1841-42 'WHY THE SEA IS SALT' 183 



meets him in ' Association Week ' for an expla- 

 nation, and continues : ' There was, I believe, a 

 heathen speculation in- regard to the problem you 

 have asked me to solve ; it was held that all water 

 was originally fresh, but on that day, when 

 Phaeton drove his father's chariot, poor earth 

 became so hot and terrified at his near approach 

 and irregular course, that she broke out into 

 profuse perspiration, the consequences of which 

 are still manifested in the saltness of the ocean.' 



The following entries occur in the journal for 

 June and July : — 



' J tine 2. — To the Botanical Gardens, Re- 

 gent's Park. As yet they are only laid out. A 

 perfect desert, no signs of greenhouses or hot- 

 houses ; one seedy-looking palm under a cover. 

 But there was a good band (2nd Life Guards).' 



1 jth. — Weber's " Euryanthe." Liston, the 

 surgeon, just in front of us. The music beautiful, 

 of course, but a ridiculous want of sense or interest 

 in the plot.' 



' %th. — Dr. Martin Barry came in from Jersey. 

 He brought two green lizards for me, and some 

 tadpoles (all dead but two).' 



' 2>otk. — To the Gardens, as R. wanted to see 

 the Cereopsis goose, who has a brood of Chinese 

 ducklings under her charge. We found her by 

 no means a fond or careful foster-mother. The 

 old goose is positively hostile, and bites and snaps 

 violently at the crown of their poor little heads.' 



