422 THE LIFE OF JAMES D. FORBES. [CHAP. 



To the Same. 



f ST. ANDREWS, July 26^, 1864. 



' I received your kind letter o*f the 20th, and in 

 compliance with your wish I have carefully considered 

 again the question of the Presidency. The natural 

 promptings of ambition did not fail to urge me in the- 

 direction which you and Sir K. Murchison are good 

 enough to recommend. But in honesty as weU as 

 prudence I feel bound to act on my original decision. 

 To hold out to others or to myself hopes of efficiency, 

 more than likely to prove delusive, would only bring 

 anxiety and disappointment to all. Allow me, then, finally 

 to decline the flattering proposal. I shall ever gratefully 

 remember your friendly offices, not only on this but on 

 many other occasions. When I made, in the spring of 

 1831, the to me memorable journey to London in the 

 character of a scientific aspirant, I made very numerous 

 acquaintances and friends. Of those who survive I look 

 upon you as one of three who have during the long 

 period since elapsed been unswerving in their friendship 

 towards me/ 



To PROFESSOR STUDER, BERNE. 



' October 30^, 1864. 



c . . . The cause of my forgetfulness probably was a 

 tedious illness, though not of a severe kind, under which 

 I laboured for many months last winter and spring. I 

 caught cold on Christmas-day, and suffered from the 

 effects of it for many months so much so, that I thought 

 it advisable to remove in March to my old quarters at 

 Clifton, where I remained till June. 



' I have now pretty much recovered my usual health, 

 though perhaps I lose a little as years roll on even in my 

 diminished average state of bodily vigour. This last 

 summer there was at one time a prospect of realizing my 

 cherished plan of revisiting Switzerland. Being already 

 with most of my family so far south as London, and with 

 our house menage broken up, my family were very anxious 

 that I should go to Switzerland : but just at that time- 

 May my strength was reduced by long confinement and 



