156 LONDON AND CAMBRIDGE. [ch. vn. 



party of four, and they finished ten bottles of wine a pleas- 

 ant prospect for me ; but I am determined not even to taste 

 his wine, partly for the fun of seeing his infinite disgust and 

 surprise. . . . 



I pity you the infliction of this most unmerciful letter. 

 Pray remember me most kindly to Mrs. Lyell when you ar- 

 rive at Kinnordy. Tell Mrs. Lyell to read the second series 

 of ' Mr. Slick of Slickville's Sayings.' . . . He almost beats 

 ' Samivel,' that prince of heroes. Good night, my dear 

 Lyell ; you will think I have been drinking some strong 

 drink to write so much nonsense, but I did not even taste 

 Minerva's small beer to-day. . . . 



A record of what he wrote during the year 1838 would 

 not give a true index of the most important work that was 

 in progress the laying of the foundation-stones of what 

 was to be the achievement of his life. This is shown in the 

 following passages from a letter to Lyell (September), and 

 from a letter to Fox, written in June : 



" I wish with all my heart that my Geological book was 

 out. I have every motive to work hard, and will, following 

 your steps, work just that degree of hardness to keep well. 

 I should like my volume to be out before your new edition 

 of the Principles appears. Besides the Coral theory, the 

 volcanic chapters will, I think, contain some new facts. I 

 have lately been sadly tempted to be idle that is, as far as 

 pure geology is concerned by the delightful number of new 

 views which have been coming in thickly and steadily on 

 the classification and affinities and instincts of animals 

 bearing on the question of species. Note-book after note- 

 book has been filled with facts which begin to group them- 

 selves clearly under sub-laws." 



" I am delighted to hear you are such a good man as not 

 to have forgotten my questions about the crossing of ani- 

 mals. It is my prime hobby, and I really think some day I 

 shall be able to do something in that most intricate subject, 

 species and varieties." 



In the winter of 1839 (Jan. 29) my father was married 

 to his cousin, Emma Wedgwood.* The house in which 

 they lived for the first few years of their married life, ISTo. 

 12 Upper Gower Street, was a small common-place London 



* Daughter of Josiah Wedgwood of Maer, and grand-daughter of the 

 founder of the Etruria Pottery Works. 



