230 THE LIFE OF JAMES D. FORBES. [CHAP. 



The following sketch of Forbes's tour in 1837 is 

 contributed by Mr. E. C. Batten, who* was his travelling 

 companion on that occasion. The latter had been for 

 some time his pupil, and between them a deep and 

 affectionate friendship had grown up. Shortly before, 

 Forbes, in his official capacity as Dean of the Faculty 

 of Arts, had presented him, together with the other 

 successful candidates, for admission to their academical 

 degrees, and at the close of the session proposed to him 

 that they should travel to Germany together. 



MR. BATTEN'S Narrative. 



'Early in the May of 1837, Professor Forbes and I 

 started from London for Antwerp, the first stage of the 

 longest tour ever made by him in one year. 



' His first object in visiting Germany on this occasion 

 was to acquire thoroughly the German language, and for 

 this purpose he proposed passing six weeks at Bonn ; we 

 accordingly travelled thither by Antwerp and Brussels 

 (where we received a warm welcome from Professor 

 Quetelet), Aix-la-Chapelle, and Cologne. 



' Very happy were the six weeks we passed at Bonn. 

 The unusual lateness of the spring caused us to be in 

 time for the first glorious burst of green leaves in the 

 woods which surround Godesberg, and clothe the sides of 

 many of the Siebengebirge. Our mornings were taken 

 up by German lessons, and the lectures of the Pro- 

 fessors ; and after a mid-day dinner at a table d'hdte, 

 our afternoons were devoted to exploring in every 

 direction the lovely scenery which surrounded us. ... 



* The simple society of the Professors of the University 

 was always open to us. . . .A pleasant country walk, 

 preceded by a tea, or followed by a supper, formed the 

 staple of their modest, yet kindly hospitality ; but this 

 enabled us to enjoy still more the intellectual and well- 

 sustained conversations arising out of such social inter- 

 course. 



'Among the names of those whose acquaintanceship 

 we enjoyed, and whose lectures we attended during our 



