Letter from Arch [Archibald] Geikie, Shepherd's Down, Haslemere, Surrey, to [Joseph] Larmor Geikie thanks Larmor for his congratulations, not believing that he is now an octagenarian. He notes Larmor's reading of [Theodor] Mommsen's 'Rome', not an impartial history, but 'Kaiserian'. [Henry Enfield] Roscoe's death was a great shock, as he had a letter from him only a few weeks before, enclosing a joke. He has heard little from the Royal Society but feels they are undertaking more work from the Government. The Society will require a firm hand and J.J.T. [Joseph John Thomson] has a great task in pulling things together. Geikie is glad that he has replaced 'the feeble hands of his predecessor'. The Cabinet 'seems to be in a ferment' over recruitment. Geikie's wife is losing strength. 28 December 1915