118 FIRST JOURNEY IN EUROPE. [1839, 
antiquities, ete. These last are much more grand than 
I had supposed. Indeed, I was struck with wonder. 
I hope sometime to spend a day or two in looking 
through these rich collections. Called on Lyell ‘hs 
geologist. 
We dined with Dr. Roget, the secretary of the 
Royal Society, where we met Sir Francis Staunton, a 
great Oriental scholar and traveler, Professor Royle, 
Dr. Boott, and two others whose names I forget. But 
best of all Dr. Boott brought me a letter from Dr. 
Torrey, dated December 25 (Christmas), and I soon 
contrived to get into a quiet corner to read it; right 
glad I was to hear from home once more; I wi 
answer it to-morrow. We left very early, as Hooker 
was to go to Hampstead, where Sir Francis Palgrave 
resides. Joe and I walked with him, till he should 
find a stage; but as none overtook us and the night 
was fine we walked the whole way, three or four miles, 
and having left Sir William safe and sound, and seen 
Sir Francis Palgrave for a moment, the remainder of 
the family having retired to rest, Joe and I walked 
back again to town. I confess I am a little tired, and 
am quite willing to go to bed. A Dieu. 
Wednesday, a anuary 23, 1839. — Breakfasted and 
dined with Mr. Bentham, and studied plants with him 
all day and a good portion of the evening, excepting 
an hour or so in the morning when we walked out, and 
Bentham took me through the splendid house of the 
Athenzum Club, and we also visited the National Gal- 
lery, and saw fine paintings in great numbers from 
almost every artist ancient or modern. It is very 
near my lodgings, and | intend to visit it again. Here 
are some of West’s original pictures, and likewise the 
paintings or sketches of Hogarth from which his well- 
