profitable as well as pleasant things, he made acquaintance with
Professor Owen (an event of which I too had my benefit in due time, and
still have): the bigger assemblage called _British Association_, which
met at Plymouth this year, having now just finished its affairs there,
Owen and other distinguished persons had taken Falmouth in their route
from it. Sterling's account of this Polytechnic gala still remains,--in
three Letters to his Father, which, omitting the extraneous portions,
I will give in one,--as a piece worth reading among those still-life
pictures:--

"To Edward Sterling, Esq., Knightsbridge, London.
"FALMOUTH, 10th August, 1841.

"MY DEAR FATHER,--I was not well for a day or two after you went; and
since, I have been busy about an annual show of the Polytechnic Society
here, in which my friends take much interest, and for which I have been
acting as one of the judges in the department of the Fine Arts, and have
written a little Report for them. As I have not said that Falmouth is as
eminent as Athens or Florence, perhaps the Committee will not adopt my
statement. But if they do, it will be of some use; for I have hinted, as
delicately as possible, that people should not paint historical pictures
before they have the power of drawing a decent outline of a pig or a
cabbage. I saw Sir Charles Lemon yesterday, who was kind as well as
civil in his manner; and promises to be a pleasant neighbor. There are
several of the British Association heroes here; but not Whewell, or any
one whom I know."

"_August 17th_.--At the Polytechnic Meeting here we had several very
eminent men; among others, Professor Owen, said to be the first of
comparative anatomists, and Conybeare the geologist. Both of these
gave evening Lectures; and after Conybeare's, at which I happened to be
present, I said I would, if they chose, make some remarks on the
Busts which happened to be standing there, intended for prizes in the
department of the Fine Arts. They agreed gladly. The heads were Homer,
Pericles, Augustus, Dante and Michael Angelo. I got into the box-like
platform, with these on a shelf before me; and began a talk which
must have lasted some three quarters of an hour; describing partly the
characters and circumstances of the men, illustrated by anecdotes and
compared with their physiognomies, and partly the several styles of
sculpture exhibited in the Casts, referring these to