208 L1F E OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xii 



So the International Geological Congress will not have the 

 pleasure of seeing its Honorary President in September. I am 

 disgusted at having to break an engagement, but I cannot deny 

 that Hames is right. At present the mere notion of the thing 

 puts me in a funk. 



I wish I could get out of the chair of the M.B.A. also. . . . 

 I know that you and Evans and Dyer will do your best, but you 

 are all eaten up with other occupations. 



Just turn it over in your mind — there's a dear good fellow- 

 just as if you hadn't any other occupations. 



With which eminently reasonable and unselfish request be- 

 lieve me — Ever yours, T. H. H. 



Bournemouth, April 10, 1888. 



My dear Foster — I send by this post the last — I hope for 



your sake and for that of the recording angel — of .* I 



agree to all Brady's suggestions. 



With all our tinkering I feel inclined to wind up the affair 

 after the manner of Mr. Shandy's summing [up] of the discus- 

 sion about Tristram's breeches — " And when he has got 'em 

 he'll look a beast in 'em." — Ever yours, T. H. H. 



April 12. To the same : — 



I am quite willing to remain at the M.B.A. till the opening. 

 If Evans will be President I shall be happy. 



is a very good man, but you must not expect too much 



of the " wild-cat " element, which is so useful in the world, in 

 him. 



I am disgusted with myself for letting everything go by the 

 run, but there is no help for it. The least thing bowls me over 

 just now. 



Casalini, West Cliff, Bournemouth, April 12, 188S. 



My dear Hooker — I plead not guilty .f It was agreed at the 

 last meeting that there should be none in April — I suppose by 

 reason of Easter, so I sent no notice. This is what Frankland 

 told me in his letter of the 2nd. However, I see you were 

 present, so I can't make it out. 



My continual absence makes me a shocking bad Treasurer, 



* The "Heathen Deutscheree " of p. 201. A paper of his, contrib- 

 uted to the Royal Society, had been under revision. 



f In the matter of sending out no notices for a meeting of the x 

 Club. 



