1867-1882] ANTHONY RICH 445 



the creneral law of evolution, and this would follow if he were Letter 779 

 to be immortal. 



This is all that I can say. 



To J. Popper. Letter ? 8 



Mr. Popper had written about a proposed flying machine in which 



birds were to take a part. 



Down, Feb. I5th, 1881. 



I am sorry to say that I cannot give you the least aid, as 

 I have never attended to any mechanical subjects. I should 

 doubt whether it would be possible to train birds to fly in a 

 certain direction in a body, though I am aware that they 

 have been taught some tricks. Their mental powers are 

 probably much below those of mammals. It is said, and I 

 suppose truly, that an eagle will carry a lamb. This shows 

 that a bird may have great power for a short distance. I 

 cannot remember your essay with sufficient distinctness to 

 make any remarks on it. When a man is old and works 

 hard, one subject drives another out of his head. 



To T. H. Huxley. Letter 78i 



Worthing, Sept. Qth, 1881. 



Mr. Anthony Rich left his house at Worthing as a legacy to 

 Mr. Huxley. See Huxley's Life and Letters, II., pp. 286, 287. 



We have been paying Mr. Rich l a little visit, and he has 

 often spoken of you, and I think he enjoyed much your and 

 Mrs. Huxley's visit here. But my object in writing now is 

 to tell you something, which I am very doubtful whether it 

 is worth while for you to hear, because it is uncertain. My 

 brother Erasmus has left me half his fortune, which is very 

 considerable. Therefore, I thought myself bound to tell 

 Mr. Rich of this, stating the large amount, as far as the 

 executors as yet know it roughly. I then added that my 



1 Anthony Rich ( 1 804 ?- 1 89 1 ). Educated at Caius College, Cambridge, 

 of which he was afterwards an Honorary Fellow. Author of Illustrated 

 Companion to the Latin Dictionary and Greek Lexicon, 1849, sa -id to be 

 a useful book on classical antiquities. Mr. Darwin made his acquaintance 

 in a curious way namely, by Mr. Rich writing to inform him that he 

 intended to leave him his fortune, in token of his admiration for his 

 work. Mr. Rich was the survivor, but left his property to Mr. Darwin's 

 children, with the exception of his house at Worthing, bequeathed to 

 Mr. Huxley. 



