RECOLLECTIONS, 1865-70. 61 



slippery, steep slope we call life, I will ask you some 

 questions of English language that I have not been able 

 to learn to my satisfaction, in half a century. For the 

 present I will make some reflexions on what I can say 

 that will relieve your "Ennui " to hear always the same 

 song. What could I say that would keep you awake ? 



I think I have spoken of our Orchid Club and its 

 members, how would you like a diagnostic of the 

 clubbists ? If they were not the best of men, they were 

 not either the worst, they were so, so, collectively as 

 I have hinted before, they were all gentlemen, although 

 of different types, as regards tastes, of moral and mate- 

 rial things, and as I have told you and tell you again. 

 We I ought to say to be polite. They were all good 

 men, and I was trying to be so also. I must tell you 

 between ourselves. They all had the tools to behave 

 gentlemanly, though the tools do not always do good 

 work, they often "kind o' fails if used improperly, in 

 the wrong way, you may try any way, but mus' n't 



take the wrong one, " sez he," or else They had 



different tastes in the line of Orchids, for instance : 

 Our President, Mr. Corning, said he liked better Odon- 

 toglossum Orispum, etc. Mr. Dinsmore, not having 

 the same optical faculties, preferred Cattleya; an- 

 other inclined to Vanda cmrulea, Yanda Corningiana, 

 Angraenm citratum, etc. Another said he liked 



