were sitting on the balcony of the hotel, when we saw a
man stab another in the back of the neck, and then run away. The victim
staggered along for a minute, and then fell down in a pool of blood. He
had been a spy of the police under Gregory XVI., and one of the
principal agents of his cruel government. He was so obnoxious to the
people that his assassin has never been discovered.

From Bologna we went for a few weeks to Recoaro, where I drank the
waters, after which we travelled to England by the St. Gothard pass.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 13: The vessel on board which this bust was shipped for
England ran on a shoal and sank, but as the accident happened in shallow
water, the bust was recovered, none the worse for its immersion in salt
water.]

CHAPTER XVI.

PUBLISHES "PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY"--LETTER FROM HUMBOLDT--CHRISTMAS AT
COLLINGWOOD--LETTER FROM MRS. SOMERVILLE--FARADAY--LETTER FROM
FARADAY--KEITH JOHNSTONE'S MAPS--WINTER AT MUNICH--SALZBURG--LAKE OF
GARDA--MINISCALCHI--POEM BY CATERINA BRENZONI--LETTER FROM
BRENZONI--LETTER FROM MRS. SOMERVILLE--ELOGE BY MINISCALCHI--WINTER AT
TURIN--BARON PLANA--CAMILLO CAVOUR--COLLINE NEAR TURIN--GENOA--TERESA
DOVIA--FLORENCE--MISS F.P. COBBE--VIVISECTION--EXCURSIONS IN THE
NEIGHBOURHOOD--CHOLERA--MISERICORDIA--PIO NONO IN TUSCANY--COMET--TUSCAN
REVOLUTION--WAR IN LOMBARDY--ENTRY OF VICTOR EMMANUEL INTO
FLORENCE--LETTERS FROM MRS. SOMERVILLE--MY FATHER'S DEATH--LETTER FROM
MISS COBBE.

We spent the autumn in visiting my relations on the banks of the Tweed.
I was much out of health at the time. As winter came on I got better,
and was preparing to print my "Physical Geography" when "Cosmos"
appeared. I at once determined to put my manuscript in the fire when
Somerville said, "Do not be rash--consult some of our friends--Herschel
for instance." So I sent the MS. to Sir John Herschel, who advised me by
all means to publish it. It was very favourably reviewed by Sir Henry
Holland in the "Quarterly," which tended much to its success. I
afterwards sent a copy of a later edition to Baron Humboldt, who wrote
me a very kind letter in return.

* * * * *

BARON HUMBOLDT TO MRS. SOMERVILLE.

A SANS SOUCI, _ce 12 Juillet, 1849_.

MADAME,

C'est un devoir bien doux a remplir, Madame, que de vous offrir
l'hommage renouvelle de mon devouement et de ma respectueuse
admiration. Ces sentimens datent de bien loin chez l'homme
a