| Description | The commission about houses has just been done, with the house in Drummond Street sold. He gives an account of a visit to a stable in South Audley Street, to view a £60 grey horse, and his conversation with the coachman there; Moll gives his opinion on the animal. Cholera is subsiding in London but Alexander Wollaston has told him that Mrs. [Mary] Somerville had a severe attack, although she will be well enough for a continental tour in a few days. The disease is fierce in Holland, especially at Leiden. To his surprise, he received a visit from Mr. [Charles] Babbage and an invitation to breakfast. He found Babbage to be 'very clever, good natured, but an overexcited man'. Moll told him he would be sorry if Babbage was in Parliament as this would prevent him from doing anything to make his name immortal. 'I imagine that a great deal must yet be done, before we have tables computed by the engine'. Babbage gave Moll a well-written review of his book on the decline of science by [Jean-Baptiste] Biot, quoting from it [in French] and concluding 'these are strong words and big talk'. He refers to the epithet applied to Biot by Arago, 'too coarse to repeat in a letter which is to come under the eyes of Ladies'. Moll asks how to find Mr. and Mrs. Parkins, and hopes to meet the Katers when he returned from his excursion to Liverpool and to the railroad. |