224 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



in particular ; and Sir Robert a senatorial declamation in 

 the like spirit. Lyell spoke good sense, but was so long in 

 his pauses, and so hesitating, that I was frightened out of 

 my wits lest he should break down. Dr. Buckland made 

 an academical oration, like one got by heart by a young 

 collegiate ; and Sedgwick poured forth a flood of elo- 

 quence, which, in spite of the discordant tones in which it 

 was uttered (for his voice is most harsh), carried every- 

 thing before it. The Belgian Ambassador, in capital Eng- 

 lish, with just sufficient foreign accent to add to its inter- 

 est, gave a luminous address in praise of science, and in 

 just encomiums on his own country for having remained 

 unmoved in the midst of the revolutionary tempest which 

 had swept over the Continent. Murchison made a courtly 

 speech, highly complimentary to the nobles present ; and 

 your humble servant, who had to respond as one of the 

 Vice-Presidents, gave a flourish of trumpets, which con- 

 cluded the entertainment. Sir H. De la Beche has been 

 a capital President ; his address, I hear, was excellent. I 

 was unable to attend the meeting ; but, as the address will 

 be published, I shall obtain a copy for you. 



TO DR. MANTELL. 



NEW HAVEN, March 31, 1849. 



THE California mania which you mentioned is 



still very prevalent in this country. Several ships and sev- 

 eral hundred people have gone from this comparatively 

 small city of twenty thousand people ; and almost every por- 

 tion of the United States, especially in the North and West, 

 is sending out its companies as well as many single adven- 

 turers. Still the accounts from California are as flattering 

 as ever : read if you please, in the Journal, the various let- 

 ters of Mr. Lyman, one of our friends, a college classmate 

 with my son, and a man every way to be depended upon, 

 both for integrity and intelligence. I agree with you as to 

 the pernicious influence which this " auri sacra fames " may 



