182 MEMOIR OF DR. HARVEY. 



ing to get into a place where nothing is rectangular. The town 

 stands on a small island, connected by various bridges and rail- 

 ways with the land. These radiate from a centre on all sides, 

 and folk who can afford it live out of town in various suburbs, 

 and only go to Boston for the winter gaiety. Here is the best 

 society in America. I am rather frightened at my present 

 position, feeling as small among folk here as one of my own 

 diagrams. If I only escape from them without being hissed I 

 shall be happy, I mean hissed inwardly, for they are too polite 

 to show it outwardly. Sir John Richardson has just returned 

 from his fruitless search after poor Franklin. He says that 

 there is nothing to show that Franklin's party had got to the 

 Mackenzie River, and therefore that anything which will ever 

 be learned of them must be to the east of that point, and 

 consequently in that part of the coast which Ross has under- 

 taken to explore. So that we may soon hope to hear news, one 

 way or other, if nothing happens to Ross. Gray is a most 

 admirable worker, and what he does is always well done. He is 

 now preparing a great work on the trees of North America, to 

 be illustrated with plates, quarto and folio. It will be published 

 under the auspices of a fund called " Smithsonian," left by an 

 old gentleman for the purpose of bringing out works of science 

 which would not pay booksellers, and which would yet be 

 valuable. I have partly agreed to prepare an account of the 

 American seaweeds for this foundation, which is to be one of 

 my first employments when I return to Europe, and I hope to 

 get some good new materials in my trip to the south. 



A few more of his " first impressions " are given in a letter to 

 Mrs. Harvey. 



On my arrival I breakfasted, dressed, and went out to look 

 for the Lowell Institute, having previously seen it from my 

 room-window. At the door I met Dr. Cotting, the curator, who 

 asked me, was I not Professor Harvey. To which, replying in 

 the affirmative, he led me over my den, and showed me where I 

 should be baited by the Bostonian lions. Alas for poor Daniel — 

 metaphorically me ; if he escape he will be lucky. 'Tis an 

 awfully large room, built like a church, and used as such on 

 Sundays, having an organ ; but oh what a place for diagrams ! 

 All I have got would not cover the space decently if hung out 

 together, how much less when I can only afford to put up six or 



