MR horneman's travels. 417 
formed the Association, that, to an excellent con- 
stitution, Mr Horneman united great and respect- 
able literary attainments, and a considerable know- 
ledge of mechanics, both theoretical and practical ; 
that he was patient of fatigue ; in his form stout 
and athletic ; in his habits temperate and abste- 
mious; in his disposition cheerful and full of vi- 
vacity ; and that, excepting the usual diseases of 
infancy, he had known sickness only by name. To 
this letter Sir Joseph Banks answered, " If Mr 
* 6 Horneman be really the person you describe, he 
" is the very identical person whom we are in 
" search of." This reply was communicated to 
Horneman, at Hanover, by the professor, who, tp 
his astonishment, saw him enter his apartment, be- 
fore he imagined the letter could have reached 
him ; such expedition had the young adventurer 
used in travelling from that city on foot. In the 
course of one night, he formed an excellent plan 
of his journey, which was immediately dispatched 
to London, for the inspection of the Association. 
The summer of 1796 was employed in attending 
the lectures on natural history at Gottingen, and 
in acquiring Arabic and the other oriental lan- 
guages. In February 1797j he visited London, 
and was introduced to the African Association, 
who unanimously sanctioned his appointment. Af- 
ter a passport had been procured from the French 
Directory, Mr Horneman proceeded to Paris, 
VOL. i. D d 
