THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 279 



January 23. How delighted and pleased I have been 

 this day at the receiving of thy letter of the 1st of Novem- 

 ber last. My Lucy, thou art so good to me, and thy 

 advices are so substantial, that, rest assured, I will follow 

 them closely. 



January ^. To my delight friend Bentley appeared 

 this evening. I was glad I could give him a room while he 

 is in London. He brought news of some fresh subscribers, 



and a letter from the Rev. D to ask to be excused 



from continuing the work. Query: how many amongst 

 my now long list of subscribers will continue the work 

 throughout? 



January 25. I usually leave the house two hours 

 before day for a long walk ; this morning it was again to 

 Regent's Park ; this gives me a long day for my work. 

 After breakfast Bentley and I paid a long visit to Mr. Lead- 

 beater, the great stuffer of birds. He was very cordial, and 

 showed us many beautiful and rare specimens ; but they 

 were all stuffed, and I cannot bear them, no matter how 

 well mounted they may be. I received to-day a perpetual 

 ticket of admission to Mr. Cross's exhibition of quadru- 

 peds, live birds, etc., which pleased me very much, for 

 there I can look upon Nature, even if confined in iron 

 cages. Bentley made me a present of a curiosity, a 

 " double penny " containing a single one, a half-penny 

 within that, a farthing in that, and a silver penny within 

 all. Now, my Lucy, who could have thought to make a 

 thing like that? 



January 26. Of course my early walk. After break- 

 fast, Bentley being desirous to see Regent's Park, I accom- 

 panied him thither and we walked all round it; I think it 

 is rather more than a mile in diameter. We saw a squad- 

 ron of horse, and as I am fond of military manoeuvres, and 

 as the horses were all handsome, with full tails, well 

 mounted and managed, it was a fine sight, and we both 

 admired it. We then went to Mr. Cross, and I had the 



