^T. 28.] JOURNAL. 211 



away with unpaid bills, — to ascertain this point is said 

 to be the chief object of all this inquiry. When you 

 arrive at any hotel and remain over night, you are 

 presented with a blank formula comprising still more 

 particular inquiries, which you are required to fill up, 

 and it is sent to the police office. You give first your 

 name, then your country, age, religion, occupation, 

 state whether you are married or not ! whether you 

 are traveling alone or in company ; where you came 

 from last ; your probable stay ; whether you have let- 

 ters of credit or not, with some equally particular 

 inquiries! I went next to my banker's, found no 

 letters ! I drew some money, and obtained a ticket 

 of admission to a commercial reading-room, which is 

 well supphed with English and French newspapers. 

 Here I stayed until sunset, reading up my English 

 news, in which I had got far behind, and which on 

 the present occasion I found very interesting. I 

 gleaned occasionally a little news from home, but 

 vaguely. The information seemed in general satisfac- 

 tory, but one letter from home were worth it all ! 



I have this morning changed the plants I have been 

 drying, and have taken care of my companion Philip, 

 who is quite sick with the fatigue of his journey and 

 so forth. I have endured it very well, but must get 

 into bed. Not having had my clothes off for three 

 nights in succession, nor enjoyed rational sleep, I 

 wonder much that I am not more fatigued. Endlicher 

 asked me to go to the opera this evening, where there 

 is some especially fine music, as he says, but I de- 

 clined, teUing him that under present circumstances 

 I should sleep through the finest music in the world. 

 I suppose it would be perfectly impossible to make 

 him understand how one could have any scruples 

 against this amusement. 



