112 MEMOIR OF DR. HARVEY. 



I have also had a package from my friends the soldiers at Port 

 Natal ; some good things, amongst which is a new genus belong- 

 ing to a very curious natural order, of which only two genera, 

 each consisting of a single species, were known before, and these 

 are natives of India ! This, of course, is a prize of the highest 

 order in Geographical Botany. The new creature is a true 

 Peddiea Africana — Harv. — to be forthwith figured in " Hook. 

 Journ. Bot." It is called after Col. Peddie, who lately com- 

 manded the 42 nd. These Natal plants have set me agog for 

 Africa again, and I am already planning a little book, " Speci- 

 mens of the Botany of Port -Natal." 



To 31iss F 1. 



London Coffee House, March 18th, 1840. 



We are so far arrived on our route to the " Imperial City," 

 from which you may expect a line in about a month from the 

 date hereof. . . . 



It is amusing to witness the many freaks in which the Albert 

 mania continues to exhibit itself in the shops. Albert every- 

 thing, from hats to shoe ties ; nothing too small or too large to 

 be under his patronage. Another thing which strikes me is 

 the increase of Greek names for shows. For instance, Picture 

 Galleries are now Pinacothecze, which of course is a great im- 

 provement. I forget the name, but it is equally difficult to the 

 mouth, for the patent machine for hatching eggs, where, as saith 

 the advertisement, " countless living creatures, from the wren 

 to the eagle, are ushered into life by artificial aid," &c. You 

 gaze on a large tray of eggs, in the last stage of incubation, and, 

 as the fortunate moment arises for the young being to make its 

 debut on the theatre of life, behold ! a crack, a chirp, a leg, a 

 head, and finally the body of a living chicken ! Dear, but 'tis 

 a strange world ! When I see the animal magnetism, which I 

 hope to do, expect another letter. 



To a Cousin. 



Rome, April 16, 1840. 

 One cannot be at much loss to fill a letter from Rome, the 

 only difficulty being what to select to trifle on. One is like a 

 child in a toy-shop, delighted with everything, and sadly puzzled 



