306 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XII 



Although in February he had stayed several days 

 in town with the Donnellys, who " take as much care 

 of me as if I were a piece of old china," and had 

 attended a levee and a meeting of his London 

 University Association, had listened with interest to 

 a lecture of Professor Dewar, who " made liquid 

 oxygen by the pint," and dined at Marlborough 

 House, the influenza had prevented him during the 

 spring from fulfilling several engagements in London ; 

 but after his return from Oxford he began to recruit 

 in the fine weather, and found delightful occupation 

 in putting up a rockery in the garden for his pet 

 Alpine plants. 



In mid June he writes to his wife, then on a visit 

 to one of her daughters : — 



What a little goose you are to go having bad dreams 

 about me — who am like a stalled ox— browsing in idle 

 comfort — in fact, idle is no word for it. Sloth is the right 

 epithet. I can't get myself to do anything but potter in 

 the garden, which is looking lovely. 



On June 21 he went to Cambridge for the Harvey 

 Celebration at Gonville and Caius College, and made 

 a short speech. 



The dinner last night (be writes) was a long affair, and 

 I was the last speaker ; but I got through my speech very 

 well, and was heard by everybody, I am told. 



But as is the way with influenza, it was thrown 

 off in the summer only to return the next winter, and 

 on the eve of the Royal Society Anniversary Dinner 

 he writes to Sir M. Foster : — 



