Geo. J. Romanes.
He lectured a good deal in provincial towns, and gave several Friday evening discourses at the Royal Institution. Lecturing, even in days of failing health, was always a pleasure, never a burden to him. The following letter is a mock triumphant description of a lecture in Glasgow, written purely to amuse his wife, and provoke some mock depreciatory remarks.
Glasgow: 1880.
Now for my news. Everything was splendid, much the best thing in the way of lecturing that I have done since Dublin,[25] and I was so sorry that you were not there.
First of all we had a dinner given by my host in my honour, the guests being all the chief men in the University, including Professor Caird[26] and the biggest of all big swells, Sir W. Thomson.[27]
The dinner was to me highly interesting, as I talked nearly all the time to Sir William, who is a wonderful psychological study.
We then went to the lecture, where Sir William took the chair, and introduced me to the audience with such a glowing oration that it would have startled you. (It quite astonished me.) The audience being thus led to suppose that I was one of the brightest of all bright lights, received me very warmly; I got enthusiastic, discarded my notes, and swam along in the most magnificent style even for me, which, you know, is the highest praise I can bestow upon myself. I spoke for an hour and a half; at the end the people applauded so, I felt really awfully sorry you were not there. There seems to be a cruel fate preventing you from witnessing my performances.
The vote of thanks was proposed by Professor McKendrick. I was met by another storm of applause; I began to feel quite overcome. But I said a few words with all becoming humility, and then Sir William summed up.
Here is an affectionate outburst to his mother, written about this time: