i88g WRITES FROM THE MALOJA 253 



" Aged Botanist ! " marry come up ! * I should like to know 

 of a younger spark. The first time I heard myself called " the 

 old gentleman " was years ago when we were in South Devon. 

 A half-drunken Devonian had made himself very offensive, in 

 the compartment in which my wife and I were travelling, and 

 got some " simple Saxon " from me, accompanied, I doubt not, 

 by an awful scowl. " Ain't the old gentleman in a rage," says he. 



I am very glad to hear of Reggie's success, and my wife 

 joins with me in congratulations. It is a comfort to see one's 

 shoots planted out and taking root, though the idea that one's 

 cares and anxieties about them are diminished, we find to be 

 an illusion. 



I inclose cheque for my contributions due and to come.f If 

 I go to Davy's Locker before October, the latter may go for con- 

 solation champagne ! — Ever yours affectionately, 



T. H. Huxley. 



He writes from the Maloja on August 16 to Sir M. 

 Foster, who had been sitting on the Vaccination Com- 

 mission : — 



I wonder how you are prospering, whether you have vaccina- 

 tion or anti-vaccination on the brain; or whether the gods have 

 prospered you so far as to send you on a holiday. We have been 

 here since the beginning of July. Monte Generoso proved lovely 

 — but electrical. We had on the average three thunderstorms 

 every two days. Bellagio was as hot as the tropics, and we 

 stayed only a day, and came on here — where, whatever else may 

 happen, it is never too hot. The weather has been good and I 

 have profited immensely, and at present I do not know whether 

 I have a heart or not. But I have to look very sharp after my 

 liver. H. Thompson, who has been here with his son Herbert 

 (clever fellow, by the way), treats the notion that I ever had a 

 dilated heart with scorn ! Oh these doctors ! they are worse 

 than theologians. 



And again on August 31 : — 



I walked eighteen miles three or four days ago, and I think 

 nothing of one or two thousand feet up ! I hope this state of 

 things will last at the sea-level. 



* Sir J. Hooker jestingly congratulated him on taking up botany 

 in his old age. f For the x Club. 



