THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 



183 



will quiver, my tongue congeal ; nevertheless I shall feel 

 elevated if I am permitted to touch the hand to which the 

 world owes so much. 



December IJ, Wednesday. I have spent the greater 

 portion of this day in the company of Mr. Sclby the 

 ornithologist, who, in appearance is well formed, and in 

 manners clever and polite, yet plain and unassuming. 

 \Vc were together some hours at the Institution, — he was 

 greatly pleased with my drawings, — and we then dined at 

 Mr. Lizars' in company with Dr. Lizars, and we all talked 

 ornithology. I wish I possessed the scientific knowledge 

 of the subject that Mr. Selby does. He wished to hear 

 my paper on the " Buzzard," and after doing so, took it 

 with him to read to Sir Wm. Jardine, to whom he goes 

 to-morrow, but <vill return on Monday. Later Dr. Brewster 

 came to my room with the proof of the paper on the 

 " Carrion Crow." He read it, and we both corrected. 

 He told me it was a question whether or no I could be 

 made a member of the Royal Academy, for only t/iirty 

 foreigners were allowed by law, and the number was 

 already complete ; still he hoped an exception would be 

 made in my case. He thanked me very cordially for my 

 paper, and said Sir Walter Scott wished to meet me, and 

 would do so on Monday at the Royal Academy. Mr. 

 Bridges gave me a very fine notice in the Scotsman, and 

 has again invited me to dine with him to meet some 

 distinguished Germans, and before that I must call at 

 Lord Clancarty's to see Mrs. Murray. 



Thursday, December i^. I paid my visit to Mrs. Murray 

 this forenoon, but the lady was out ; so I handed my card 

 to the slender youth who had opened the door and who 

 stood before me looking at my hair like an ass at a fine 

 thistle, and then made off quickly to Dr. Brewster. My 

 business was before him in an instant ; I wished not to be 

 introduced to Sir Walter in a crowd, and he promised me 

 not to do so. Much relieved I went to the University to 



