LETTERS 



403 



island has a name already, but I cannot recollect it. Walther 

 would know. 



My wife had a bad attack, and we were obliged to give up 

 some visits we had projected. But she got well enough to go to 

 Oxford with me for a couple of days, and really stood the racket 

 better than I did. 



At present she is fairly well, and I hope the enemy may give 

 her a long respite. The Colliers come to us at the end of this 

 month, and that will do her good. 



With our affectionate regards to you both and remembrances 

 to our friends — Ever yours very truly, 



The first of the following set refers to a lively piece of 

 nonsense which Huxley wrote just before going to stay with 

 the Romanes' at Oxford on the occasion of the Romanes 

 Lecture.* After Professor Romanes' death, Mrs. Romanes 

 asked leave to print it in the biography of her husband. In 

 the other letters, Huxley gives his consent, but, with his 

 usual care for the less experienced, tried to prevent any 

 malicious perversion of the fun which might put her in a 

 false position. 



To Mrs. Romanes 



HODESLEA, Sept. 20, 1894. 



I do not think I can possibly have any objection to your 

 using my letter if you think it worth while — but perhaps you 

 had better let me look at it, for I remember nothing about it — 

 and my letters to people whom I trust are sometimes more plain- 

 spoken than polite about things and men. You know at first 

 there was some talk of my possibly supplying Gladstone's place 

 in case of his failure, and I would not be sure of my politeness 

 in that quarter ! 



Pray do not suppose that your former letter was other than 

 deeply interesting and touching to me. I had more than half a 

 mind to reply to it, but hesitated with a man's horror of touch- 

 ing a wound he cannot heal. 



And then I got a bad bout of " liver,'' from which I am just 

 picking up. 



* See p. 373. 



