1857. ATTACK OF ILLNESS. 447 



" MY DEAR JOHN, 



' Thirty days hath September, 

 April, June, and November,' 



and on the last day of the first, A.D. 1857, I proceed to answer 

 your most welcome letter of yesterday. 



" I am only getting into working order again. It takes me 

 some time to settle down after such a whirl as I was in. I have 

 not exactly been idle, but certainly I have not contrived to do 

 muck I am rather digesting plans than carrying them out. A 

 President's Address ; a Syllabus ; three Special Lectures 011 

 Paper, Pens, and Ink ; one on Industrial Museums ; and a 

 course of prelections on Technology, are at present simmering 

 together in my head, like the diversified contents of Meg Mer- 

 rilees' gipsy camp -kettle. To-morrow, when the new month 

 comes in, I'll begin ladling them off into separate pots and pans, 

 and fall to the process of cooking properly so called. Mean- 

 while I am chiefly occupied with Forbes's Life, and Directorial 

 Correspondence. ... I subjoin two conundrums for May's be- 

 nefit. They made themselves in my brain the other day, and as 

 their study is fitted to invigorate the intellect, and act on it as 

 a powerful tonic, I recommend them to her meditation. The 

 answers I enclose in a folded paper. 



1. In what country are all the people's arms, legs ? 



2. What fish are most active when the water is frozen ? 



" . . . It is at my pen's point to write about India, but I for- 

 bear. We shall exchange thoughts on that solemn subject again. 

 Meanwhile, let me say that my sympathies are not least with 

 the humane Englishmen who are compelled to be God's battle- 

 axes on the guilty. Were I in India, I should be hanging and 

 shooting like the rest of them." 



The travelling that aujbumn had been contemplated with con- 

 siderable trepidation ; and thankfulness at no apparent bad re- 

 sults from it was great. A return, however, of that trial which 

 had so often come upon him, namely, illness as the winter 

 session approached, was sent, so that he writes to Mrs. J. H. 

 Gladstone, on October 22d, " I have been confined to the house 

 for the last ten days with a sharpish inflammatory attack, de- 



