With the exception of the brief time passed in making two short visits to America, I had now passed three years with General Tom Thumb in Great Britain and on the Continent. The entire period had been a season of unbroken pleasure and profit. I had immensely enlarged my business experiences and had made money and many friends. Among those to whom I am indebted for special courtesies while I was abroad are Dr. C. S. Brewster, whose prosperous professional career in Russia and France is well known, and Henry Sumner, Esq., who occupied a high position in the social and literary circles of Paris and who introduced me to George Sand and to many other distinguished persons. To both these gentlemen, as well as to Mr. John Nimmo, an English gentleman connected with _Galignani’s Messenger_, Mr. Lorenzo Draper, the American Consul, and Mr. Dion Boucicault, I was largely indebted for attention. In London, two gentlemen especially merit my warm acknowledgments for many valuable favors. I refer to the late Thomas Brettell, publisher, Haymarket; and Mr. R. Fillingham, Jr., Fenchurch Street. I was also indebted to Mr. G. P. Putnam, at that time a London publisher, for much useful information. We had visited nearly every city and town in France and Belgium, all the principal places in England and Scotland, besides going to Belfast and Dublin, in Ireland. I had several times met Daniel O’Connell in private life and in the Irish capital I heard him make an eloquent and powerful public Repeal speech in Conciliation Hall. In Dublin, after exhibiting a week in Rotunda Hall, our receipts on the last day were £261, or $1,305, and the General also received £50, or $250, for playing the same evening at the Theatre Royal. Thus closing a truly triumphant tour, we set sail for New York, arriving in February 1847. CHAPTER XVI. AT HOME. RENEWING THE LEASE OF THE MUSEUM BUILDING--TOM THUMB IN AMERICA--TOUR THROUGH THE COUNTRY--JOURNEY TO CUBA--BARNUM A CURIOSITY--RAISING TURKEYS--CEASING TO BE A TRAVELLING SHOWMAN--RETURN TO BRIDGEPORT--ADVANTAGES AND CAPABILITIES OF THAT CITY--SEARCH FOR A HOME--THE FINDING--BUILDING AND COMPLETION OF IRANISTAN--GRAND HOUSE-WARMING--BUYING THE BALTIMORE MUSEUM--OPENING THE PHILADELPHIA MUSEUM--CATERING FOR QUAKERS--THE TEMPERANCE PLEDGE AT THE THEATRE--PURCHASING PEALE’S PHILADELPHIA COLLECTION--MY AGRICULTURAL AND ARBORICULTURAL DOINGS--“GERSY BLEW” CHICKENS--HOW I SOLD MY POTATOES--HOW I BOUGHT OTHER PEOPLE’S POTATOES--CUTTING OFF GRAFTS--MY DEER PARK--MY GAME-KEEPER--FRANK LESLIE--PLEASURES OF HOME.