468 THE LAST YEAES 



neighbour, * those who never saw him will be able to under 

 stand why Darwin was so much beloved by his friends.' 



Writing to Mrs. Paisley on August 11, Hooker describes 

 his share in the celebrations. 



At Cambridge we stayed with one of the Darwin family 

 Horace, the youngest of Mr. Darwin's sons, a scientific 

 instrument maker in Cambridge and F.K.S. (as are twc 

 other of Mr. Darwin's sons, George, Prof, of Astronomy 

 Frank of Botany). The celebration was most successful 

 and nothing could exceed the delight of the Delegate 

 foreigners, some of whom were invited to bring their wives 

 and daughters. The number of lady guests was remarkable 

 and added brilliance to all the functions, besides amazing 

 the foreigners, who are not accustomed to see ladies al 

 their Jubilees. The hospitality was boundless, and what 

 struck me most was Mr. Balfour's address at the Banquel 

 (at which I was not present) ; he grasped every salient 

 point in Darwin's character, works, and their results on tht 

 progress of science and civilisation in a truly magic manner 



Of course H. took care that I took only corners and 

 snatches of the intellectual food that was spread over every 

 day and part of every night ; and living as I was in the heart 

 of the Darwin family as a brother, I did indeed feel gratefu 

 and happy with what I had. 



He tells also of their meeting with the famous Dr. Metch 

 nikoff of the Pasteur Institute, 1 whose wonderful sour mill 

 cure Lady Hooker had been trying, and of his amusemeni 

 when Hooker introduced her as a patient who had benefited 

 by his nostrum. 



Of the public functions, he attended the presentation o: 

 addresses by the delegates, where the German orator, not yet 

 by Imperial decree cursing where he had blessed, was arnon^ 

 the most brilliant of the speakers ; he attended the garder 

 parties and even the late reception at the Fitzwilliam, when 

 the inward eye can still see him, robed in his LL.D gown 

 as he rested in a sheltered alcove, receiving the affectionate 



1 Dr. Elias Metchnikoff {d. 1916), F.L.S. 1880, was elected a Foreign Mem 

 ber of the Royal Society, 1905, and awarded the Copley Medal in 1906. 



