74 REMINISCENCES. [Oh. IV. 



debates, reading them, I think, only in abstract. His interest 

 in politics was considerable, but his opinion on these matters 

 was formed rather by the way than with any serious amount 

 of thought. 



After he had read his paper, came his time for writing 

 letters. These, as well as the MS. of his books, were written 

 by him as he sat in a huge horse-hair chair by the fire, his 

 paper supported on a board resting on the arms of the chair. 

 When he had many or long letters to write, he would dictate 

 them from a rough copy ; these rough copies were written on 

 the backs of manuscript or of proof-sheets, and were almost 

 illegible, sometimes even to himself. He made a rule of 

 keeping all letters that he received ; this was a habit which 

 he learnt from his father, and which he said had been of 

 great use to him. 



Many letters were addressed to him by foolish, unscrupulous 

 people, and all of these received replies. He used to say that 

 if he did not answer them, he had it on his conscience after- 

 wards, and no doubt it was in great measure the courtesy with 

 which he answered every one which produced the widespread 

 sense of his kindness of nature which was so evident on his 

 death. 



He was considerate to his correspondents in other and lesser 

 things — for instance, when dictating a letter to a foreigner, he 

 hardly ever failed to say to me, " You'd better try and write 

 well, as it's to a foreigner." His letters were generally written 

 on the assumption that they would be carelessly read ; thus, 

 when he was dictating, he was careful to tell me to make an 

 important clause begin with an obvious paragraph, " to catch 

 his eye," as he often said. How much he thought of the trouble 

 he gave others by asking questions, will be well enough shown 

 by his letters. 



He had a printed form to be used in replying to troublesome 

 correspondents, but he hardly ever used it ; I suppose he never 

 found an occasion that seemed exactly suitable. I remember 

 an occasion on which it might have been used with advantage. 

 He received a letter from a stranger stating that the writer 

 had undertaken to uphold Evolution at a debating society, 

 and that being a busy young man, without time for reading, 

 he wished to have a sketch of my father's views. Even 

 this wonderful young man got a civil answer, though I 

 think he did not get much material for his speech. His 

 rule was to thank the donors of books, but not of pamphlets. 

 He sometimes expressed surprise that so few thanked him 

 for his books which he gave aw r ay liberally ; the letters that 



