CORRESPONDENCE WITH DR. MANTELL. 217 



most delightful, yet I derived but little benefit from so short 

 a change. I resolved not to go to the British Association, 

 from the fear of the fatigue overpowering me; but last 

 Monday I was tempted to go down in the afternoon, and 

 return the following evening ; for the papers announced a 

 lecture on the Geology of the Isle of Wight, for Tuesday, 

 and I was anxious to hear what the savans said upon the 

 subject. This turned out to be erroneous ; however, I met 

 very many persons I was glad to see ; heard Mr. Lyell 

 lecture for two hours on the " Delta of the Mississippi," to 

 a crowded and fashionable, mixed audience, and saw some 

 objects of interest, both fossil and recent, and returned 

 home much worn out, even by that little exertion. You 

 will see in the various papers all the particulars of the 

 meeting : of Prince Albert having joined them, and having 

 subscribed 100 to the funds ; how Sir Roderick was 

 received by the Queen ; and how the savans feasted and 

 danced, and made merry, &c. But not the slightest interest 

 was evinced in the objects of the meeting by the resident 

 gentry, with three Or four exceptions. The fault of the 

 meeting appeared to me to be the popular character that 

 was professed to be given to its proceedings, to induce 

 ladies and gentlemen (not scientific) to subscribe their 

 guineas, and then having their sectional meetings as dry 

 and technical as if savans only were present. The " Illus- 

 trated News " of to-day, gives portraits of thirty of the phil- 

 osophers, with Sir Roderick and Prince Albert at the head. 

 With the exception of five or six, they are miserable por- 

 traits. Herschel, Faraday, Carpenter, Forbes, Homer, and 

 De la Beche, are recognizable. 



TO DR. MANTELL. 



NEW HAVEN, November 16, 1846. 



YOUR very kind note of September 1, and your full 

 letter of September 21, are before me. I also received, in 

 due season, the beautiful little volume on Lewes and its 



