“They have also the use of rooms in the college; they dine in the same hall with the undergraduates, but their tables are placed upon a raised dais; they have also little garden-places given them.

“‘What are their duties?’ I asked Mr. Airy.  ’None at all; they are the college.  It would not be a seat of learning without them.’

“They say in Cambridge that Dr. Whewell’s book, ‘Plurality of Worlds,’ reasons to this end:  The planets were created for this world; this world for man; man for England; England for Cambridge; and Cambridge for Dr. Whewell!

“Ambleside, September 13.  We have spent the Sunday in ascending a mountain, I have a minute route marked out for me by Professor Airy, who has rambled among the lakes and mountains of Cumberland and Westmoreland for months, and says that no man lives who knows them better than he.

“In accordance with these directions, I took a one-horse carriage this morning for Coniston Waters, in order to ascend the ‘Old Man.’  The waiter at the ‘Salutation’ at Ambleside, which we made headquarters, told me that I could not make the ascent, as the day would not be fine; but I have not travelled six months for nothing, and I knew he was saying, ’You are fine American geese; you are not to leave my house until you have been well plucked!’—­which threat he will of course keep, but I shall see all the ‘Old Men’ that I choose.  So I borrowed the waiter’s umbrella, when he said it would rain, and off we went in an open carriage, a drive of seven miles, up hill and down dale, among mountains and around ponds (lakes they called them), in the midst of rich lands and pretty mansions, with occasionally a castle, and once a ruin, to diversify the scenery.

“Arrived at Coniston Hotel, the waiter said the same thing:  ’It’s too cloudy to ascend the “Old Man;"’ but as soon as it was found that if it was too cloudy we did not intend to stay, it cleared off amazingly fast, and the ponies were ordered.  I thought at first of walking up, but, having a value for my feet and not liking to misuse them, I mounted a pony and walked him.

“He was beautifully stupid, but I could not help thinking of Henry Colman, the agriculturist, who, when in England, went on a fox-hunt.  He said, ‘Think of my poor wife’s old husband leaping a fence!’

“But I soon forgot any fear, for the pony needed nothing from me or the guide, but scrambled about any way he chose; and the scenery was charming, for although the mountains are not very high, they are thrown together very beautifully and remind me of those of the Hudson Highlands.  Then the little lakes were lovely, and occasionally we came to a tarn or pond, and exceedingly small waterfalls were rushing about everywhere, without any apparent object in view, but evidently looking for something.  And spite of the weatherwise head-waiter of the ‘Salutation’ and of him of Coniston Inn, the day was beautiful.  We had to give up the ponies when we were half a mile