60 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. II 



missionaries to convert the Christian Heathen of these 

 islands to the true faith. 



I am afraid that the English microscope turned out to 

 be by no means worth the money and trouble you bestowed 

 upon it But the glory of such an optical Sadowa should 

 count for something ! I wish that you would get your 

 Jena man to supply me with one of h,is best objectives if 

 the price is not ruinous I should like to compare it with 

 my y 1 ^ in. of Ross. 1 



All our children but Jessie have the whooping-cough 

 Pertussis I don't know your German name for it 

 It is distressing enough for them, but, I think, still worse 

 for their mother. However, there are no serious symptoms, 

 and I hope the change of air will set them right 



They all join with me in best wishes and regrets that 

 you are not coming. Won't you change your mind ? 

 We start on July 31st Ever yours faithfully, 



T. II. HUXLEY. 



The summer holiday of 1871 was spent at St. 

 Andrews, a place rather laborious of approach at 

 that time, with all the impedimenta of a large and 

 young family, but chosen on account of its nearness 

 to Edinburgh, where the British Association met 

 that year. I well remember the night journey of 

 some ten or eleven hours, the freshness of the early 

 morning at Edinburgh, the hasty excursion with my 

 father up the hill from the station as far as the old 

 High Street. The return journey, however, was 

 made easier by the kindness of Dr. Matthews Duncan, 

 who put up the whole family for a night, so as to 

 break the journey. 



1 In this connection it may be noted that he himself invented 

 a combination microscope for laboratory use, still made by Crouch 

 the optician. (See Journ. Queckett Micr. Club, vol. v. p. 144.) 



