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15. [December 1880] Drove with my hostess [Lady Derby] to Liverpool. She told me that she had lately explained to Darwin the state of her sight, which is very peculiar. "Ah! Lady Derby," said the great philosopher, "how I should like to dissect you!"

Lowe had asked him, some little time ago, on what he was engaged? "Chieflly at present upon Radicles," was the reply. "H'm," said the other, "I know something about them."

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16. [January 1881] In the afternoon we walked up [from John Lubbock's] to see Darwin. He has of late been studying earthworms, and said to Lubbock, "You antiquarians ought to have great respect for them; they have done more to preserve tesselated apavements than any other agency. I have ascertained, by careful examination, that the worms on a single acre of land bring up ten tons of dry earth to the surface in a year."