346 MISCELLANEOUS LETTEKS, 1886-1897 



To T. H. Huxley 



The Camp, Sunningdale : Nov. 3, 1890. 



I should have gone to Mrs. Busk's funeral, but I get sc 

 bronchitic this weather, that I am ' defended.' To-morrow 

 I ought to go to Gifford Palgrave's, on every account. . . 



The bringing Palgrave's body from Monte Video is i 

 curious episode in his history — after all his vagaries he diec 

 in the arms of Mother 'Church ! and to bury a full blowi 

 Ambassador of that creed in Buenos Ayres would cost ai 

 enormous sum — so large indeed that it could not be afforded 



Mrs. Busk's death is a great shock to us — a truer am 

 better friend never lived ; but I am getting almost case 

 hardened to deaths. One feels them awfully, on wakening 

 every morning especially ; I suppose jecur [liver] has some 

 thing to do with morning melancholia. 



To Francis Palgrave 



November 9, 1890. 



Poor Gifiy ! one can only think now of his noble qualities 

 I was indeed gratified by finding I could attend at his inter 

 ment, though it was accompanied with a flood of memories- 

 some painful, and some peaceful. It brought back Hamp 

 stead days most vividly, and all that was grateful. How kirn 

 your dear mother was to me ! 



In 1892 correspondence with Mrs. Lyell resuscitates th 

 picturesque but disreputable figure of Jorgen Jorgensen. Sh 

 had been reading a book about him, published in 1891. Enquir 

 of Sir Joseph as to the journey to Iceland and the real par 

 played by Jorgensen led to the following : 



To Mrs. Lyell 



April 11, 1892. 



Oddly enough only the other day Miss Cracroft sen 

 me a letter of Jorgen Jorgensen's addressed to Sir I 

 Franklin [her uncle] when Governor of Tasmania. M 

 father, Mrs. Fry, and Sir Joseph Banks stood his friend 

 when sentenced to death for robbing with violence, if 

 recollect aright, in England after his return from Icelam 

 and had his punishment commuted to transportation fo 

 life. 



