412 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XVII 



and blue devils. Liver, I expect. [An ailment of 

 which he says to Prof. Marsh, " I rather wish I had 

 some respectable disease it would be livelier."] 



And again : 



Everybody tells me I look so much better, that I am 

 really ashamed to go growling about, and confess that I 

 am continually in a blue funk and hate the thought of 

 any work especially of scientific or anything requiring 

 prolonged attention. 



At the end of July he writes to Sir W. Flower 



4 MARLBOROUGH PLACE, 

 July 27, 1885. 



MY DEAR FLOWER I am particularly glad to hear 

 that things went right on Saturday, as my conscience 

 rather pricked me for my desertion of the meeting. 1 

 But it was the only chance we had of seeing our young 

 married couple before the vacation and you will 

 rapidly arrive at a comprehension of the cogency of that 

 argument now. 



I will think well of your kind words about the 

 Presidency. If I could only get rid of my eternal 

 hypochondria the work of the RS. would seem little 

 enough. At present, I am afraid of everything that 

 involves responsibility to a degree that is simply ridicu- 

 lous. I only wish I could shirk the inquiries I am 

 going off to hold in Devonshire ! 



P.R.S. in a continual blue funk is not likely to be 

 either dignified or useful ; and unless I am in a better 

 frame of mind in October I am afraid I shall have to go. 

 Ever yours very faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



1 British Museum Trustees, July 25. 



