710 FINAL JOURNEYS AND WORK. [1880, 



one presented to me on our arrival here in October. 

 But in the south of Spain my throat was as clear 

 as a whistle. We are not bad just now, and are 

 hopeful. 



I was perfectly sincere in writing that I should pre- 

 fer returning to Kew for two or three months and to 

 reserve Italy for the early spring. I shall get more 

 work out of it so. At the same time I was confident 

 that it would suit you best, and I am glad that you 

 jump at it. It may enable us to get off the fag end 

 (and best part) of Hayden's report, if ever he sends 

 over the portion in type. I am surprised that it has 

 not before this come to hand. 



TO MISS A. A. GRAY. 

 HOTEL ST. KOMAIN, PARIS, December 3, 1880. 



MY DEAR A., I cannot tell you how much I was 

 touched by your letter of the 18th of November, fol- 

 lowing the round-robin, the letter of Mrs. J. and 

 that of Charley. And what could have possessed my 

 brothers and sisters, and nieces, and " their cousins and 

 your aunts " to club together a contribution on the 

 occasion, as if nobody in the family had ever got to 

 have a seventieth birthday, or ever expected to ! 

 Well, it was indeed truly good and thoughtful of you 

 all, and it gratified me beyond measure. As you 

 were the organ of the family, upon the occasion, let 

 me ask you to be the medium for conveying to one 

 and all my acknowledgments and most hearty thanks 

 for their words and deeds and kind thoughts of me at 

 this interesting time. 



And now what I am to do with the presents that 



