232 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XII 



I do not remember a word to object to, but I think I 

 could have strengthened your argument in one or two 

 places. Having eaten the food, will you let me have 

 back the dish ? I am winding up the " Croonian," and 

 want L' Archetype to refer to. So if you can let me have 

 it I shall be obliged. When do you return ? Ever 

 yours faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



14 WAVERLEY PLACE, Jan. 1, 1859. 



MY DEAREST LIZZIE If intentions were only acts, the 

 quantity of letter-paper covered with my scrawl which, 

 you would have had by this time would have been 

 something wonderful. But I live at high pressure, with 

 always a number of things crying out to be done, and 

 those that are nearest and call loudest get done, while 

 the others, too often, don't However, this day shall not 

 go by without my wishing you all happiness in the new 

 year, and that wish you know necessarily includes all 

 belonging to you, and my love to them. 



I have been long wanting to send you the photographs 

 of myself, wife, and boy, but one reason or other (Nettie's 

 incessant ill-health being, I am sorry to say, the chief) 

 has incessantly delayed the procuring of the last. How- 

 ever, at length, we have obtained a tolerably successful 

 one, though you must not suppose that Noel has the 

 rather washed-out look of his portrait. That comes of 

 his fair hair and blue gray eyes for the monkey is like 

 his mother and has not an atom of resemblance to me. 



He was two years old yesterday, and is the apple of 

 his father's eye and chief deity of his mother's pantheon, 

 which at present contains only a god and goddess. 

 Another is expected shortly, however, so that there is no 

 fear of Olympus looking empty. 



... Here is the 26th of January and no letter gone 

 yet. . . . Since I began this letter I have been very 

 busy with lectures and other sorts of work, and besides, 

 my whole household almost has been ill chicks with 



