IMPROVED HEALTH 



229 



4 Marlborough Place, Dec. 29, 1888. 



My dear Hooker — All good wishes to you and yours, and 

 many of 'em. 



Thanks for the cheque. You are very confiding to send it 

 without looking at the account. But I have packed up the 

 " Archives," which poor dear Busk handed over to me, and will 

 leave them at the Athenaeum for you. Among them you will 

 find the account book. There are two or three cases, when I 

 was absent, in which the names are not down. I have no doubt 

 Frankland gave them to me by letter, but the book was at home 

 and they never got set down. Peccavi! 



I have been picking up in the most astonishing way during 

 the last fortnight or three weeks at Eastbourne. My doctor, 

 Hames, carefully examined my heart yesterday, and told me 

 that though some slight indications were left, he should have 

 thought nothing of them if he had not followed the whole his- 

 tory of the case. With fresh air and exercise and careful avoid- 

 ance of cold and night air I am to be all right again in a few 

 months. 



I am not fond of coddling; but as Paddy gave his pig the 

 best corner in his cabin — because " shure, he paid the rint " — 

 I feel bound to take care of myself as a household animal of 

 value, to say nothing of any other grounds. So, much as I 

 should like to be with you all on the 3rd, I must defer to the 

 taboo. 



The wife got a nasty bronchitic cold as soon as she came up. 

 She is much better now. But I shall be glad to get her down 

 to Eastbourne again. 



Except that, we are all very flourishing, as I hope you are. 

 — Ever yours very faithfully, T. H. Huxley. 



