3 io GEOLOGICAL SURVEY REORGANISED CHAP, ix 



LONDON, i6th December 1871. 



MY DEAR GEIKIE Yesterday I took a leaf out of 

 the Book of Othello, and became 'perplexed in the 

 extreme,' all along of a miserable trusteeship that I 

 hold. The consequence was that all day I stood 

 prostrate at the feet of Europe, having there/0r an 

 aversion to all legitimate business, till in the evening 

 I plucked up ' hart o' grease ' and wrote to S. Kensing- 

 ton asking about the Survey Annual Reports. I have 

 to-day had an answer saying that My Lords meet on 

 Monday, and the question will come before them. ' That 

 is all we know on Earth, and all we need to know.' 



Having done this, I went at half -past four and 

 played with Herbert Spencer a game of billiards at 

 the Athenaeum. He beat me. Being beaten, I went 

 home and ate a turkey, and then proceeded to lay 

 about me all round and make everybody miserable, 

 all because a woman 200 and odd miles off is an ass, 

 and gives me a deal of deilish bother. 



The poet [his son Allan] came home yesterday 

 from Uppingham with a prize for mathematics under 

 his oxter. We are all very well at home, both the 

 cats having disappeared. I hope they are not at the 

 bottom of the water butt ! 



Several of the drift maps have been engraved. 

 We are now in a state to publish. I will tell Bristow 

 to send you a coloured specimen copy for your 

 criticism before any are issued. I hope we may 

 manage to do so early next week. Ever sincerely, 



ANDW. C. RAMSAY. 



LONDON, nth January 1872. 



MY DEAR GEIKIE Yesterday in the Council of 

 the Geological Society I proposed Croll as a proper 



