that I shall come back. Altogether I don't feel in the least like the
father of a family; no more would you if you were here. The habit of
carrying a pack, I suppose, makes the "quiver full of arrows" feel
light.

115 Esplanade, Deal, September 3, 1857.

My dear Tyndall,

I don't consider myself returned until next Wednesday, when the
establishment of No. 14 will reopen on its accustomed scale of
magnificence, but I don't mind letting you know I am in the flesh and
safe back.

The tour round Mont Blanc was a decided success; in fact, I had only to
regret you were not with me. The grand glacier of the Allee Blanche and
the view of Mont Blanc from the valley of Aosta were alone worth all the
trouble. I had only one wet day, and that I spent on the Brenon Glacier;
for, in spite of all good resolutions to the contrary, I cannot resist
poking into the glaciers whenever I have a chance. You will be
interested in my results, which we shall soon, I hope, talk on together
at length.

As I suspected, Forbes has made a most egregious blunder. What he speaks
of and figures as the "structure" of the Brenon is nothing but a
peculiar arrangement of ENTIRELY SUPERFICIAL DIRT BANDS, DEPENDENT ON
THE STRUCTURE, BUT NOT IT. The true structure is singularly beautiful
and well marked in the Brenon, the blue veins being very close set, and
of course wholly invisible from a distance of a hundred yards, which is
less than that of the spot whence Forbes' view of the (supposed)