1893 EETUEN TO OXFOKD 337 



It was almost pathetic to see how keen and 

 vigorous his intellect was. In fact, the great 

 difficulty was to keep the busy brain from thinking. 

 Novels helped to some degree, and occasional visits 

 from friends as he grew better. Dr. and Mrs. 

 Burdon Sanderson, the President of Trinity and 

 Mrs. Woods, the Dean, Mr. Gore, the President of 

 Magdalen and Mrs. Warren, and Mr. Waggett, all 

 helped, coming and paying brief visits, which did 

 him good, for if he was not listening to reading or 

 conversation, he would be planning experiments or 

 pondering problems of theology, and ask by-and-by 

 that his thoughts should be taken down from dictation, 

 or that paper and pencil should be given him, or, 

 worse than all, devising arrangements for finishing 

 * Darwin, and after Darwin.' He dictated some 

 ' Thoughts 011 Things ' in the very first days of his 

 illness, and sent for Professor Lloyd Morgan, who came 

 and received instructions about the unfinished books, 

 instructions which he has carried out with unflagging 

 diligence and never-failing kindness. 



But still he grew better, and early in August he 

 went back to Oxford, and by the first of September 

 he was able to be present in the cathedral at the 

 baptism by Dr. Talbot of his youngest son. 



The fact that the Yicar of Leeds 1 and Mrs. 

 Talbot were in Oxford during that August was a 

 great pleasure to him, and he much enjoyed occa- 

 sional talks with Dr. Talbot. 



To Professor Eivati. 



I do not know what account E. gave you of my 

 illness, but it is much too serious an affair to admit 



1 Now Bishop of Rochester. 



