81. TO T.H. HUXLEY. Worthing, September 9th, 1881.

(781/1. Mr. Anthony Rich left his house at Worthing as a legacy to Mr.
Huxley. See Huxley's "Life and Letters," II., pages 286, 287.)

We have been paying Mr. Rich a little visit, and he has often spoken of
you, and I think he enjoyed much your and Mrs. Huxley's visit here.
But my object in writing now is to tell you something, which I am
very doubtful whether it is worth while for you to hear, because it is
uncertain. My brother Erasmus has left me half his fortune, which is
very considerable. Therefore, I thought myself bound to tell Mr. Rich of
this, stating the large amount, as far as the executors as yet know it
roughly. I then added that my wife and self thought that, under these
new circumstances, he was most fully justified in altering his will and
leaving his property in some other way. I begged him to take a week to
consider what I had told him, and then by letter to inform me of the
result. But he would not, however, hardly allow me to finish what I had
to say, and expressed a firm determination not to alter his will, adding
that I had five sons to provide for. After a short pause he implied (but
unfortunately he here became very confused and forgot a word, which on
subsequent reflection I think was probably "reversionary")--he implied
that there was a chance, whether good or bad I know not, of his becoming
possessed of some other property, and he finished by saying distinctly,
"I will bequeath this to Huxley." What the amount may be (I fear not
large), and what the chance may be, God only knows; and one cannot
cross-examine a man about his will. He did not bind me to secrecy, so I
think I am justified in telling you what passed, but whether it is wise
on my part to send so vague a story, I am not at all sure; but as a
general rule it is best to tell everything. As I know that you hate
writing letters, do not trouble yourself to answer this.

P.S.--On further reflection I should like to hear that you receive this
note safely. I have used up all my black-edged paper.

LETTER 782. TO ANTHONY RICH. Down, February 4th, 1882.

It is always a pleasure to me to receive a letter from you. I am very
sorry to hear that you have been more troubled than usual with your old
complaint. Any one who looked at you would think that you had passed
through life with few evils, and yet you have had an unusual amount of
suffering. As a turnkey remarked in one of Dickens' nov