T88 FINAL JOURNEYS AND WORK. [1886, 



brave out the winter here, as we did last winter and 

 are none the worse ; then we will seriously consider 

 whether Mahomet shall go to the mountain, which will 

 not come to Mahomet. 



I grind away at " Flora," but, like the mills of the 

 gods, I grind slowly, as becomes my age, — moreover, 

 to continue the likeness, I grind too " exceedingly 

 fine," being too finical for speed, pottering over so 

 many things that need looking into, and which I have 

 not the discretion to let alone. Consequently the 

 grist of each day's work is pitiably small in proportion 

 to the labor expended on it. I am now at Malvaceae, 

 which I once enjoyed setting to rights, and of which 

 the North American species have got badly muddled 

 since I had to do with them. 



If Sereno Watson — who should be back again in 

 twenty days — wiU only go on with the Cruciferse, 

 which he has meddled with a deal, and then do the 

 Caryophyllacese, which are in like case, we may by 

 March 1st have all done up to the Leguminosse. 



We learn to-day, through a pamphlet sent by Miss 

 Horner, that Bunbury is dead — in June last. . . . 



Your " Primer " — new edition — has not come yet. 

 Do not forget it. And then, as my manner is, I will 

 see if I can find fault with it. Same with Bentham's 

 " Hand-book," new edition. . . . 



I do not wonder that you are happy and contented. 

 We should so like to see father, mother, and children 

 in their encampment at Sunningdale. May plenty of 

 sunshine be theirs ! 



Ball has sent me early sheets of his book. I must 

 find time to go through its pages. 



The L.'s abroad, except the two girls (who are to 

 winter at San Eemo) are now en voyage homeward. 



