FOURTH JOURNEY. 



211 



FOURTH JOURNEY. 



" Nunc hue, nunc illuc et utrinque sine ordine curro." 



Courteous reader, when I bade thee last farewell, I 

 thought these wanderings were brought to a final close ; 

 afterwards I often roved in imagination through distant 

 countries famous for natural history, but felt no strong 

 inclination to go thither, as the last adventure had ter- 

 minated in such unexpected vexation. The departure 

 of the cuckoo and swallow, and summer birds of passage, 

 for warmer regions, once so interesting to me, now 

 scarcely caused me to turn my face to the south ; and I 

 continued in this cold and dreary climate for three years. 

 During this period, I seldom or ever mounted my hobby- 

 horse \ indeed it may be said, with the old song — 



" The saddle and bridle were laid on the shelf," 



and only taken down once, on the night that I was in- 

 duced to give a lecture in the Philosophical Hall of 

 Leeds. A little after this, W ilson's " Ornithology of 

 the United States " fell into my hands. 



Sails for Tne desire I had of seeing that country, 

 New York, together with the animated description which 

 Wilson had given of the birds, fanned up the almost 

 expiring flame. I forgot the vexations already alluded 

 to, and set off for New York, in the beautiful packet 

 John Wells, commanded by Captain Harris. The passage 

 was long and cold ; but the elegant accommodations on 



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