614 TRAVEL IN EUROPE AND AMERICA. [1871, 
Iliad? It was discussed in our club last week by my 
neighbor, who read extracts from this, Lord Derby’s, 
and other translations: it was thought to be as read- 
able as Lord Derby’s, to adhere quite as closely to the 
original, and to reflect more truly the simple direct- 
ness of Homer, both of expression and thought. I 
should like to know what you think of it. 
The most important matter, as concerns myself, is, 
that I am busy with plans of building, having found 
a man who is disposed to give the money for con- 
structing here, adjacent to the herbarium, a much 
needed botanical lecture-room and laboratory for stu- 
dents. Between the herbarium (which, you know, 
adjoins our house, and communicates with it) and the 
conservatory, there is a space of 127 feet. This we 
mean to fill up: First, with a one-story brick build- 
ing 60 X 38 feet, rather less than one half for botanical 
laboratory and cabinet, the rest lecture-room; then a 
lobby, and the remainder of the distance a low stove 
and a short, cool greenhouse, to establish connection 
with our present hothouse. Then, on the one hand, I 
can bring plants at all seasons into the lecture-room ; 
and on the other I can reach the same under cover, 
from my private study, through the herbarium ; and 
Mrs. Gray may walk, in winter, from her dining- 
room, through our little drawing-room, entry, library 
or parlor, my study, greenhouse corridor, herbarium, 
lobby, laboratory, lecture-room, passage, stove and 
coolhouse, into conservatory, of three compartments, 
a long affair, but don’t imagine anything at all grand. 
A snake, of which our house is the head and the 
farthest wing of the conservatory the tail, will give 
the best idea. In a lucky time I asked a man to build 
in this 127 feet, at an expense of at least twelve 
