102 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. IV 



this he was ordered abroad by his physician, Sir A. Clark, 

 to which step he offered a stubborn resistance. With 

 Mrs. Huxley's approval, and being myself quite in the 

 mood for a holiday, I volunteered to wrestle with him, 

 and succeeded, holding out as an inducement a visit to 

 the volcanic region of the Auvergne with Scrope's classical 

 volume, which we both knew and admired, as a guide 

 book. 



We started on July 2nd, I loaded with injunctions 

 from his physician as to what his patient was to eat, 

 drink, and avoid, how much he was to sleep and rest, 

 how little to talk and walk, etc., that would have made 

 the expedition a perpetual burthen to me had I not be- 

 lieved that I knew enough of my friend's disposition and 

 ailments to be convinced that not only health but happi- 

 ness would be our companions throughout. Sure enough, 

 for the first few days, including a short stay in Paris, his 

 spirits were low indeed, but this gave me the opportunity 

 of appreciating his remarkable command over himself and 

 his ever-present consideration for his companion. Not 

 a word or gesture of irritation ever escaped him ; he 

 exerted himself to obey the instructions laid down ; nay, 

 more, he was instant in his endeavour to save me trouble 

 at hotels, railway stations, and ticket offices. Still, some 

 mental recreation was required to expedite recovery, and 

 he found it first by picking up at a bookstall, a History 

 of the Miracles of Lourdes, which were then exciting the 

 religious fervour of France, and the interest of her 

 scientific public. He entered with enthusiasm into the 

 subject, getting together all the treatises upon it, favour- 

 able or the reverse, that were accessible, and I need 

 hardly add, soon arrived at the conclusion, that the so- 

 called miracles were in part illusions and for the rest 

 delusions. As it may interest some of your readers to 

 know what his opinion was in this the early stage of the 

 manifestations, I will give it as he gave it to me. It 

 was a case of two peasant children sent in the hottest 



