ille laughed, and said that a sojourn in Italy was
sure to introduce them sooner or later to me. The next time that I
spent the evening with her after this conversation, as I stood by
the chimney talking to her, I suddenly perceived a most
detestable-looking black creature on the mantelpiece. I started back
in horror to my hostess's great delight, as she had been at the
pains of cutting out in black paper an imitation scorpion, for my
edification, and was highly satisfied with the impression it
produced upon me.

Urania's reptile, however, was the conventional mythical scorpion of
the Zodiac, and only vaguely represented the evil-looking, venomous
beast with which I subsequently became, according to her prophecy,
acquainted, in all its natural living repulsiveness.

Besides this sample scorpion, which I have carefully preserved, I
have two drawings which Mrs. Somerville made for me; one, a delicate
outline sketch of what is called Othello's House in Venice, and the
other, a beautifully executed colored copy of his shield, surmounted
by the Doge's cap, and bearing three mulberries for a
device,--proving the truth of the assertion, that the _Otelli del
Moro_ were a noble Venetian folk, who came originally from the
Morea, whose device was the mulberry, the growth of that country,
and showing how curious a jumble Shakespeare has made, both of name
and device, in calling him a _Moor_ and embroidering his arms on
his handkerchief as _strawberries_. In Cinthio's novel, from which
Shakespeare probably took his story, the husband is a Moor, and I
think called by no other name.]

PHILADELPHIA, May 7th, 1838.
DEAREST HARRIET,

I fear this will scarce reach you before you leave England upon your
German pilgrimage, but I presume it will follow you, and be welcome
wherever it finds you.

Do you hear that the steamships have accomplished their crossing from
England to America in perfect safety, the one in seventeen, the other in
fifteen days! just half the usual time, thirty days being the average of
the finest passages this way. Oh, if you knew what joy this intelligence
gave me! It seemed at once to bring me again within reach of England and
all those whom I love there.

And even though I should not therefore return thither the oftener, the
speed and certainty with which letters wil