xuv BEGINNING OF LAST ILLNESS 303 



before the end. The doctors eventually agreed 

 that his illness was a well-known and very serious 

 form of anaemia. 



He got gradually better during the last month 

 of 1911, and his final entry for the year is satisfac- 

 tory, if brief enough: "Saturday 31st. Better." 



The following is his own short summary of 

 what he apparently regarded as the most import- 

 ant events of this year. 



Published Marriage, Totemism and Religion. 



New editions of Use of Life, Scenery of England, and 

 Pleasures of Life. 



March 21st. Took the Chair at the dinner of the 

 City of London Free Trade Association. 



May 1st. Spoke at Anglo-German Friendship Meet- 

 ing at Mansion House. Much larger than we had 

 expected. 



June 22nd. Coronation. Very long ceremony. 



June 27th. Herkomer began painting my picture 

 for the Phoenix. 



July 3rd. Carried an amendment limiting life of 

 House of Commons to 5 years. This was the only 

 substantial amendment to which the House of Commons 

 agreed. 



July 20th. Wound up the debate on the Parliament 

 Bill in the House of Lords. 



23rd. Seized with an attack of ptomaine poisoning, 

 which left me an invalid for the rest of this year. 



August 31st. Wrote an article for Fortnightly on 

 Inter-racial Problems, and in Nineteenth Century on 

 Duke of Devonshire and Free Trade — also an introduc- 

 tion to Hutchinson's book on Nature. 



December 10th. Hooker died. A wonderful man 

 and a most kind friend. The last of our little group. 



There is some little significance, in addition 

 to their pathos, about these final words. It is 

 likely that when Lord Avebury wrote them he 

 had in mind his fellows of the " X Club," such 

 as Professors Huxley and Tyndall, Mr. Herbert 



