FOURTH JOURNEY. 



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



Fourth Courteous reader, when I bade tliee 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 

 induced to give a lecture in the philosophical hall of 



