The collected scientific papers of John James Waterston / edited, with a biography, by J.S. Haldane.

  • Waterston, J. J. (John James), 1811-1883.
Date:
1928
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The collected scientific papers of John James Waterston / edited, with a biography, by J.S. Haldane. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    31/812 (page 19)
    He was received with great kindness by his grand-uncle, Mr George Sandeinan, in wliose town house in St Swithin’s Lane, close to what is now Cannon Street Station, and on the site of the j)resent central offices of tlie Sandeman firm, lie lived for a short time. Among the letters of Waterston’s wliicli- have been preserved is tlie following, written from his grand-uncle’s house, to his brother George, describing his journey and arrival in London, It gives a good idea of his bright, humorous, kindly character, and throws light on his deep admiration for Faraday, and indirectly on his own very high scientific ideals. St Swithin’s Lane, London, IK/i July 1832. My dear George,—I take the opportunity of Mr Rose, whom you arc acquainted with, to answer yours of the . From my fatlier’s letter you will have had some notion of my adventures since I arrived here, so I must not recajiitulate. You enquire about my voyage, but there is so little to relate that it is hardly wortli putting it down. You remember that it was a very bleak and misty evening when we set out, and it continued the same all that night and lialf the next day, getting gradually very boisterous till about the middle of the night, when, as a passenger who went on deck told me, the waves washed over the ship. My state cabin, as they called it, was also so near the engine that I dreamt I was in the infernal regions. Tlie only meal we liad that evening was tea or coffee, and we had just time to finisli it before the see-saw motion took effect on the stomachs of those who were not salt-water gentlemen, and soon cleared tlie cabin. Even Sir John’s feelings wei’c overcome, and he retired at a quick march—as fast as he could waddle.* He had been boasting that he was an excellent sailor, having been across the Atlantic, etc. Next day, however, and ever afterwards, he kept up and misbehaved no more. That evening he commenced a conversation with me about the weather—he knew who I was quite well. The subject was so pathetically handled by him that I felt quite overcome, and the ship being rather unsteady at the time, I rushed from his presence and gave vent to my feelings in a * The reference is to Sir John Leslie. He was knighted in 1832, and was probably on his way to receive his knighthood. He died in the autumn of the same year.