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



dear boy, and I miss him much ; never a shadow came 

 over him with all the hitches about his plans/ 



To SIR KODERICK MuRcrf*soN, BART. 



1 PITLOOHRIE, August 5th, 1867. 



' . . . . The burden of my letter must be to tell you of 

 how little avail my co-operation is likely to be at Dundee, 

 if indeed it is not absolutely nil. The fact is I have been 

 and still am much out of health. You recollect what the 

 weather was in London the last fortnight of May. I was 

 only beginning to recover from a long winter's cold, when 

 it recurred under the severity of that aggravated weather. 

 I reached Scotland with some difficulty, and was imnu 1 - 

 diately confined by an illness at St. Andrews for some 

 time ; my recovery from which has been slow and uncer- 

 tain. How often I have congratulated myself on having 

 withstood the temptation not an inconsiderable one of 

 the Presidency. I must have surrendered it absolutely. 

 Even as it is, I dare not count with any certainty on 

 being able to appear at Dundee, or even what is still 

 more essential to take official part in such hospitalities 

 as we can offer at St. Andrews to the excursionists. 



' I am happy to say, however, that Mr. Geikie takes in 

 hand the entire scientific conduct of the excursion, which, 

 if the weather be fine, will, I believe, be a pleasant and 

 interesting one. . . . Your efforts on behalf of the Asso- 

 ciation and of Scotch science are invaluable. May they be 

 long continued ! I hope your walking powers have im- 

 proved since I had the pleasure of dining with you at the 

 E. S. Club, which was almost the last day of tolerable 

 health which I enjoyed/ 



To PROFESSOR FISCHER. 



'PiTLOCHRiE, August 2Sth, 18G7. 



' 1 must once again offer you my cordial thanks 

 for your important services to George in the promotion 

 of his studies, and for your and Mrs. Fischer's kindness 

 to him. I am sorry that I must now formally give up any 

 idea of attending the British Association at Dundee, or 

 of receiving our guests at St. Andrews. I have not been 



