I am indebted to them for much and various instruction, and for an almost parental interest in my welfare.

When I first joined them, in May, 1820, they occupied the Chateau of Pompignan (still belonging to a descendant of Voltaire's enemy) on the heights overlooking the plain of the Garonne between Montauban and Toulouse.

I accompanied them in an excursion to the Pyrenees, including a stay of some duration at Bagneres de Bigorre, a journey to Pau, Bayonne, and Bagneres de Luchon, and an ascent of the Pic du Midi de Bigorre.
This first introduction to the highest order of mountain scenery made the deepest impression on me, and gave a colour to my tastes through life.

In October we proceeded by the beautiful mountain route of Castres and St.Pons, from Toulouse to Montpellier, in which last neighbourhood Sir Samuel had just bought the estate of Restincliere, near the foot of the singular mountain of St.Loup.During this residence in France I acquired a familiar knowledge of the French language, and acquaintance with the ordinary French literature; I took lessons in various bodily exercises, in none of which, however, I made any proficiency; and at Montpellier I attended the excellent winter courses of lectures at the Faculte des Sciences, those of M.Anglada on chemistry, of M.Provencal on zoology, and of a very accomplished representative of the eighteenth century metaphysics, M.Gergonne, on logic, under the name of Philosophy of the Sciences.

I also went through a course of the higher mathematics under the private tuition of M.Lentheric, a professor at the Lycee of Montpellier.