ET. 28.] JOURNAL. 99 
leave my letters for Mr. Nicoll;! returned, dressed for 
dinner, passed an agreeable humdrum evening at a 
small family party; returned to the hotel, sead two 
American newspapers (little news), found a good fire 
in my room, and sat down to make these desultory 
notes. As to all the rest of what I have seen I may 
have more to say another day. Good-night! 
Sr. GeoRGE’s SquaRE, 12 m., January 4, 1839. 
Before I retire to rest I must hastily and very 
briefly record my doings to-day, just by way of keep- 
ing in good habits; as Iam engaged to breakfast at 
an early hour with Dr. Graham I must soon go to 
bed. Rose at half past nine (recollect I had not slept 
the previous night), a snowstorm. Sight-seeing 
being out of the question, went to the university, just 
in time to hear the latter part of Dr. Hope’s lecture 
(Light Carburetted Hydrogen and Safety Lamp); 
fine-studied and rather formal manner, — did not 
wear his gown or ruffles at the wrist! Experiments 
few but rather neat. In cutting off flame with wire 
gauze he varied the experiment in a way I had not 
previously seen, viz., by throwing a jet of ether upon 
the gauze, which burnt below but did not kindle 
above, —a very pretty effect. He looks to be not 
above sixty-five, although he must be ten years over 
that age. Next heard Professor Forbes,” a handsome 
man of very elegant appearance ; a most elegant and 
lucid lecturer ; delivered my note of introduction from 
Professor Silliman; received me very kindly, but I 
1 William Nicoll. Invented section-cutting of recent and fossil 
woods in 1827. 
2 James Forbes, 1809-1861; professor of natural philosophy in the 
University of Edinburgh. 
