1892 THE FIRST ROMANES LECTURE 307 



for the Gladstones and Lord Acton, who was also in 

 Oxford; also a breakfast party on the morning after the 

 lecture, to which, among others, came the Principal 

 of St. Edmund's Hall. 1 I put him next Mr. Gladstone, 

 and the consequence was a Dante talk, to Lady 

 Compton's great satisfaction. Mr. Gladstone's talk 

 was wonderful, and no one would have suspected that 

 he had any political cares whatsoever, or that the 

 Election of 1892 was only just over.' 



On the day of the lecture we had a delightful time 

 before lunch. Mary Paget and Lord Compton sang 

 for an hour, and put us in good humour. 



It was with real regret that good-bye was said to 

 the illustrious guests, with hopes of future meetings 

 never to be realised. 



Mr. Huxley accepted the invitation which the 

 Vice-Chancellor permitted Mr. Romanes to give him 

 privately. The following delightful letter gives his 

 final decision : 2 



Hodeslea, Staveley Road, Eastbourne : November 1, 1892. 



My dear Mrs. Romanes, — I have just written to 

 the Vice-Chancellor to say that I hope to meet his 

 disposition any time next May. 



My wife is ' larking ' — I am sorry to use such a 

 word, but what she is pleased to tell me of her 

 doings leaves me no alternative — in London, whither 

 I go on Monday to fetch her back — in chains, if 

 necessary. But I know, in the matter of being ' taken 

 in and done for ' by your hospitable selves, I may, for 

 once, speak for her as much as myself. 



1 The Rev. E. Moore, D.D. 



2 Since this letter has been in type the world has had to lament Mr. 

 Huxley's death. 



x2. 



