vii.] MARRIED LIFE. ]99 



1 March 17*A, 1*50. 



4 ... I am going to read a paper at the Royal 

 Society to-morrow about a wonderful meteor which was 

 seen here on the 19th December last. I will tell you its 

 route as nicely as you know that of the omnibuses in 

 Oxford Street. It moved in a straight line parallel to the 

 horizon of Edinburgh for two or three thousand miles, 

 without any regard to the earth's curvatures. There is an 

 independent gentleman for you ! Doesn't even touch his 

 licit to old mother Earth as he draws a tangent to her just 

 to the west of St. Kilda, 88 miles above the Atlantic.' 



When May 1850 came, Forbes had looked forward to 

 taking Mrs. Forbes with him to spend a summer among 

 the Alps. This was prevented by the sudden illness of 

 his second daughter. After an anxious interval, his 

 child was so far recovered as to allow him to set forth, and 

 he travelled with his sister as far as Kissingen. Thence 

 he went on alone to Chamounix. Ten days were given 

 to complete his survey of the Mer de Glace, and then 

 he had to return home. This was the last of his Alpine 

 work : for though he passed another summer in Switzer- 

 land, he could then only gaze on the Alps from the lake- 

 shores, not assail as of old their heights. It was the 

 meeting of the British Association, held in the August of 

 th:it year in Edinburgh, which called him reluctant away. 

 President, Forbes was Vice-President, 

 and presided in Section A, and Mr. and Mrs. Airy wore 

 guests at Park Place. Forbes himself was unwell the 

 first two days of the meeting. After it was over there 

 ,ved tours with Mrs. Forbes, first to the west coast, 

 then to Aberdei nshire. During the months of August and 

 mher he lived with her at Phesdo, near Fettercairn, 

 from which phice he and Mrs. Forlu-s made the Aber- 

 ushire excursion described in the following letter: 



To E. BATTI v ESQ. 



IV to 17tf/, 1850. 



'I am anxious to write to you whilst under the 



influence of an eight days' tour into . \ber- 



