1885 LETTERS FROM ROME 391 



It is the festa of St. Peter's chair, and the ex-dragoon 

 Cardinal Howard has been fugleman in the devout adora- 

 tions addressed to that venerable article of furniture, 

 which, as you ought to know, but probably don't, is 

 inclosed in a bronze double and perched up in a shrine of 

 the worst possible taste in the Tribuna of St. Peter's. 

 The display of man-millinery and lace was enough to fill 

 the lightest-minded woman with envy, and a general 

 concert some of the music very good prevented us 

 from feeling dull, while the ci-devant guardsman big, 

 burly, and bullet-headed made God and then eat him. 1 

 I must have a strong strain of Puritan blood in me 

 somewhere, for I am possessed with a desire to arise and 

 slay the whole brood of idolaters whenever I assist at one 

 of these ceremonies. You will observe that I am decidedly 

 better, and have a capacity for a good hatred still. 



The last news about Gordon is delightful The 

 chances are he will rescue Wolseley yet. 



With our love Ever yours, T. H. HUXLEY. 



To HIS ELDEST SON 



ROME, Jan. 20, 1885. 



I need hardly tell you that I find Eome wonderfully 

 interesting, and the attraction increases the longer one 

 stays. I am obliged to take care of myself and do but 

 little in the way of sight-seeing, but by directing one's 

 attention to particular objects one can learn a great deal 

 without much trouble. I begin to understand Old Eome 

 pretty well, and I am quite learned in the Catacombs, which 

 suit me, as a kind of Christian fossils out of which one 



1 A reminiscence of Browning in "The Bishop Orders his 

 Tomb " : 



And then how I shall lie through centuries, 

 And hear the blessed mutter of the mass, 

 And see God made and eaten all day long. 



