George Ticknor, Life, letters and journals of George Ticknor
George Hillard, Ed.

[400] For the last time I went through all the halls, looking a little more carefully than I had done before at the majolicas and other curious objets d'art, but coming back at last to the great masters, few and far between, to take my parting look at them, for I shall never again behold any of them in this world.

Lord Cranworth arrived hot from the Woolsack, and overflowing with talk; a kindly old man, such exactly as I thought him in London, and very frank in expressing his opinions. We listened, of course, with much interest to his accounts of the last days of the session, the quarrels about the Divorce Bill, and the London gossip generally, that he brought with him, sitting up till quite one o'clock to enjoy it.

August 29.—Breakfast was a little earlier, to make sure of my arrival in Liverpool, or rather at the railway station, in season, for, as I told them yesterday, there must be no slip between Ellerbeck and the side of the Europa. All were punctual, and said many kind things about my going away . . . . . But at ten I was off, the party following me to the door, and at half past 11 I was in Liverpool, having found Hawthorne in the cars, to enliven my last moments. I drove straight to the Barings', and got a plenty of letters, but opened only Anna's thoughtful, charming little note of the 14th, which had not been in Liverpool two hours, and which will make my voyage cheerful and bright as nothing else can.

Then I went to the Adelphi, and found a note from Ellen Twisleton, and then to a bookseller's for something to read. My time was now all gone. Just before one o'clock I was on board the steamer. Bright came to take leave of me, full of life and cordiality, as he always is, and sent kind words to all of you, which I shall bring.