Second and Third Visits to England. 189 



the next at Aix-la-Chapelle, the next at Cologne, Friday 

 night at Heidelberg, Saturday night at Strasburg, Sunday 

 night at Basel, and Monday and Tuesday nights at Zurich, 

 from which place we came this morning. We have visited 

 the chief objects of interest and curiosity in each of these 

 places, and Eliza has stood it remarkably well much better 

 than I should have thought she could. Of course she gets 

 tired, and when tired, like her mother, myself, and the 

 human family generally, frets a little, but that is nothing. 

 I think she is enjoying her Continental experience, and that 

 it will prove extremely profitable to her. We found her 

 old teacher and my old friend Prof. Wislicenus, and had 

 a very delightful visit with him and his family. We are 

 now fairly among the Alps, and are experiencing the un- 

 certain and changeable weather which belongs to this 

 region. An hour ago we were admiring the magnificent 

 ranges of mountains, which raised their numberless peaks 

 all around in front of us, the beautiful lake intervening 

 between ; now all is hidden from view by enveloping clouds, 

 and there is a drenching rain. We expect to leave here to- 

 morrow morning, having, with a party of three English 

 people, engaged a private carriage to take us to Meiringen. 

 There we shall take mules and cross a mountain which 

 abounds in fine views, and, after passing through the most 

 interesting portion of the country, return to England per- 

 haps early in September. Kitty is very well looking ex- 

 tremely well, and in excellent spirits. Eliza is picking the 

 coloured spots or little figures out of one of her silk dresses, 

 and is actually getting up a little bit of a sing. I am to 

 have our letters sent to Geneva, where I expect to meet 

 them next Monday or Tuesday. The boat is just return- 

 ing, bringing the excursionists from their trip over Lake 

 Lucerne, with a band of music in full blast a jolly lot 

 altogether.* I cannot go into any particulars of our jour- 

 neyings and experiences, but will reserve that till our re- 



