Digitised Manuscripts and Books

now, when South African , Australian and American peaches , and Brazilian pines are as common as gooseberries. Once too I drove ,.late in the afternoon ; to London ins my Uncle's pri- d vate cab , sitting between him and my Mother, and stared at the +2. endless succession of market gardens , which with the flaring red and bright blue lamps in the chemists windows largely monop- olised my attention . I remember ,too, that when I was but five years of age I tried to assist in the rescue of my cousin Evelina who had fallen into the pond, and was hunted,to my indescribable terror, by the llama in the park , which I had foolishly excited and provoked, from which however I escaped by flying as fast as my little legs could carry me and scram- bling back over the railings. My first clear perception of London was not until I85I when my Brother and I were allowed to proceed to England for the opening of the Great Exhibition; and when we were’ the guests: of my Uncle Mayer at IO7 Piccadilly, my Grandmother having died in the preceding year . We shared the same small 9edroom, and quarrelled and fought to our heart's content ,much to the amusement of our Uncle , who surprised us one morning Standing in our nightshirts on our beds hurling blankets and pillows at each other. We were sent to all the sights of London; at the Bank a bank note for a million was put in our hands, we climbed into the ball of St Paul's,fed the elephants and bears at the Zoo, and were shown the Abbey and the Guildhall- but none of them equalled in interest the opening of the Great Ex- hibition in Hyde Park . At first we were bewildered by the nuge crowd , and but for the assistance of a policeman I should