1890 IRISH POLITICS 181 



shelves, and I promise myself soon to enjoy the reading 

 of them. 



The Unionist cause is looking up. What a strange 

 thing it is that the Irish malcontents are always sold, one 

 way or the other, by their leaders. 



I wonder if the G.O.M. ever swears ! Pity if he can't 

 have that relief just now. 



With our united kind regards to Mrs. Lecky and your- 

 self — Ever yours very faithfully, T. H. Huxley. 



Grand Hotel, Eastboukne, 

 Nov. 29, 1890, 



My dear Hooker — I have filled up and sent your 

 and my cojjies of entry for Athenaeum. 



Carpenter has written the best popular statement I 

 know of, of the results of criticism, in a little book called 

 The First Three Gospels, which is well worth reading. 

 [See p. 166.] 



I have promised to go to E.S. dinner and propose 

 Stokes' health on Monday, but if the weather holds out 

 as Arctic as it is now, I shall not dare to venture. The 

 driving east wind, blowing the snow before it here, has 

 been awful ; for ten years they have had nothing like it. 

 I am glad to say that my little house turns out to be 

 warm. We go in next Wednesday, and I fear I cannot 

 be in town on Thursday even if the weather permits. 



I have had pleurisy that was dangerous and not pain- 

 ful, then p. that was painful and not dangerous ; there is 

 only one further combination, and I don't want that. 



Politics now are immensely interesting. There must 

 be a depth of blackguardism in me, for I cannot help 

 admiring Parneli I prophesy that it is Gladstone who 

 will retire for a while, and then come back to Parnell's 

 heel like a whipped hound. His letter was carefully fuU 

 of loopholes. — Ever yours affectionately, 



T. H. Huxley. 



