386 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XVI 



which our poor girl had a week ago, and which became 

 known to us in a terrible way. She had apparently 

 quite recovered, and arrangements were made for their 

 going abroad, and now everything is upset. I warned 

 her husband that this was very likely, but did not suffi- 

 ciently take the warning to myself. 



You are taking a world of trouble for me, and Donnelly 

 writes I am to do as I like so far as they are concerned. 

 I have heard nothing from the Home Office, and I 

 suppose it would be proper for me to write if I want any 

 more leave. I really hardly know what to do. I can't 

 say I feel very fit for the hurly-burly of London just now, 

 but I am not sure that the wholesomest thing for me 

 would not be at all costs to get back to some engrossing 

 work. If my poor girl were well, I could perhaps make 

 something of the dolce far niente, but at present one's 

 mind runs to her when it is not busy in something else. 



I expect we shall be here a week or ten days more 

 at any rate, this address is safe afterwards to Florence. 



What am I to do in the Riviera ? Here and at 

 Florence there is always some distraction. You see the 

 problem is complex. 



My wife, who is very lively, thanks you for your 

 letter (which I have answered) and joins with me in love 

 to Mrs. Foster and yourself. Ever yours, T. H. H. 



Writing on the same day to Sir J. Evans, he 

 proposed a considerable alteration in the duties of 

 the Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society. 



You know that I served a seven years' apprenticeship 

 as Secretary, and that experience gave me very solid 

 grounds for the conviction that, with the present arrange- 

 ments, a great deal of the time of the Secretaries is wasted 

 over the almost mechanical drudgery of proof-reading. 



He suggests new arrangements, and proceeds : 



