,
and I scarcely know a more lovely drive. Besides the books we took with
us we had newspapers, reviews, and other periodicals, so that we were
never dull. On one occasion my daughters and I made an expedition up the
hills to the Deserto, from whence one can see the Gulf of Salerno and
the fine mountains of Calabria. My daughters rode and I was carried in a
_portantina_. It was fine, clear, autumnal weather, and I enjoyed my
expedition immensely, nor was I fatigued.

* * * * *

In November we returned to Naples, where I resumed my usual life. I had
received a copy of Hamilton's Lectures on Quaternions from the Rev.
Whitewell Elwin. I am not acquainted with that gentleman, and am the
more grateful to him. I have now a valuable library of scientific books
and transactions of scientific societies, the greater part gifts from
the authors.

Foreigners were so much shocked at the atrocious cruelty to animals in
Italy, that an attempt was made about eight years ago to induce the
Italian Parliament to pass a law for their protection, but it failed. As
Italy is the only civilized country in Europe in which animals are not
protected by law, another attempt is now being made; I have willingly
given my name, and I received a kind letter from the Marchioness of Ely,
from Rome, to whom I had spoken upon the subject at Naples, telling me
that the Princess Margaret, Crown Princess of Italy, had been induced to
head the petition. Unless the educated classes take up the cause one
cannot hope for much change for a long time. Our friend, Mr. Robert Hay,
who resided at Rome for many years, had an old horse of which he was
very fond, and on leaving Rome asked a Roman prince, who had very large
possessions in the Campagna, if he would allow his old horse to end his
days on his grassy meadows. "Certainly," replied the prince, "but how
can you care what becomes of an animal when he is no longer of use?" We
English cannot boast of humanity, however, as long as our sportsmen
find pleasure in shooting down tame pigeons as they fly terrified out of
a cage.

* * * * *

I am now in my 92nd year (1872), still able to drive out for several
hours; I am extremely deaf, and my memory of ordinary events, and
especially of the names of people, is failing, but not for mathematical
and scientific subjects. I am still able to read books on the higher
algebra for four or five hours in the morning, and even to