posed. The call, he understood, was well responded to. The Spanish officers, however complained that the promised Government provision had not been made. Some of the elder officers looked very grave as to the expedition itself. The business of transport from Malaga to Centa was mostly conducted in hired French steamers; for the Spanish marine was at a miserably low ebb; and they would have been sadly troubled at that time to find an Armada with which to invade England, though they still talked about “perfidious Albion”, who they thought had not been friendly to them in the foray they were making on the Moors. It was not so easy to set them right in the matter without more knowledge of the language than the lecturer possessed. It was possible to get on upon the road, even to obtain information on ordinary matters; but to hold a political conversation required rather a fluent tongue.
Among many other particulars of an interesting nature related to the audience by the worthy lecturer were a bull-fight at Valentia, an acount(sic) of the vintage, the smuggling from Gibralta, the peculiarities of dress and manners, some eventful adventures, and many other matters pertaining to the visit of himself and his two daughters to Spain. He also exhibited a number of curiosities and manufactured articles, which were closely inspected by the audience.
The giving a more lengthy report of the above lecture than was intended to come within the scope of this Local History is because of its personally local associations. Mr. North was a highly respected native of Hastings, and (with his family) was always exerting himself for the town’s welfare. He was also one of the best as well as the longest representatives of the borough in Parliament. Of his two daughters who accompanied him to Spain, Marianne was afterwards a celebrated traveller, artist and diarist; and Catherine (afterwards Mrs. Symonds) was the lady who edited her sister’s journal, the published three volumes of which should be read by all persons desirous of acquiring knowledge from the extraordinary adventures of a practically lone woman in all parts of the civilized world. In the story of he travels, Miss North’s word-painting is as fascinating as are her floral paintings still exhibited at Kew because Hastings could not find a suitable place for them. The three volumes of “A Happy Life” are, probably to be found at the Reference Library in the Brassey Institute where also this volume of “Local History” is also deposited.
The Theory of Projectiles was the title of the next lecture delivered in the rooms of the Institution. Mr. John Banks was the lecturer and the chairman was Mr. J. C. Savery, that gentle-
