294 LONDON AND CAMUKIDCE. [1838. 



answers capitally ; after the second half day is finished I go 

 and dine at the Athenaeum like a gentleman, or rather like a 

 lord, for I am sure the first evening I sat in that great draw- 

 ing-room, all on a sofa by myself, I felt just like a duke. I 

 am full of admiration at the Athenaeum, one meets so many 

 people there that one likes to see. The very first time I 

 dined there (i.c. last week) I met Dr. Fitton * at the door, and 

 he got together quite a party Robert Brown, who is gone to 

 Paris and Auvergne, Macleay [?] and Dr. Boott.t Your helping 

 me into the Athenaeum has not been thrown away, and I 

 enjoy it the more because I fully expected to detest it. 



I am writing you a most unmerciful letter, but I shall get 

 Owen to take it to Newcastle. If you have a mind to be a 

 very generous man you will write to me from Kinnordy,^ and 

 tell me some Newcastle news, as well as about the Craig, and 

 about yourself and Mrs. Lyell, and everything else in the 

 world. I will send by Hall the ' Entomological Transactions,' 

 which I have borrowed for you ; you will be disappointed in 



's papers, that is if you suppose my dear friend has a 



single clear idea upon any one subject. He has so involved 

 recent insects and true fossil insects in one table that I fear 

 you will not make much out of it, though it is a subject which 

 ought I should think to come into the ' Principles." You will 



* W. H. Fitton (b. 1780, d. 1861) the Gardeners' Chronicle, 1864) 



was a physician and geologist, and as having been one of the first 



sometime president of the Geo- physicians in London who gave up 



logical Society. He established the customary black coat, knee- 



the ' Proceedings,' a mode of publi- breeches and silk stockings, and 



cation afterwards adopted by other adopted the ordinary dress of the 



societies. period, a blue coat with brass but- 



f Francis Boott (b. 1792, d. 1863) tons, and a buff waistcoat, a cos- 

 is chiefly known as a botanist tume which he continued to wear 

 through his work on the genus to the last. After giving up prac- 

 Carex. He was also well known in tice, which he did early in life, he 

 connection with the Linnean Society spent much of his time in acts of 

 of which he was for many years an unpretending philanthropy, 

 office-bearer. He is described (in J The house of Lyell's father, 

 a biographical sketch published in 



