ET. 72.] TO GEORGE BENTHAM. 741 
from him, and to know how he is getting on at Ox- 
ford, I cannot pay my debt to him to-day. And some 
twinges tell me that it is time to spare you. 
I will just add that what we hear prepares us to 
expect that before this reaches you, or even leaves this 
country, we may hear that the good and wise Arch- 
bishop of Canterbury will have gone to his rest ; and 
Gladstone will have a most responsible as well as the 
most dignified position to fill. 
TO GEORGE BENTHAM. 
CAMBRIDGE, December 17, 1882. 
I must not let the New Year come to you without 
repairing my delay in the way of letter-writing, and 
sending you greeting and good wishes for the season. 
Especially I may congratulate you, and felicitate our- 
selves, that is, we botanists, that you have, or will 
have, brought your opus magnum to a completion! 
— proof-reading excepted. A great thing to have done. 
I did not make reply to your last of October 14, be- 
cause I really could say nothing about the Eriocau- 
lonew. .. . 
Yes, I have De Candolle on Cultivated Plants, and 
am well pleased with it, so far as I have looked it 
over. 
Thanks for your complimentary mention of my 
notice of Darwin. I have since sent you another 
brochure, an exhortation to my botanical compatriots 
to have more consideration for my time, considering 
how little is left, and what a deal of use I have for 
it. I can hope only to palliate the evil a little. 
Your life has been a most enviable one, in being 
able so to arrange and control your time, and with 
your indomitable industry, perseverance, and judgment, 
