Ever yours affectionately,

T.H.  Huxley.

[Other letters touch upon the politics of the hour, especially upon the sudden and dramatic fall of Parnell.  He could not but admire the power and determination of the man, and his political methods, an admiration rashly interpreted by some journalist as admiration of the objects to which these political methods were applied. (See Volume 2.)]

Grand Hotel, Eastbourne, November 26, 1890.

My dear Lecky,

Very many thanks for your two volumes, which I rejoice to have, especially as a present from you.  I was only waiting until we were settled in our new house—­as I hope we shall be this time next week—­to add them to the set which already adorn my shelves, and I promise myself soon to enjoy the reading of them.

The Unionist cause is looking up.  What a strange thing it is that the Irish malcontents are always sold, one way or the other, by their leaders.

I wonder if the G.O.M. ever swears!  Pity if he can’t have that relief just now.

With our united kind regards to Mrs. Lecky and yourself.

Ever yours very faithfully,

T.H.  Huxley.

Grand Hotel, Eastbourne, November 29, 1890.

My dear Hooker,

I have filled up and sent your and my copies of entry for Athenaeum.

Carpenter has written the best popular statement I know of, of the results of criticism, in a little book called “The First Three Gospels”, which is well worth reading. [See above.]

I have promised to go to the Royal Society dinner and propose Stokes’ health on Monday, but if the weather holds out as Arctic as it is now, I shall not dare to venture.  The driving east wind, blowing the snow before it here, has been awful; for ten years they have had nothing like it.  I am glad to say that my little house turns out to be warm.  We go in next Wednesday, and I fear I cannot be in town on Thursday even if the weather permits.

I have had pleurisy that was dangerous and not painful, then pleurisy that was painful and not dangerous; there is only one further combination, and I don’t want that.

Politics now are immensely interesting.  There must be a depth of blackguardism in me, for I cannot help admiring Parnell.  I prophesy that it is Gladstone who will retire for a while, and then come back to Parnell’s heel like a whipped hound.  His letter was carefully full of loopholes.

Ever yours affectionately,

T.H.  Huxley.

Hodeslea, Eastbourne, December 2, 1890.

My dear Hooker,

The question of questions now is whether the Unionists will have the sense to carry a measure settling the land question at once.  If they do that, I do not believe it will be in the power of man to stir them further.  And my belief is that Parnell will be quite content with that solution.  He does not want to be made a nonentity by Davitt or the Irish Americans.