160 FIRST JOURNEY IN EUROPE. [1839, 



for a few hours. He gave me also some autographs 

 of celebrated botanists, and a few old botanical 

 books. . . . 



Friday evening, March 29. . . . The Garden of 

 Plants was nearly on my way home ; so I stopped there, 

 worked for an hour (till five o'clock), went home 

 (home, indeed !), took my dinner, found myself most 

 thoroughly tired as well as hungry, having had no 

 breakfast but a small roll of bread I obtained near 

 the cemetery ; had a fire kindled in my room, and 

 commenced writing to you. Just now the little daugh- 

 ter of the concierge, a little girl of six or seven, who 

 often waits upon me, has brought me a cup of coffee, 

 which I have enjoyed greatly, and now feel much re- 

 stored. French children are all pretty and graceful, 

 and I am making the little girl's acquaintance as fast 

 as I can ; for it is difficult for me to understand her 

 (it seems odd to hear such a little thing speak 

 French), and in answer to some of my attempts to 

 speak French to her, she answers, " Je n'entends pas 

 anglais, monsieur." 



What great lies the French newspapers tell ! Yes- 

 terday morning the paper I was reading at my break- 

 fast stated that one of the gardeners who had charge 

 of the bears at the Jardin des Plantes descended into 

 the inclosure for some purpose, and was seized by the 

 bears, killed immediately, and almost eaten up before 

 help was obtained. So when I arrived at the garden 

 I of course spoke to Decaisne about *it, who was 

 greatly surprised, for it seems the story was entirely 

 a fabrication. 



I see I have at length filled this large sheet, so I 

 must say adieu for the present, but hope to-morrow 

 evening to begin another. Ever I remain, 



Your attached, A. G. . . . 



