1887 ROYAL SOCIETY BUSINESS 41 



But he did not come up that Thursday. His wife 

 was foi' a time too ill to be left, and he winds up 

 his letter of November 2 to Dr. Foster with the 

 reflection : — 



Man is born to trouble as the sparks, etc. — but when 

 you have come to my time of hfe you will say as I do — 

 Lucky it is no worse. 



November 6. — I am very glad to hear that the £500 

 is granted, and I will see to what is next to be done as 

 soon as I can. Also I am very glad to find you don't 

 want my valuable service on Council R.S. I repented 

 me of my offer when I thought how little I might be 

 able to attend. 



One thing, however, afforded him great pleasure 

 at this time. He writes on November 6 to his old 

 friend. Sir J. Hooker : — 



I write just to say what infinite satisfaction the award 

 of the Copley Medal to you has given me. If you were 

 not my dear old friend, it would rejoice me as a mere 

 matter of justice — of which there is none too much in 

 this " rum world," as Whitworth's friend called it. 



To the reply that the award was not according to 

 rule, inasmuch as it was the turn for the medal to be 

 awarded in another branch of science, he rejoins : — 



I had forgotten all about the business — but he had 

 done nothing to deserve the Copley, and all I can say 

 is that if the present award is contrary to law, the 

 " laVs a bass " as Mr. Bumble said. But I don't believe 

 that it is. 



He replies also on November 5 to a clerical 

 correspondent who had written to him on the distinc- 



