to take a somewhat more particular notice of some of the principal
things; such as the Egyptian mummy, a head of Homer, &c. The rest
of the company, observing that I had some assistance which they had
not, soon gathered round me; I pointed out to them as we went along,
from Mr. Wendeborn's German book, what there was most worth seeing
here. The gentleman who conducted us took little pains to conceal
the contempt which he felt for my communications when he found out
that it was only a German description of the British Museum I had
got. The rapidly passing through this vast suite of rooms, in a
space of time little, if at all, exceeding an hour, with leisure
just to cast one poor longing look of astonishment on all these
stupendous treasures of natural curiosities, antiquities, and
literature, in the contemplation of which you could with pleasure
spend years, and a whole life might be employed in the study of
them--quite confuses, stuns, and overpowers one. In some branches
this collection is said to be far surpassed by some others; but
taken altogether, and for size, it certainly is equalled by none.
The few foreign divines who travel through England generally desire
to have the Alexandrian manuscript shewn them, in order to be
convinced with their own eyes whether the passage, "These are the
three that bear record, &c.," is to be found there or not.

The Rev. Mr. Woide lives at a place called Lisson Street, not far
from Paddington; a very village-looking little town, at the west end
of London. It is quite a rural and pleasant situation; for here I
either do, or fancy I do, already breathe a purer and freer air than
in the midst of the town. Of his great abilities, and particularly
in oriental literature, I need not inform you; but it will give you
pleasure to hear that he is actually meditating a fac-simile edition
of the Alexandrian MS. I have already mentioned the infinite