the opposite dish,
and, mindful of the old pleasantry to which I alluded, replied, "Julia,
this is religion." At breakfast, the next morning, I endeavored to
entertain those present with some account of the great dinner. As I
enlarged a little upon the excellence of the details, Mr. Clough said,
"Mrs. Howe, you seem to have a great appreciation of these matters." I
disclaimed this; whereupon he rejoined, "Mrs. Howe, you are modest."

Some months later I met Mr. Clough at a friend's house, where some
informal charades were about to be attempted. Being requested to take
part in one, I declined; and when urged, I replied, "No, no, I am
modest,--Mr. Clough once said so." He looked at me in some pretended
surprise, and said, "It must have been at a very early period in our
acquaintance." This "give and take" was all in great good humor, and Mr.
Clough was a delightful guest in all societies. Sorry indeed were we
when, having become quite at home among us, he returned to England,
there to marry and abide. I remember that he told me of one winter which
he had passed at his university without fire in his quarters. When I
heard of his illness and untimely death, it occurred to me that the
seeds of the fatal disease might have been sown during that season of
privation.

CHAPTER IX

SECOND VISIT TO EUROPE

In June, 1850, after a seven years' residence in and near Boston, during
which I labored at study and literary composition, I enjoyed an interval
of rest and recreation in Europe. With me went Dr. Howe and our two
youngest children, one of them an infant in arms. We passed some weeks
in London, and went thence to renew our acquaintance with the
Nightingale family, at their summer residence in Derbyshire. Florence
Nightingale had been traveling in Egypt, and was still abroad. Her
sister, Parthenope, read us some of her letters, which, as may be
imagined, were full of interest.

Florence and her companions, Mr. and Mrs. Bracebridge, had made some
stay in Rome, on their way to Egypt. Margaret Fuller called one day at
their lodgings. Florence herself opened the door, and said to the
visitor, "Mr. and Mrs. Bracebridge are not at home." Margaret replied,
"My visit is intended for Miss Florence Nightingale;" and she was
admitted to a tete-a-tete of which one would be glad to know something.
It was during this visit that I learned the sad news of Margaret's
shipwreck and death.

Dr. Howe, with all his energy of body and