410 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP, xvn 



anything, together with a perfect genius for making 

 mountains out of molehills. 



After two or three fine days at Venice, we have had 

 nothing but wet or cold or hot and cold at the same 

 time, as in that prodigious imposture the Riviera. Of 

 course it was the same story everywhere, " perfectly un- 

 exampled season." 



Moral. If you are perfectly well and strong, brave 

 Italy but in search of health stop at home. 



It has been raining cats and dogs, and Folkestone is 

 what some people would call dreary. I could go and 

 roll in the mud with satisfaction that it is English mud. 



It will be jolly to see you again. Wife unites in 

 love. Ever yours, T. H. HUXLEY. 



To return home was not only a great pleasure ; it 

 gave him a fillip for the time, and he writes to Sir 

 M. Foster, April 12: 



It is very jolly to be home, and I feel better already. 

 Clark has just been here overhauling me, and feels very 

 confident that he shall screw me up. 



I have renounced dining out and smoking (!!!) by 

 way of preliminaries. God only knows whether I shall 

 be permitted more than the smell of a mutton chop for 

 dinner. But I have great faith in Andrew, who set me 

 straight before when other " physicians' aid was vain." 



But his energy was fitful ; lassitude and depression 

 again invaded him. He was warned by Sir Andrew 

 Clark to lay aside all the burden of his work. Accord- 

 ingly, early in May, just after his sixtieth birthday, 

 he sent in his formal resignation of the Professorship 

 of Biology, and the Inspectorship of Salmon Fisheries ; 

 while a few days later he laid his resignation of the 



