78 LIFE AND EXPERIENCES CHAP. 



On the same occasion it was proposed by myself 

 and others to honour Bunsen by a dinner given to 

 him by his former students who were present at the 

 Jubilee, an invitation which he was unable to accept. 



HEIDELBERG, June 27 th, 1886. 

 DEAR FRIEND, 



I will not put off answering your letter received yesterday. 

 Bunsen's health is as good as we can expect at his age. 

 With regard to the dinner which his former students intended 

 to give him, he quite understands how much honour, attach- 

 ment, and thanks they wish to show him, but, owing to the 

 necessary fatigue entailed by the Jubilee week at which he 

 will have constantly to be present, he fears he cannot name a 

 day to set aside for this dinner. If he will feel strong enough 

 after the Jubilee is over to attend the banquet proposed by 

 his pupils, I cannot of course say, but I think it is better for me 

 to explain matters a little. At Bunsen's age, naturally, he often 

 speaks of retiring from his profession, particularly when he is 

 not feeling well or if any difficulties arise. Were he really to 

 carry this out I should deem it not only as very serious for 

 science in general and a calamity for our University but also as 

 very critical for Bunsen himself, for if he no longer had his 

 former employment, old age would creep on much more quickly. 

 By keeping on old occupations one preserves something of 

 one's youth and repulses thereby the march of time. Bunsen 

 will retain his activity all the longer the more regular his 

 life is and the less interruption of any sort he has to undergo. 

 I think you will agree with me in this matter and that it 

 will be best for us to wait until the end of the Jubilee week to 

 see how he is ; if then he feels well enough he could have a 

 special gathering of his former students who will be here 

 then. 



Your faithful 



HERMANN KOPP. 



At a later time, after he had retired into private life 

 (1889), I was not infrequently a guest at his house in 

 " Bunsen Strasse," when we fought our battles o'er 

 again and I recounted to him things which had taken 

 place in England. Above all he was interested in 

 murder cases, of which in England we had about that 



