76 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY cHAP. IV 



already obtained in pursuing this hobby had been of 

 real value : — 



Your important paper "On Alpine Gentians" (writes 

 the latter) has begun to attract the attention of botanists. 

 It has led Baillon, who is the most acute of the French 

 people, to make some observations of his ovm. 



At the Maloja he stayed twelve weeks, but it was 

 not until nearly two months had elapsed that he 

 could write of any decided improvement, although 

 even then his anticipations for the future were of the 

 gloomiest. The " secret " alluded to in the following 

 letter is the destined award to him of the Copley 

 medal : — 



Hotel Kxtrsaal, Maloja, 

 Ober Engadine, Aug. 17, 1888. 



My dear Foster — I know you will be glad to hear 

 that, at last, I can report favourably of my progress. 

 The first six weeks of our stay here the weather was cold, 

 foggy, wet, and windy — in short, everything tliat it 

 should not be. If the hotel had not been as it is, about 

 the most comfortable in Switzerland, I do not know what 

 I should have done. As it was, I got a very bad attack 

 of "liver," which laid me up for ten days or so. A 

 Brighton doctor — Bluett by name, and well up to his 

 work — kindly looked after me. 



With the early days of August the weather changed 

 for the better, and for the last fortnight we have had 

 perfect summer — day after day. I soon picked up my 

 walking power, and one day got up to Lake Longhin, 

 about 2000 feet up. That was by way of an experiment, 

 and I was none the worse for it, but usually my walks 

 are of a more modest description. To-day we are all 

 clouds and rain, and my courage is down to zero, with 

 prsecordial discomfort. It seems to me that my heart is 



