3°4 



LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap, xvii 



part of the cost of Hodeslea ; but almost on the very day 

 on which the sale was concluded, he became the possessor 

 of another house at Worthing by the death of Mr. Anthony 

 Rich, the well-known antiquarian. An old man, almost 

 alone in the world, his admiration for the great work done 

 recently in natural science had long since led him to devise 

 his property to Darwin and Huxley, to the one his private 

 fortune, to the other his house and its contents, notably a 

 very interesting library. 



As a matter of feeling, Huxley was greatly disinclined 

 to part with this house, Chapel Croft, as soon as it had come 

 into his hands. A year earlier, he might have made it his 

 home ; but now he had settled down at Eastbourne, and 

 Chapel Croft, as it stood, was unlikely to find a tenant. 

 Accordingly he sold it early in July, and with the proceeds 

 bought the piece of land adjoining his house. Thus he 

 writes to Sir J. Hooker : — 



Hodeslea, Eastbourne, May 17, 1891. 



My dear Hooker — My estate is somewhat of a white ele- 

 phant. There is about a couple of acres of ground well situated 

 and half of it in the shape of a very pretty lawn and shrubbery, 

 but unluckily, in building the house, dear old Rich thought of 

 his own convenience and not mine (very wrong of him!), and 

 I cannot conceive anybody but an old bachelor or old maid living 

 in it. I do not believe anybody would take it as it stands. No 

 doubt the site is valuable, and it would be well worth while to 

 anybody with plenty of cash to spare to build on to the house and 

 make it useful. But I neither have the cash, nor do I want the 

 bother. However, Waller is going to look at the place for me 

 and see what can be done. It seems hardly decent to sell it at 

 once ; and moreover the value is likely to increase. I suppose at 

 present it is worth £2000, but that is only a guess. 



Apropos of naval portrait gallery, can you tell me if there 

 is a portrait of old John Richardson anywhere extant ? I always 

 look upon him as the founder of my fortunes, and I want to 

 hang him up (just over your head) on my chimney breast. 

 Voici ! [sketch showing the position of the pictures above the 

 fireplace] : — 



By your fruits ye shall judge them ! My cold was influenza, 

 I have been in the most preposterously weak state ever since; 



