106 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK m. 



and all her works ; you are, too, and say things that I 

 should like to, but cannot. 



I teach English Literature and Botany in the Franklin 

 High School, and always recommend your works most 

 heartily to my pupils. 



No doubt you are tired of receiving letters from 

 friends of your works, but I feel I owe you this little 

 tribute and trust you will receive it in the same kind 

 spirit with which it is sent. 



Wishing you health, many years more of literary 

 work, and success in all you undertake. 



In the course of the year he made holiday 

 tours with Lady Lubbock and the children, but 

 they were restricted to England and Wales. In 

 the spring they were in Wales, journeying to 

 Betts-y-Coed on March 17 and on the 19th made 

 the ascent of Snowdon. It was on this day, as 

 Sir John notes, ' I began a book on the Physical 

 Geography of England." It is that book which 

 was eventually The Scenery of England. Their 

 visit was cut short by the news that Harold had 

 a bad attack of influenza, and they returned home 

 on the 22nd. The boy came to them from school 

 on the 25th, and, as usually happens, made a 

 generous gift of microbes to his younger brother 

 Eric, and the house was soon in the unhappily 

 familiar condition, in that spring, known as 

 " Down with influenza." Lady Lubbock was 

 attacked, but Sir John seems to have escaped. 



The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir M. Hicks 

 Beach, had recently proposed to make the 

 bankers collectors of income tax in certain cases. 

 Sir John was requested to point out the difficulties 

 of this, and convinced the Chancellor that the 

 proposition was not very feasible. Sir Michael 

 returned the papers " on the suggestion as to the 



