WCP3772

SCIENCE AND ART DEPARTMENT SOUTH KENSINGTON

Jany 8^th 1881

My dear Darwin¹

I congratulate you heartily on the success of your undertaking² — for yours it is totally & entirely —

Gladstone's³ note [2] is very good & much to his credit.

It convinces me that if my first inspiration had been followed out it would have been successful — But perhaps it is as well [3] that the actual plan was adopted. There would have been no restraining your ferocious spirit of domination hereafter if you had found a Prime Minister obeying your orders!

I hear that the [4] "Butler"⁴ has been throwing the dirty water in his pantry about again —

Of course he is quite mad at being ignored — and the best thing that can happen is that he should get madder[.]

Do you recollect what Goethe⁵ wrote about a man who attacked him in this way?

I forget the first two lines but the last two run [5] "Hat doch der Wallrisch seine Laus Muss auch die meine haben"

Ever yours | THH.⁶ [signature]