68 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY cHAP. Ill 



My continual absence makes me a shocking bad 

 Treasurer, and I am sorry to say that things will be 

 worse instead of better. Ever since this last pleuritic 

 business I have been troubled with prsecordial uneasiness. 

 [After an account of his symptoms he continues] So I am 

 off (with my wife) to Switzerland at the end of this 

 month, and shall be away all the summer. We have not 

 seen the Engadine and Tyrol yet, so we shall probably 

 make a long circuit. It is a horrid nuisance to be exiled 

 in tliis fashion. I have hardly been at home one month 

 in the last ten. But it is of no use to, growl. 



Under these circumstances, would you mind looking 

 after the x while I am away ? There is nothing to do but 

 to send the notices on Saturday previous to the meeting. 



I am very grieved to hear about Hirst — though to say 

 truth, the way he has held out for so long has been a 

 marvel to me. The last news I had of Spencer was not 

 satisfactory. 



Eheu ! the " Table Eound " is breaking up. It's a 

 great pity ; we were such pleasant fellows, weren't we ? — 

 Ever yours, T. H. Huxley. 



Casalini, "West Cliff, Bournemouth, 



Aijril 18, 1888. 



My dear Foster — I am cheered by your Liking of the 

 notice of Darwin. I read the " Life and Letters," and 

 the " Origin," Krause's " Life," and some other things over 

 again in order to do it. But I have not much go in me, 

 and I was a scandalous long time pottering over the 



writing. 



I have sent the proof back with a variety of interpola- 

 tions. I would have brought the " S^jirula " notes down 

 here to see what I could do, but I felt pretty sure that if 

 I brought two things I should not do one. Nobody could 

 do anything with it but myself I wiU try what I can 

 do when I go to to'vra. How much time is there before 

 the wind-up of the Challenger ? 



