My life : a record of events and opinions - Wallace-online.org

SPENCER, HUXLEY, AND OTHERS 253at that ,time who had been up in a balloon (withGreen, the celebrated aeronaut, I think), and oneevening at our house in St. Mark's Crescent, whenHuxley and Tyndall were present, he made someremarks which interested Tyndall, who thereuponasked him many questions as to his sensations, thegeneral appearance of the earth, clouds, etc., to all ofwhich Dr. Purland replied with such promptitude andintelligence that all our friends were soon gatheredround to hear the discussion, which went on a longtime.I possess about a dozen of his letters—replies toinvitations, remarks on reading my early books, orother matters— all so amusing and so well illustratingthe character and individuality of the man that I willnow print some of them, and give a few in facsimileto show his style of caricature illustration.The letter opposite was, I think, the first I hadfrom him, and I only give it to illustrate two of hispeculiarities—his gastronomical taste indicated by" Beer Month" for October, and the "piece of plate"represented by half a beautiful little print in blue ofan old willow-pattern plate pasted in opposite thesignature.The next letter is in answer to an invitation totea. He had been reading my " Malay Archipelago,"and the reference on the envelope (here reproduced)is to the description of the king bird of paradise.The letter itself is in hieroglyphic form, intimatingthat he had other engagements, indicating himselfby his large nose and scrap-book under his arm.The next I shall give is an account of the sadresults of reading one of my books aloud. Theheading is a pseudonym for his operating room.