328 MEMOIR OF DR. HARVEY. 



marquee, fitted up as a temporary museum, displaying a number 

 of curious and instructive objects, on which from time to time 

 the professor gave what he calls 'lecturets/ or familiar ex- 

 planations. The prizes were • small, the highest being only 

 three-and-sixpence, and it was pleasant to see that mere nominal 

 sums were sufficient to incite the competitors ; who, no doubt, 

 valued the eclat of having their carrots, turnips, or onions 

 ticketed ' First prize,' ' Extra prize,' &c, much more than the 

 money which the prize represented. Such shows as these are 

 now gradually extending in England, and in many ways they 

 will be extremely useful to the poorer population, and also to the 

 wealthy class, by bringing them more in contact with the hopes of 

 the poor and their every-day life. It is customary for two or more 

 of such societies, in different parts of the kingdom, to compete 

 together for what is called a sweepstake prize, and this year, in 

 such a competition with two other societies, out of fifteen prizes 

 Mr. Henslow's people won eleven, which announcement pro- 

 duced great cheering. At the close of the day the booth was 

 cleared of its vegetables, and about three hundred sat down to a 

 plentiful tea, where bread and butter and plum-cake >vent 

 round till all were satisfied. The tea was brought out in pails 

 and huge jugs, after which the chief prizemen drank the health 

 of the society in Cambridge College ale, then the whole 

 company sang ' God save the Queen,' and so broke up. I fear I 

 have made a very tame affair of it, but put this down to the 

 heavy rain, which damped the matter. The result at all events 

 was good and pleasant, as seen in the happy faces of four 

 hundred poor people. Professor Henslow, I dare say, passes 

 among his brethren for no bettei than he should be, because he 

 wears a black necktie and a layman's low fronted waistcoat, but 

 the work he is doing is building up the Church on a better basis 

 than that of rubric and aesthetics. Nevertheless, I rather like 

 the clerical costume to be kept up when it does not interfere 

 with things of more moment. 



fl You will see by the papers that the last Franklin expedition 

 has returned successful, bringing satisfactory evidence of the fate 

 of the vessel. It is very pleasant to think that the horrible tale 

 of their eating one another through famine was untrue, and that 

 poor Franklin died quietly in his bed before the ships were 

 deserted or their troubles had begun. I have seen the medical 



