 to study for his [degree?] The introductory lectures begin 

 next Wednesday, and we were matriculated for them on 

 Saturday ; we pay 10s., and write our names in a book, and 

 the ceremony is finished ; but the Library is not free to us 

 till we get a ticket from a Professor. We just have been 

 to Church and heard a sermon of only 20 minutes. I 

 expected, from Sir Walter Scott's account, a soul-cutting 

 discourse of 2 hours and a half. 



I remain y r affectionate son, 



C. Darwin. 



To Caroline Darwin. Letter 2 



Jan. 6th, 1826. Edinburgh. 

 Many thanks for your very entertaining letter, which was 

 a great relief after hearing a long stupid lecture from Duncan 

 on Materia Medica, but as you know nothing either of the 

 Lectures or Lecturers, I will give you a short account of 

 them. Dr. Duncan is so very learned that his wisdom has left 

 no room for his sense, and he lectures, as I have already 

 said, on the Materia Medica, which cannot be translated 

 into any word expressive enough of its stupidity. These few 

 last mornings, however, he has shown signs of improvement, 

 and I hope he will "go on as well as can be expected." His 

 lectures begin at eight in the morning. Dr. Hope begins at 

 ten o'clock, and I like both him and his lectures very much 

 (after which Erasmus goes to " Mr. Sizars on Anatomy," who 

 is a charming Lecturer). At 12 the Hospital, after which 

 I attend Monro on Anatomy. I dislike him and his lectures 

 so much, that I cannot speak with decency about them. 

 Thrice a week we have what is called Clinical lectures, 

 which means lectures on the sick people in the Hospital — 



1 "Der F" is doubtless Der Freischiitz, which appeared in 1820, and 

 of which a selection was given in London, under Weber's direction, in 

 1825. The last of Weber's compositions, "From Chindara's warbling 

 fount," wns written for Miss Stephens, who sang it to his accompaniment 

 "the last time his finders touched the key-board." (See Diet, of Music, 

 " Stephens " and " Weber.") 



