186 GEOEGE JOHN EOMANES I88I- 



what he has been writing about Darwin and 

 Darwinism. F. Darwin asked me to do the replying, 

 and to-day I am returning proof of an article for the 

 ' Contemporary Eeview.' 



I am ashamed to have been so long in writing, 

 but the truth is that, notwithstanding having put 

 down Finis to my M.S., other things occurred to me 

 to add, which required recasting some of the chapters, 

 and so I have been fighting against time, and am 

 still. 



It will not be long now before you have the 

 children. 



They are looking forward with great glee to Dun- 

 skaith ; but you must take care that they do not 

 make it too lively. I never saw such nice children 

 myself, but James may find them over-noisy when 

 they are particularly high-spirited. His godson is 

 the most comical chap that ever was born. He has 

 a passion for what he calls ' loaded matches,' i.e. 

 matches unused, and so ready to 'go off.' Yesterday 

 his fingers were found to be burnt. Asked as to the 

 cause, he said he had lighted some loaded matches 

 and held his fingers in the flames so as to see if he 

 could 'keep back crying.' This he seems to have 

 done to his own satisfaction, and now wants to prove 

 his prowess in public. Little Ethel was found bathed 

 in tears a few days ago in a room by herself, and the 

 grief turned out to have been on account of the death 

 of the Emperor.'^ 



You ask how the lectures are 'going on.' They 

 are ' going on ' rather too well. Owing to Schafer 



' Of Germany. 



