something wonderful. But I live at high pressure, with always a number
of things crying out to be done, and those that are nearest and call
loudest get done, while the others, too often, don't. However, this day
shall not go by without my wishing you all happiness in the new year,
and that wish you know necessarily includes all belonging to you, and my
love to them.

I have been long wanting to send you the photographs of myself, wife,
and boy, but one reason or other (Nettie's incessant ill-health being, I
am sorry to say, the chief) has incessantly delayed the procuring of the
last. However, at length, we have obtained a tolerably successful one,
though you must not suppose that Noel has the rather washed out look of
his portrait. That comes of his fair hair and blue gray eyes--for the
monkey is like his mother and has not an atom of resemblance to me.

He was two years old yesterday, and is the apple of his father's eye and
chief deity of his mother's pantheon, which at present contains only a
god and goddess. Another is expected shortly, however, so that there is
no fear of Olympus looking empty.

...Here is the 26th of January and no letter gone yet...Since I began
this letter I have been very busy with lectures and other sorts of work,
and besides, my whole household almost has been ill--chicks with
whooping cough, mother with influenza, a servant ditto. I don't know
whether you have such things in Tennessee.

Let me see what has happened to me that will interest you since I last
wrote. Did I tell you that I have finally made up my mind to stop in
London--the Government having made it worth my while to continue in
Jermyn Street? They give me 600 pounds sterling a year now, with a