252 Edward Livingston Youmans. 



upon me. Something may come of it. He lectures at the 

 Cooper Institute to-morrow night. I will go up home on 

 Friday night, and will then write you about it. 



New York, April 10, 1868. 



My dear Spencer : I think when I wrote you before I 

 was purposing to go a third time West. I failed, however, 

 to get away, and before I was aware of it I found myself 

 over head and ears in a new job. 



i\Ir. Waterhouse Hawkins, who brought a card from 

 Huxley, had to be set a-going. His success as a lecturer 

 through the country depended entirely on the reception 

 and success he met with in New York. I devoted myself 

 to the enterprise, and by managing the papers and linking 

 on his work to our educational needs in natural history 

 secured for him a splendid reception, of which I inclose an 

 account. 



We immediately started for a course of lectures (four), 

 which would have undoubtedly paid him a thousand dollars 

 profit, when he stepped into a hole in one of our villainous 

 pavements and got such a savage sprain of the ankle that 

 he has been in bed ever since, and it will be, I fear, many 

 days before he can be about — w^hich is as bad as it can be 

 both for me and for him. 



We may yet do something, but we have lost our main 

 chance, and the thing now looks discouraging, especially 

 as the lecture season is now past. When I say that I 

 have been completely engrossed day and night with this 

 thing for a month, and wish I were assured of being out 

 of it in another month, you can understand something how 

 delays arise with me to prevent the accomplishment of 

 other things. But for this I should have perhaps reached 

 your works again, and certainly should have written you 

 before this. . . . We have felt much concern at the an- 

 nouncement of your serious ill health, and hope your 

 Italian tour will brace you up. If not, I think you had 



