Among those accidental Falmouth reunions,perhaps the notablest for Sterling occurred in this his first season.There is in Falmouth an Association called the _Cornwall Polytechnic Society_,established about twenty years ago,and supported by the wealthy people of the Town and neighborhood,for the encouragement of the arts in that region;it has its Library,its Museum,some kind of Annual Exhibition withal;gives prizes,publishes reports:the main patrons,I believe,are Sir Charles Lemon,a well-known country gentleman of those parts,and the Messrs.Fox.To this,so far as he liked to go in it,Sterling was sure to be introduced and solicited.The Polytechnic meeting of 1841was unusually distinguished;and Sterling's part in it formed one of the pleasant occurrences for him in Falmouth.It was here that,among other profitable as well as pleasant things,he made acquaintance with Professor Owen (an event of which I too had my benefit in due time,and still have):the bigger assemblage called _British Association_,which met at Plymouth this year,having now just finished its affairs there,Owen and other distinguished persons had taken Falmouth in their route from it.Sterling's account of this Polytechnic gala still remains,--in three Letters to his Father,which,omitting the extraneous portions,I will give in one,--as a piece worth reading among those still-life pictures:--"To Edward Sterling,Esq.,Knightsbridge,London_.
"FALMOUTH,10th August,1841.
"MY DEAR FATHER,--I was not well for a day or two after you went;and since,I have been busy about an annual show of the Polytechnic Society here,in which my friends take much interest,and for which Ihave been acting as one of the judges in the department of the Fine Arts,and have written a little Report for them.As I have not said that Falmouth is as eminent as Athens or Florence,perhaps the Committee will not adopt my statement.But if they do,it will be of some use;for I have hinted,as delicately as possible,that people should not paint historical pictures before they have the power of drawing a decent outline of a pig or a cabbage.I saw Sir Charles Lemon yesterday,who was kind as well as civil in his manner;and promises to be a pleasant neighbor.There are several of the British Association heroes here;but not Whewell,or any one whom I know.""_August 17th_.--At the Polytechnic Meeting here we had several very eminent men;among others,Professor Owen,said to be the first of comparative anatomists,and Conybeare the geologist.Both of these gave evening Lectures;and after Conybeare's,at which I happened to be present,I said I would,if they chose,make some remarks on the Busts which happened to be standing there,intended for prizes in the department of the Fine Arts.They agreed gladly.The heads were Homer,Pericles,Augustus,Dante and Michael Angelo.I got into the box-like platform,with these on a shelf before me;and began a talk which must have lasted some three quarters of an hour;describing partly the characters and circumstances of the men,illustrated by anecdotes and compared with their physiognomies,and partly the several styles of sculpture exhibited in the Casts,referring these to what I considered the true principles of the Art.The subject was one that interests me,and I got on in famous style;and had both pit and galleries all applauding,in a way that had had no precedent during any other part of the meeting.Conybeare paid me high compliments;Owen looked much pleased,--an honor well purchased by a year's hard work;--and everybody,in short,seemed delighted.Susan was not there,and I had nothing to make me nervous;so that I worked away freely,and got vigorously over the ground.After so many years'disuse of rhetoric,it was a pleasant surprise to myself to find that I could still handle the old weapons without awkwardness.More by good luck than good guidance,it has done my health no harm.I have been at Sir Charles Lemon's,though only to pay a morning visit,having declined to stay there or dine,the hours not suiting me.They were very civil.The person I saw most of was his sister,Lady Dunstanville;a pleasant,well-informed and well-bred woman.He seems a most amiable,kindly man,of fair good sense and cultivated tastes.--I had a letter to-day from my Mother [in Scotland];who says she sent you one which you were to forward me;which I hope soon to have.""_August 29th_.--I returned yesterday from Carclew,Sir C.Lemon's fine place about five miles off;where I had been staying a couple of days,with apparently the heartiest welcome.Susan was asked;but wanting a Governess,could not leave home.
"Sir Charles is a widower (his Wife was sister to Lord Ilchester)without children;but had a niece staying with him,and his sister Lady Dunstanville,a pleasant and very civil woman.There were also Mr.Bunbury,eldest son of Sir Henry Bunbury,a man of much cultivation and strong talents;Mr.Fox Talbot,son,I think,of another Ilchester lady,and brother of _the_Talbot of Wales,but himself a man of large fortune,and known for photogenic and other scientific plans of extracting sunbeams from cucumbers.He also is a man of known ability,but chiefly employed in that peculiar department._Item_Professors Lloyd and Owen:the former,of Dublin,son of the late Provost,I had seen before and knew;a great mathematician and optician,and a discoverer in those matters;with a clever little Wife,who has a great deal of knowledge,quite free from pretension.Owen is a first-rate comparative anatomist,they say the greatest since Cuvier;lives in London,and lectures there.On the whole,he interested me more than any of them,--by an apparent force and downrightness of mind,combined with much simplicity and frankness.
