60 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



tion, I have given myself a temporary holiday from ge 

 ogy, and have not read a single book, not even Mantell's 

 " Wonders," which he sent me, nor have I seen a copy of 

 Mr. L.'s " Elements " ; but M., who is a great admirer of 

 L.'s system, writes me, " that the new book is properly a 

 supplement to the old one, and by no means what the title 

 indicates, a book for beginners, though there are some good 

 things in it." These are exactly his words. My health, 

 the latter part of last year, was much better than in the 

 previous year, but the late weather has been severely felt 

 by invalids here, and I have been very unwell for the last 

 month, having had returns of incipient dizziness, with 

 severe attacks of flatulence and indigestion, though I am 

 very careful respecting my diet. Mrs. Hannah More allows 

 of two evils in the world, sin and bile. I think she 

 might have admitted wind into partnership. Cowper, in his 

 interesting letters, mentions a religious friend at Hunting- 

 don, who kept a diary, and the most frequent items in it 

 were thanksgivings for delivery from wind. Cowper ob- 

 serves that this diary was more rational than that of the 

 great Dr. Johnson, who makes frequent entries of the 

 lumps of sugar which he left out of his tea and coffee on 

 saint-days and fasts. I am quite satisfied that many cases 

 of demoniacal possessions, mentioned by heathens and Jews, 

 were cases of obstinate flatulence ; everything which could 

 be heard and felt, but not seen, was with them spirits. 



My astronomical friend here, Mr. Holford, who had a 

 splendid observatory, including the very best instruments, 

 died a fortnight since, after a short illness ; he was a few 

 years t my junior. My health, for the last two years, has 

 prevented me from observations of the heavens. I could 

 have wished to delay writing till I was better able, but 

 I cannot resist the opportunity of sending by Mr. V. A. I 

 mean, however, to write you more fully very soon, and if 

 I do not write to Robert,* by the conveyance, please to tell 

 * His son, residing in New Haven. F. 



