358 CONCLUSION. [l882> 



Down, March 27, 1882. 



" My dear Huxley, — Your most kind letter has been a real 



cordial to me. I have felt better to-day than for three weeks, 



and have felt as yet no pain. Your plan seems an excellent 



one, and I will probably act upon it, unless I get very much 



better. Dr. Clark's kindness is unbounded to me, but he is 



too busy to come here. Once again, accept my cordial 



thanks, my dear old friend. I wish to God there were more 



automata * in the world like you. 



Ever yours, 



Ch. Darwin." 



The allusion to Sir Andrew Clark requires a word of ex- 

 planation. Sir Andrew Clark himself was ever ready to 

 devote himself to my father, who, however, could not endure 

 the thought of sending for him, knowing how severely his 

 great practice taxed his strength. 



No especial change occurred during the beginning of April, 

 but on Saturday 15th he was seized with giddiness while 

 sitting at dinner in the evening, and fainted in an attempt to 

 reach his sofa. On the 17th he was again better, and in my 

 temporary absence recorded for me the progress of an ex- 

 periment in which I was engaged. During the night of April 

 1 8th, about a quarter to twelve, he had a severe attack and 

 passed into a faint, from which he was brought back to 

 consciousness with great difficulty. He seemed to recognise 

 the approach of death, and said, " I am not the least afraid 

 to die." All the next morning he suffered from terrible 

 nausea and faintness, and hardly rallied before the end 

 came. 



He died at about four o'clock on Wednesday, April 19th,, 

 1882. 



* The allusion is to Mr. Huxley's tory," given at the Belfast Meeting 

 address, " On the hypothesis that of the British Association, 1874, and 

 animals are automata, and its his- republished in 'Science and Culture-'' 



