DO ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT. 



his descriptions piecemeal ; they are well written, and I fanc'y 

 the book will make a sensation. You must not, however, accept 

 his opinions as mine, for we look at everything from a very 

 different point of view. We could not have undertaken this 

 journey at a more fortunate time. We travelled through all 

 the provinces of Belgium, and. were in the country during the 

 late stirring events, the taking prisoner of General van der 

 Mersch, the flight of the Due d'Aremberg, the commencement 

 of hostilities between Brabant and Flanders, and were actually 

 present at the insurrection at Lille. Forster's name, which 

 excites universal interest, his letters of introduction, &c., every- 

 where procured us access to the highest authorities. At the 

 Hague, in Amsterdam, and in Leyden, the attentions forced 

 upon him were almost burdensome. And now at length we are 

 here in England, finding, among other things to interest us, the 

 trial of Hastings, the war with Spain, the music at Westmin- 

 .ster Abbey, elections for a new Parliament, 1 various exhibitions 

 of paintings, and innumerable collections in natural history and 

 physical science. For the last fortnight we have been making 

 an interesting tour through the country, visiting Eeading, Bath, 

 Bristol, Gloucester, Birmingham, and Buxton, thence among 

 the hills to Castleton and Matlock, and by Derby, Stratford 

 (Shakespeare's birthplace), and Blenheim to Oxford, where we 

 have been the last three days. But the mere list of places 

 that we visited can afford you little entertainment ; you will 

 doubtless be most interested in my individual impressions and 

 feelings, and I can assure you that I have not only had a very 

 agreeable journey, but one from which I shall derive much 

 benefit and instruction. We shall start on our homeward 

 journey in the course of a few weeks, and shall travel rapidly 

 by way of Paris, where we shall make only a short stay, as 

 by that time Forster will have exceeded his leave of absence 

 of three months and a half. I do not intend returning to the 

 University from Mayence, but shall probably go at once to 

 Hamburg, to enter Biisching's School of Commerce, after which 

 I shall perhaps study at the Gymnasium. I shall hope to 



1 He also attended some of the debates in Parliament. In conversation 

 with Taylor, when quite an old man, he mentioned having heard l Edmund 

 33urke ; Pitt, and Sheridan all speak the same night.' 



