LETTER FROM SIR R. I. MURCHISON. 167 



father and mother, who are delighted to have their grand- 

 children. The week after next my younger sister, Leonora, 

 is to be married to Dr. Pertz, the King's libfarian at Ber- 

 lin. We like the marriage in every respect but one, that 

 it takes her so far away. He is expected here in a day or 

 two, and will stay in our house till the wedding takes place. 

 We were sorry not to see Mr. Gilman who brought your 

 letter, in consequence of our absence, but he was several 

 times at my father's. He had brought a letter of introduc- 

 tion to Dr. Pertz at Berlin, and as he (Dr. P.) happened to 

 be in London, Mr. Gilman was introduced to him here. He- 

 brought me the beautiful piece of amethyst quartz from 

 Dr. Gibbon of North Carolina. Might I ask you, dear sir, 

 kindly to give my best thanks for this, and explain why I 

 have been so slow in sending them. We have had a very 

 interesting tour, and enjoyed a charming climate all winter. 

 Sir Charles has profited much by the geology, and brought 

 here great materials for papers and memoirs. He is ex- 

 tremely well too. 



I must conclude with our best compliments to Mrs. 

 Silliman, and kind regards to all your family in its vari- 

 ous branches. 



Ever, very sincerely yours, 



MARY E. LYELL. 



FROM SIR R. I. MURCHISON. 



PARIS, April 4, 1841. 



MY DEAR PROFESSOR, This is my first stage on my 

 road to St. Petersburg and the Ural Mountains, and I 

 have come by this circuitous route in order to secure the 

 company of my friend and coadjutor, Mr. E. W. Verneuil. 

 We hope to reach St. Petersburg by the first of May, and 

 to be in the Ural Mountains, or on their flanks, in the first 

 week of June. I -fear that our friend, Dr. Mantell, misled 

 you in writing to say that I was about to visit the United 

 States. This arose from Dr. Buckland having talked of 



