298 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK ch. 



with his very old and dear friend Sir J. Hooker, 

 of whom he writes : " Found him very well, but 

 he will be 93 in a few days. I fear it may be the 

 last meeting of the X Club." The foreboding 

 was only too soon realised. The great botanist 

 died in December of this year — " a wonderful 

 man and most kind friend, the last of our little 

 group, " as Lord Avebury records pathetically. 



On July 15 is a brief entry, most unlike his 

 usual optimism, in Lord Avebury's diary : " Very 

 tired." Nevertheless he continued to fulfil his 

 engagements for a week longer, until on July 23 

 he had an attack of something like ptomaine 

 poisoning. 



By the 27th he had recovered sufficiently to 

 be able to go by motor to Kingsgate, arriving, as 

 he admits again, " very tired." On the same day 

 Maurice came home from Mr. Price's private 

 school at Broadstairs " with good reports," and 

 a day or two later came Eric too, from Eton. 

 Their cheery company helped Lord Avebury a 

 great deal in bearing his illness. He managed 

 to get to London for the day twice during the 

 month, on business of importance, and they had 

 a succession of visitors at the Castle. But he 

 confesses that it was rather too much for him; 

 and in the beginning of September his heart was 

 found to be weak and his pulse intermitting, and 

 he was kept very quiet for a time, during which 

 he worked at a review on " Inter-racial Problems " 

 for the Fortnightly. He was well enough to return 

 to High Elms on the 15th. 



He was there when he received the following 

 telegram from the New York American : 



