106 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. IV 



The following letters to Sir H. Roscoe and Dr. 

 Tyndall were written during this tour : 



LE PHY, HAUTE LOIRE, FRANCE, 

 July 17, 1873. 



MY DEAR ROSCOE Your very kind letter reached me 

 just as I was in the hurry of getting away from England, 

 and I have been carrying it about in my pocket ever 

 since. 



Hooker and I have been having a charming time of it 

 among the volcanoes of the Auvergne, and we are now 

 on our way to those of the Velay and Vivarrais. The 

 weather has been almost perfect. Perhaps a few degrees 

 of temperature could have been spared now and then, 

 especially at Clermont, of which somebody once said that 

 having stayed there the climate of hell would have no 

 terrors for him. 



It has been warm in the Mont Dore country and in 

 the Cantal, as it is here, but we are very high up, and 

 there is a charming freshness and purity about the air. 



I do not expect to be back before the end of September, 

 and my lectures begin somewhere in the second week of 

 October. After they commence I shall not be able to 

 leave London even for a day, but I shall be very glad to 

 come to the inauguration of your new buildings if the 

 ceremony falls within my possible time. And you know 

 I am always glad to be your guest. 



I am thriving wonderfully. Indeed all that plagues 

 me now is my conscience, for idling about when I feel 

 full of vigour. But I promised to be obedient, and I am 

 behaving better than Auld Clootie did when he fell sick. 



I hope you are routing out the gout. This would be 

 the place for you any quantity of mineral waters. 



Pray remember me very kindly to Mrs. Roscoe, and 

 believe me, ever yours very faithfully, 



T. H. HUXLEY. 



