1889 



BRITISH ASSOCIATION BUSINESS 123 



election. But looking at the thing solely from the point 

 of view of your interests, I should strongly advise you 

 against taking it, even if it were offered. 



My pet aphorism " suffer fools gladly " should be the 

 guide of the Assistant Secretary, who, during the fortnight 

 of his activity, has more little vanities and rivalries to 

 smooth over and conciliate than other people meet with 

 in a lifetime. Now you do not " suffer fools gladly " ; 

 on the contrary, you "gladly make fools suffer." I do 

 not say you are wrong — No tu quoque ^ — but that is 

 where the danger of the explosion lies — not in regard to 

 the larger business of the Association. 



The risk is great and the £300 a year is not worth it. 

 Foster knows all about the place ; ask him if I am not 

 right. 



Many thanks for the suggestion about Spirula. But 

 the matter is in a state in which no one can be of any 

 use but myself. At present I am at the end of my tether 

 and I mean to be off to the Engadine a fortnight hence — 

 most likely not to return before October. 



Not even the sweet voice of will lure me from 



my retirement. The Academy dinner knocked me up for 

 three days, though I drank no wine, ate very little, and 

 vanished after the Prince of Wales' speech. The truth 

 is I have very little margin of strength to go upon even 

 now, though I am marvellously, better than I was. 



I am very glad that you see the importance of doing 

 Ijattle with the clericals. I am astounded at the narrow- 

 ness of view of many of our colleagues on this point. 

 They shut their eyes to the obstacles which clericalism 

 raises in every direction against scientific ways of thinking, 

 which are even more important than scientific discoveries. 



I desire that the next generation may be less fettered 



^ Cf. p. 114. But for due cause he could suffer them "with a 

 difference " ; of a certain caller he writes : " What an effusive bore 

 he is ! But I believe he was very kind to poor Clifford, and 

 restrained my unregenerate impatience of that kind of creature." 



