He is a Perfectly Impossible Person

           Myfriend’sfearorhopewasnotdestinedtoberealized.WhenIcalledonWednesdaytherewasaletterwiththeWestKensingtonpostmarkuponit,andmynamescrawledacrosstheenvelopeinahandwritingwhichlookedlikeabarbed-wirerailing.Thecontentswereasfollows:—

           "ENMOREPARK,W.

           "SIR,—Ihavedulyreceivedyournote,inwhichyouclaimtoendorsemyviews,althoughIamnotawarethattheyaredependentuponendorsementeitherfromyouoranyoneelse.Youhaveventuredtousetheword‘speculation’withregardtomystatementuponthesubjectofDarwinism,andIwouldcallyourattentiontothefactthatsuchawordinsuchaconnectionisoffensivetoadegree.Thecontextconvincesme,however,thatyouhavesinnedratherthroughignoranceandtactlessnessthanthroughmalice,soIamcontenttopassthematterby.Youquoteanisolatedsentencefrommylecture,andappeartohavesomedifficultyinunderstandingit.Ishouldhavethoughtthatonlyasub-humanintelligencecouldhavefailedtograspthepoint,butifitreallyneedsamplificationIshallconsenttoseeyouatthehournamed,thoughvisitsandvisitorsofeverysortareexceedingdistastefultome.AstoyoursuggestionthatImaymodifymyopinion,Iwouldhaveyouknowthatitisnotmyhabittodosoafteradeliberateexpressionofmymatureviews.Youwillkindlyshowtheenvelopeofthislettertomyman,Austin,whenyoucall,ashehastotakeeveryprecautiontoshieldmefromtheintrusiverascalswhocallthemselves‘journalists.’

           "Yoursfaithfully,

           "GEORGEEDWARDCHALLENGER."