it were a matter of course, and such indeed it was to him. I was ashamed
of my impatience, and we strode along in silence.

It was past ten when we reached the hotel; some excellent tea and
a liberal supply of hot muffins in the coffee-room, now quiet and
solitary, were the more grateful after the wearisome delay and vast
deviation. Shelley often turned his head, and cast eager glances towards
the door; and whenever the waiter replenished our teapot, or approached
our box, he was interrogated whether any one had yet called. At last the
desired summons was brought: Shelley drew forth some bank notes, hurried
to the bar, and returned as hastily, bearing in triumph under his arm a
mahogany box, followed by the officious waiter, with whose assistance he
placed it upon the bench by his side. He viewed it often with evident
satisfaction, and sometimes patted it affectionately in the course of
calm conversation. The solar microscope was always a favourite plaything
or instrument of scientific inquiry; whenever he entered a house his
first care was to choose some window of a southern aspect, and, if
permission could be obtained by prayer or by purchase, strightway to
cut a hole through the shutter to receive it. His regard for his solar
microscope was as lasting as it was strong; for he retained it several
years after this adventure, and long after he had parted with all the
rest of his philosophical apparatus.

Such is the story of the microscope, and no rightly judging person who
hears it will require the further accumulation of proofs of a benevolent
heart; nor can I, perhaps, better close these sketches than with that
impression of the pure and genial beauty of Shelley's nature which this
simple anecdote will bequeath.

[In parting with this very ingenious series of papers, we beg to concur