T.H. Huxley.

Hideous pen!

[But he did not come up that Thursday. His wife was for a time too ill
to be left, and he winds up the letter of November 2 to Dr. Foster with
the reflection:--]

Man is born to trouble as the sparks, etc.--but when you have come to
my time of life you will say as I do--Lucky it is no worse.

November 6.

I am very glad to hear that the 500 pounds is granted, and I will see
to what is next to be done as soon as I can. Also I am very glad to
find you don't want my valuable service on Council Royal Society. I
repented me of my offer when I thought how little I might be able to
attend.

[One thing, however, afforded him great pleasure at this time. He
writes on November 6 to his old friend, Sir J. Hooker:--]

I write just to say what infinite satisfaction the award of the Copley
Medal to you has given me. If you were not my dear old friend, it would
rejoice me as a mere matter of justice--of which there is none too much
in this "-- rum world," as Whitworth's friend called it.

[To the reply that the award was not according to rule, inasmuch as it
was the turn for the medal to be awarded in another branch of science,