xT. 58.] TO R. W. CHURCH. 591 
how she felt in flesh, bones, and spirit after that, nor 
her surprise to find next morning that she was “ alive, 
and alive like to be,” nor her keen delight in Matter- 
horn, Monte Rosa, and surroundings, and the profu- 
sion of alpine flowers. Sunday and Monday on 
Riffel most enjoyable. Tuesday, Mrs. G., thinking 
facile descensus inapplicable to such a steep path, in- 
sisted upon walking down to Zermatt, which she did ; 
a long rest at Zermatt, with pleasant English friends, 
and a dinner enabled us to go in char to St. Nicolaus 
to sleep, taking a small thunder-shower in the way. 
Wednesday, “we still live,” and go on horses, 
through two showers, to Visp again, and then carriage 
to Sierre and rail down to Hotel Byron, to get charm- 
ing view and sleep. 
Thursday, all fresh comparatively, and go in a 
chaise to Chillon, and then back to our pleasant quar- 
ters in Hétel de la Metropole, Geneva. Here we 
rest, see friends, and do botany till Tuesday last. 
TO R. W. CHURCH. 
Lonpon, August 22, 1869. 
. . . With all my endeavors I could not get off a 
note to you by yesterday’s (Saturday’s) post, and so 
shall be late in announcing to you our prosperous re- 
turn to England. We left Paris on Thursday, reached 
Amiens in time to visit the cathedral, a most striking 
specimen of fullest-flowered Gothic, saw it again on 
Friday morning, and, after a smooth crossing, got to 
London before sunset. Yesterday I had to go to the 
banker’s, to Kew, and to see our Harvard men at 
Putney.! I must now needs be with them on their 
trial day ; and then, tell me frankly if it would per- 
1 Boat-race between Harvard and Oxford. 
