John has gone and I am well. The connection sounds like one of Gerald's letters.

Yours ever the same.

I have been signing my name in Latin so much. of late that I stumble over it. Besides, I am not really the same, being a M.A. M. A.

St. Aldate's: July 1, 1890.

I have just come back from dinner. My next neighbour to-night was Liddon, and we had a long talk on the ethics of suicide regarded from the preChristian or purely 'secular' point of view.

I also improved the occasion in the interests of P. N. W. It was clearly a new light to Liddon that Philip should be so highly thought of by a man of science, and he appeared to have determined there and then to exert himself in getting a more suitable berth for a man now so greatly needed in the Church.'

Two bits of news. Liddon is seriously ill.

Oxford.

Dunstan has a son and Dr. John Ogle came yesterday afternoon from town to see him, and dined with There is great pain in the neck.

us.

I lunched with the Sandersons, or rather with Mrs. Sanderson, as the Professor did not leave his room, but he is getting on very well.

Last night after dinner I looked in at the Poultons, and found them entertaining two Natural Science young ladies from Somerville Hall. A very

1 Professor W. Dunstan, F.R.S.

agreeable party. Huxley is expected here this week. His article on 'Lux Mundi' is very characteristic.1

It would be very enjoyable to go with you to Ober Ammergau, but I am sure I ought not. First, I should not enjoy it half so much as you; second, it would double the expense; third, it would run away with all the time I want to give to the book. So in this case what is sauce for the goose is not sauce for the gander.

I wish I had some jokes to treasure up, but Oxford is not a joke-yielding place at present; Geanies must be jubilation itself compared with Oxford now.

I am the sole occupant of the laboratory as of the house. But I rather enjoy the exclusive privilege of my own company, save so far as it is relieved by guinea-pigs. I have written a letter to 'Nature which will furnish a little joke for you on Friday next.

2

I am sorry to hear poor old Parker is dead. You did not know him, but he was a real good fellow, and hearty friend to me.

6

I enjoyed my three days in London very much. Went twice to the theatre, and one of the plays was Judah.' Mr. H. A. Jones gave me a box. Saw a great deal of the Pollocks; met Scott, who asked me to let him put me up for Royal Society Club; played chess with G. R. Turner.

I have now got to work on my plants and guineapigs.

Lights of the Church and of Science.'

2 Professor Kitchen Parker, F.R.S.

3 Mr. R. Scott, F.R.S.

July 7.

I have just returned from dining in Ch. Ch. The table is now reduced to three-myself, Prout, and Strong. The latter is very young. He succeeded

Scott Holland, and is a very good sort. I spent a couple of hours in his rooms after dinner. Liddon remains about the same.

I cannot find anyone who knows what translation of Horace to recommend. The few classical men who are up appear to be too well acquainted with the original to have paid any attention to other versions.

18 Cornwall Terrace July 9.

I am writing in the library of No. 18, all the walls of which are gazing at me with reproach. My tenant host is extremely kind.

Last night I dined with the George Turners, and afterwards took Marion Pollock to the botanical fête. All went well until eleven, when there suddenly came on the most violent shower, almost a waterspout. We made for the nearest trees, and crowded together under the same umbrella. We both enjoyed the extraordinary spectacle; hundreds of people in evening dress, with all conventionality suddenly thrown to the winds, scrambling in all directions, the men shining like blackbeetles, and the ladies with their skirts over their heads.

1

Tell Fritz that this being Thursday, the organ

1 A pet name for his daughter.

grinder is now grinding away in his hebdomadal

manner.

Yours ever as twelve years ago at the botanical fête, which always makes romantic

THE PHILOSOPHER.

To Professor Poulton.

Geanies, Ross-shire, N.B.: July 16, 1890.

My dear Poulton,-I went to the tennis ground yesterday week, but, as I expected, on account of the rain, found nobody there.

I now write to ask you if you would have any objection to my borrowing with acknowledgment figures from your book for mine, supposing the publishers also consent. In particular figs. 1, 2, 6, 10, 40, and 41.

Having now read the book, I may say how greatly it has delighted me. The whole is a wonderful story, and I congratulate you on the large share which you have had in adding to this chapter of Darwinism.

There is only one point I am not quite clear about, viz. pp. 213–215. It is doubtless an advantage to the parasites that the caterpillars should warn them off as having been already occupied.' But would not this be rather a disadvantage to the caterpillars -i.e. to their species? For in this way, it seems to me, a greater number of caterpillars would become infested than would be the case in the absence of

1 The Colours of Animals, by E. B. Poulton, M.A., F.R.S., International Scientific Series, vol. lxviii.

such warning. Or is there any point about it which I do not understand?

When is your next book coming out? I should like you to read my reply to Wallace before it does. Also my re-statement of physiological selection, with discussion on the principles of Segregation and Divergence. I hope the whole will be in type before November. Can you wait till then, or shall I send type-written MSS.?

Yours very sincerely,

GEORGE J. ROMANES.

P.S.-Talking about hon. degrees the last time I saw you reminded me-but something again put it out of my head-that I had been wondering why Oxford or Cambridge does not offer one to F. Galton. Could you start a movement in that direction? . .

I am getting so convinced about physiological selection, that I do not care what is said at random, or without understanding the theory.

Later in the autumn he writes:

To Mrs. Romanes.

I hope to find letters from Ober Ammergau when I return to Geanies, with a dozen bottles of sulphur water and several pounds of heather honey. Went yesterday to see a waterfall, which was wonderfully beautiful; on the way back met a pony with half a trap, and afterwards came on the other half with its previous occupants, Lord and Lady cut about the face, but not seriously hurt. There is an awful