396 MEMOIR OF AUGUSTUS DK MORGAN. 



1869. change of air by a jaunt to Merton Road, S.W. In a few days 

 it will be time to look up the dead-letter office. I am afraid I 

 am not strong enough for this yet. Have you anybody you 

 could ask who goes near the P.O. often ? 



I tnrive and the cold weather is bracing me up like a bundle 

 of asparagus, having been no better than a rope of onions. A 

 week's cold weather last winter would have kept me from striking 

 my flag. Two or three days of half-cold told me so, and then 

 took leave. 



I shall be glad to see the Leverrier account. If it should 

 come, I will write at once. With kind regards all round your 

 circle, 



Yours sincerely, 



A. DE MORGAN. 



To Sir J. Herschel. 



6 Merton Road, November 8, 1869. 



MY DEAR SIR JOHN, The Queen used up so much of the fine 

 weather on Saturday, that the chief clerk of that office says he 

 can issue no more until he gets a further supply. So I am rain- 

 bound for to-day, and can clear off obligations. I, therefore, 

 return your Leverrier with many thanks. What a miserable 

 mess has been made by Chasles, Lucas, and Co. ! I am obliged to 

 give up Chasles until he clears himself, which I have small hope 

 of his doing. The different accounts he has given at different 

 times are such as must be reconciled, or otherwise explained. If 

 there be no explanation except sub-human credulity, then 

 arises the question which is so important in lunacy inquiries, 

 When did this defect begin ? For Chasles has a lifetime of 

 memoirs full of references to MSS., many of them unseen as 

 yet except by himself. It will be unsafe to quote him at 

 least to a better-not extent. 



I have lately lost my friend Libri, and of course, he being 

 removed, the accusations which he put down begin to revive. I 

 wrote a short article in the Athenceum of the mortuary character, 

 and the Parisians, quite forgetting the beating they got, are 

 pleased to be excessively astonished at the revival of a defence 

 which silenced them fifteen years ago. There is a little knot of 

 subscribers in England who try to act privately on editors and 

 contributors. Ex. gr. : A person who described .... 



(Nov. 11. Sunshine came out, and drew me out also, and I 

 have not been able to resume until now. I walked 1J miles 

 yesterday I 1 !* !* I catch up the unfinished sentence ) t 



