xLiii UNCERTAIN HEALTH 281 



through the microscope at many curious and 

 beautiful objects, said : "I tell you what, you 

 ought to look at an ant through the microscope 

 — it's awfully funny." 



The narrator of this little incident said that 

 the twinkle of humour which was always lurking 

 in the corner of Lord Avebury's eye gleamed out 

 just a trifle more brightly at this recommendation 

 that he should study an ant. It was just like 

 him, and like his delicate consideration for the 

 feelings of other people, that he did not reply to 

 the boy that he had before this looked at a 

 magnified ant. All he said was " Ah, yes — 

 perhaps we will try that another time." It is 

 an answer which shows not only his kindness, 

 but also his quickness at appreciating another's 

 point of view. The more obvious answer might 

 have made the boy feel that his suggestion was 

 as foolish as it was thoughtless, but on the spur 

 of the moment it would not have occurred to all 

 of us that this would be its effect, and with the 

 least intention of doing so we might have hurt 

 the extreme sensitiveness of the boy. Lord 

 Avebury recognised the risk immediately and 

 went clear of it. 



He was working again now at new editions 

 of Prehistoric Times and The Origin of Civilisa- 

 tion. The following letter to Mr. Sidney Hart- 

 land, on the interesting, if speculative, subject of 

 the estate of matrimony at the time when men 

 were learning to be somewhat different from the 

 apes, is due to this revision of his old books : 



