452 PEESONALIA : 1898-1906 



Two books read this autumn carried him back, one to the 

 progress of Victorian science, the other to his own explorations 

 round Kinchinjunga. 



To Mrs. Paisley 



October 7, 1903. 



I have just finished reading Sidney Lee's ' Life of Queen 

 Victoria.' It is most interesting, but depressing. She was 

 indeed a good woman though with many imperfections. 

 From a political point of view it is very difficult to judge her 

 on Sidney Lee's showing, one sways backwards and forwards 

 in estimation or the contrary. Her indifference to all the 

 great discoveries in Science during her reign, and especially 

 the Medical and Surgical, strikes me as abnormal. This is 

 not pointed out, and must go with her neglect of Ireland, 

 as being under my view the great drawbacks to a warm 

 appreciation of her reign. 



To D. Freshfield 



December 3, 1903. 



You have indeed sent me a crowning present, of your 

 really monumental work [' Kound Kangchenjanga '] with its 

 dedication, which I regard as the greatest honour by far that 

 my Himalayan Journals have received. 



I have arrived at a time of life when my contributions 

 to Sikkim Geography might well have been forgotten, and 

 to find them fresh in the memory of those most capable of 

 appreciating them is a greater satisfaction by far than I can 

 express in words. I shall read with keen interest your 

 admirably got up work. The reproductions of the photo- 

 graphs are perfect, which contrasts to my impotent attempt 

 to represent similar objects. The two Lepchas opposite 

 page 36 almost upset me when I remember how kindly helpful 

 the poor fellows were to me. 



December 16, 1903. 



MY DEAB FEESHFIELD, I have just concluded my reading 

 * Kound Kangchen ' with absorption, with pleasure that I 

 cannot express in words. Never since reading, as a boy, 

 Franklin and Eichardson's journey to the Polar Sea, have I 

 been so fascinated. You have brought to me visions of my 



