THE EUROPEAN JOURNALS 



213 



February 21. I wrote again nearly all day, and in the 

 evening went to the theatre to see " The School for Grown 

 Children." 



February 23. Young Hutchinson came about the middle 

 of the day, and I proposed we should have an early dinner 

 and a long walk after for the sake of exercise, that I now 

 find much needed. VVe proceeded towards the village of 

 Portobello, distant three miles, the weather delightful, the 

 shore dotted with gentlemen on horseback galloping over 

 the sand in all directions. The sea calm and smooth, had 

 many fishing-boats. The village is a summer resort, built 

 handsomely of white stone, and all was quietness. From 

 here we proceeded across country to Duddingston, about 

 a mile and a half, to see the skaters on the lake, a mere 

 duck puddle ; but the ice was too thin, and no skaters 

 were there. We gradually ascended the hill called Arthur's 

 Scat, and all of a sudden came in full view of the fair city. 

 We entered in the Old Town and reached my lodgings 

 by the North Bridge. I was quite tired, and yet I had 

 not walked more than ten miles. I thought this strange, 

 and wondered if it could be the same body that travelled 

 over one hundred and sixty-five miles in four days without 

 a shade of fatigue. The cities do not tempt me to walk, 

 and so I lose the habit. 



February 2Jj,. To the Wernerian Society at two o'clock, 

 my drawing of the Mocking-Bird with me. The room was 

 completely filled, and a paper on the rhubarb of commerce 

 was read ; it was short, and then Professor Jameson called my 

 name. I rose, and read as distinctly as I could my paper 

 on Rattlesnakes, a job of three quarters of an hour. Hav- 

 ing finished I was cheered by all, and the thanks of the 

 Assembly unanimously voted. My cheeks burned, and after 

 a few questions had been put me by the president and some 

 of the gentlemen present, I handed my manuscript to 

 Professor Jameson, and was glad to be gone. Young Mur- 

 ray, the son of the London publisher, accompanied me to 



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