themselves upon an Englishman's notice. As every
man looks on to being a member of Congress, every man prepares himself
for it; and the result is quite surprising. You will observe one odd
custom,--the drinking of sentiments. It is quite extinct with us, but
here everybody is expected to be prepared with an epigram as a matter of
course.

"We left Boston on the fifth, and went away with the governor of the
city to stay till Monday at his house at Worcester. He married a sister
of Bancroft's, and another sister of Bancroft's went down with us. The
village of Worcester is one of the prettiest in New England. . . . On
Monday morning at nine o'clock we started again by railroad and went on
to Springfield, where a deputation of two were waiting, and everything
was in readiness that the utmost attention could suggest. Owing to the
mildness of the weather, the Connecticut river was 'open,' videlicet not
frozen, and they had a steamboat ready to carry us on to Hartford; thus
saving a land-journey of only twenty-five miles, but on such roads at
this time of year that it takes nearly twelve hours to accomplish! The
boat was very small, the river full of floating blocks of ice, and the
depth where we went (to avoid the ice and the current) not more than a
few inches. After two hours and a half of this queer traveling, we got
to Hartford. There, there was quite an English inn; except in respect of
the bedrooms, which are always uncomfortable; and the best committee of
management that has yet presented itself. They kept us more quiet, and
were more considerate and thoughtful, even to their own exclusion, than
any I have yet had to deal with. Kate's face being horribly bad, I
determined to give her a rest here; and accordingly wrote to get rid of
my engagement at New Haven, on that plea. We remained in this town until
the eleventh: holding a formal levee every day for two hours, and
receiving on each from two hundred to three hundred people. At five
o'clock on the afternoon of the eleventh, we set off (still by railroad)
for New Haven, which we reached about eight o'clock. The moment we had
had tea, we were forced to open another levee for the students and
professors of the college (the largest in the States), and the
townspeople. I suppose we shook hands, before going to bed, with
considerably more than five hundred people; and I stood, as a matter of
course, the whole time. . . .

"Now, the deputation of two had come on with us f