probably from two to three hundred present. Among the company were Sir
David Brewster, Leslie the artist, Miss Coutts, the Duke of Wellington.
"The duke," as he is called, is the great man of England. All the people
idolize him, and he is known to be a great man. He has become more
identified with the history of England for the last forty years than any
other man. Of course, he was to us Americans the great man of the
country. Whenever I have read of Napoleon, I have had Wellington in my
eye, and to see him was next to seeing the emperor. I never expected the
pleasure, but here it is allotted me. He is quite an old man in his
bearing and gait. He was dressed in a blue coat with metal buttons, wore
his star and garter, and had on black tights and shoes. He had been to
the opera, and then came to this party. Every one pays the most
deferential homage to the old hero. Waterloo and its eventful scenes
came directly before me, and I felt almost impatient for our visit to
the battle-field.

A gentleman who knows the duke told us that he spends from four to five
hours every morning at the Horse Guards in the performance of his duties
as commander-in-chief. Although he looks so feeble in the drawing-room,
he sits finely on his horse; and when I saw him riding down Piccadilly,
he seemed to be full twenty years younger than he was the day before at
the party.

We shall always be glad that we came to England in time to see "the
duke," and if we live twenty or thirty years, it will be pleasant to
say "I have seen the Duke of Wellington."

Yours affectionately,

GEORGE.

Letter 15.

LONDON.

DEAR CHARLEY:--

I know how curious you are to hear all about the royal exhibition, so I
shall do my best to give you such an account of our visits to it as may
enable you to get a bird's eye view of the affair.

Almost as soon as I arrived, I determined upon securing season tickets
for the boys, in order that they might not only see the pageant of the
opening on the 1st of May, but also have frequent opportunities to
attend the building and study its contents before the reduced prices
should so crowd the palace as to render examination and study nearly
impracticable. However, there came a report through all the daily papers
that the queen had abandoned the idea of going in person to inaugurate
the exhibition, and the sale of tickets flagged, and it was thought
prices would be reduced below the three guineas, which had been