VISIT TO LORD SPENCEB. J 33 



the time the public functionaries from foreign countries passed 

 him, and seated himself immediately afterwards, paying scarcely 

 any attention to the numerous court of English noblemen and 

 gentlemen present.' I waited a moment, and said that I thought 

 the Duke of Northumberland would interest himself for me. 

 Again he laughed, and assured me that my attempts there would 

 prove ineffectual. ' Think,' continued he ; ' I have called hundreds 

 of times on like men in England^ and been assured that his 

 grace, or lordship; or ladyship, were not at home, until I have 

 grown wiser, and stay at home myseK, and merely attend to my 

 political business, and God only knows when 1 will have done 

 with that. It requires written appointments of a month 

 or six weeks before an interview can be obtained.' I then 

 changed the conversation to other subjects, but he kindly re- 

 turned to it again, and said, ' Should the king old a levee 

 whilst you are here, I will take you to Court, and present you 

 as an American scientific gentleman, but of course would not 

 mention your work.' I remained with him a fuU hour ; and, as 

 I was about to leave, he asked me for all the cards I had in my 

 case, and said he would use them well, and find me visitors if 

 possible. 



" Jwne 18. The work on the first number is yet in the hands of 

 Mr. Lizars, in Edinburgh, and this day I received a letter from 

 him, saying that ' the colour ers had all struck work, and that 

 my work was, in consequence, at a stand.' He asked me to try 

 to find some persons here who would engage in that part of the 

 business, and said he would exert himself to make all right 

 again as soon as possible. This was quite a shock to my nerves, 

 and for nearly an hour I deliberated whether I should not go at 

 once to Edinburgh, but an engagement at Lord Spencer's, where 

 I expected a subscriber, decided me to remain. I reached his 

 lordship's'^house about twelve o'clock, and met there Dr. Walter- 

 ton and the Et. Hon. William S. Ponsonby engaged in conver- 

 sation with Lady Spencer, a fat woman, of extremely engaging 

 aind unassuming manners. She entered into conversation with 

 me at once about the habits of the wild turkey, how to tame 

 them, and the like ; while the gentlemen examined and praised 

 my drawings, and the two lords subscribed for my work ; and I, 

 went off rejoicing, between two rows of fine waiters, who seemed 



