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Thursday Nov 3. Fenton's Hotel My own dearest and loved wife, my own darling Sarah! I am again up in the early morning and having another talk with novody to disturb me but Mason who is trying the parlour and loves to talk about Motley and other distinguished persons he has known in his service. He would entertain you I think. I believe that I have not told you about friendly, for I got up so late yesterday (about ten o'clock) that I wholly lost my morning hour and was occupied all day with visitors who are just about as incessant here as they were at home, and the rest of the party don's wonder that I got tired and had a headache and was late in bed. I believe that I lunched at home that day (if I lunched at all) and went to Sir Charles's tea there is another sir Charles. Please to drawl the Sir Charles, my love, slightually. Sir Charles showed me again lots of nice and new experiments, and some very elegant specimens of Geissler tubes -as well as some new forms of his wave instrument. Tell Lovering that Wheatstone seems to have some new dodges which are worth getting from him. At nearly seven we went to dinner and I sat at one end of the table arranged thus: 
I was next you will see to a beautiful Belgian who talked English pretty well but French with great elegance and burst out into a most enthusiastic tirade against the Prussians to which I nodded assent. She was tall and a blonde and I should like to have seen more of her. But as soon as the ladies left the table, I went too to the Haymarket theater which I reached in time to enjoy
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the closing scenes of the Rivals which were acted to perfection. We also staid to a little piece in which there was an actress about as handsome as you ever saw on the stage and both her part had and that of the gentleman were even worth the whole cost of the theater tickets. I was greatly delighted although I was so tired that I almost dropped asleep in the midst of the brightest scenes. When we came home, I dropped upon the sofa and as soon as I had rested, got up to bed and into it feeling as if I should have a fever. But late in the morning I felt somewhat better although my head ached. Yesterday there were again callers, Lockyer, Frodsham's agent who brought me that new chronometer which I believe I told you I had purchased, and which is one of the wonders of modern art. Also Motley. Oh, I strangely forgotten that on Tuesday I went to call with Motley by appointment on Gladstone, who at first sight resembled George B. Emerson, but as he warmed up quite rose to a higher level of man. He said that he would speak to the Chancellor of the Exchequer in favor of sending over the eclipse expedition. He also told me about his own ascent of Etna, and the wonderful shadow projected by Etna above the lower mists. My call was exceedingly interesting. Is it not strange that I am exerting an important influence upon English science? It almost seems to me, as if they depended upon me here more that at home. And now for yesterday. Again calls (and among them who said the wanted to see me) and then we went at about half past one to lunch with Mr Middleton, who was very polite
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to us and gave us an elegant lunch about as nice as most dinners. He talked quite copiously in his doubly repeating beat. I think that he must run his throat with a patent cover escapement. After lunch he carried us to the South Kensington Museum which is the most interesting place we have yet seen, full of all sorts of wonderful things. Oh! How you would enjoy it! It is worth coming here to see this museum if you see nothing else. Raphael's cartoons! I would as soon dare to criticize Shakespeare as these extraordinary productions. I stand before them in a state of ecstatic delight. We saw a picture of Turner, which I cannot help thinking is too sensational altho the sensation is quite materialistic in its nature. But I do not find that others agree with me. Next year, perhaps, you will come and see. Berthie may stay perhaps, for he seems to be greatly fascinated with these geological professors. We were hurried through the museum so fast by the press of time that we had little opportunity to really see it and all that remains except Raphael is a mass of monument and armour and jewelry and extraordinary workmanship of all kinds of which I could not undertake the least description. But everything is attractive and nothing unworthy of its place. As soon as we got home we were at work dressing for dinner at Lord Vernon's who was an old correspondent of Dr Parsons and I was resolved not to lose so good and opportunity to see a nobleman of real aristocratic nature. We had the nicest time possible there and the were |
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and simple in their manners that you felt all at home at once. Lady V. has just been confined (about a fortnight ago) so that the sister in law who is really very handsome presided at the table. The brother of Lord Vernon who is an Italian scholar and the husband of our beautiful (acting) hostess was present. Sir Frederick Pollock and Sir James, I cannot tell his name for I lost it, although I talked with him.
But Sir Frederick Pollock has promised to get us to see the Turner's pictures which are at present closed from the general public. Oh! my dearest wife! how sweet it is to get your lovely letters. I can tell you do not write is a jewel lost to your husband's joy. Sweet little Nellie will not expect an special answer to her lovely note. Tell her that she ought to come and fix her Turphy's hair; and thank Jem for his kind long letter with its excellent advice to go to Munich in order to purchase instruments, so that place must remain, and I fear that I give it too little rather than too much time. But I am disposed to think from all accounts that I am treating myself to too much Vienna. But even his persuasion cannot induce me to remain beyond my appointed time. For there is the appropriation at Washington which must be locked after. Dearest sweetest wife! God bless you my own own Sarah. Your devoted
Ben (Illegible marginal addition on p. 1) I hope that Mr Clive will succeed--- Glissy (?) and I could help him to
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