After resigning his position in Cambridge he again went abroad in 1835, accompanied by his wife and family.  It would take many pages to give the reader an exact account, in however brief a form, of all the interest of this journey.  A few notes taken almost at random must suffice.  Of Southey, Mr. Ticknor notes:  “His conversation was very various, sometimes quite remarkable, but never rich or copious like Wordsworth’s, and never humorous or witty.  It was rather abundant in matters of fact, and often in that way quite striking and effective.”  The first winter he spent in Dresden, meeting Tieck frequently, and enjoying the agreeable and highly-cultivated society of the court.  The next summer, during a visit to Vienna, he had some interesting conversations with Prince Metternich, which are given in full.  The winter of 1836-37 he passed in Rome, finding there Bunsen and Thorwaldsen, whom he had seen on his first visit.  The next winter found him in Paris, where he saw Thierry, Lamartine, Thiers, Mignet, Guizot and others.  Of Lamartine he says:  “Only two things struck me—­his complete ignorance of the present English literature, and the strong expression of his poetical faith that the recent improvements in material life, like steam and railroads, have their poetical sides, and will be used for poetical purposes with success.”  In the spring he crossed to England, where he roamed from one interesting spot to another, seeing every one of whom one cares to hear, and putting down in his journal faithful accounts of all that he saw and heard.

He returned to this country in June, 1838, and began at once to occupy himself busily with the preparation of his History of Spanish Literature.  After this book had been published he began to busy himself with a very important scheme—­namely, preparing the Public Library of his native city.  As soon as Mr. Bates had made his generous gift, which secured the establishment of the library, Mr. Ticknor, with the aid of experts in the different professions, prepared a list of forty thousand books which were needed as the foundation.  He was absent in Europe for fifteen months in 1856-57 busy with choosing and buying books for this institution.  The debt which the city of Boston owes him is a great one:  thanks to his care and energy, the Public Library already has become a most valuable aid to study, and perhaps the best library in the country, besides promising to be one of the few great ones of the world.  During his lifetime Mr. Ticknor gave many valuable collections to the library, and in his will he left it his own unique Spanish library and a generous bequest for the further purchase of books.  From the first he was quite as generous with his time and knowledge.  The diary he kept during his last stay abroad is full of references to his interest in the library and to the constant attention he gave to its affairs.  He returned to Boston in September, 1857.  The remaining years of his life he spent at home, enjoying the company of his friends, corresponding with those abroad, and encouraging interest in letters in every way.  He died in the full possession of his faculties, in his eightieth year, January 26, 1871.