I am overwhelmed at being taken at my word about scientific federation. [I.e. a federation between the Royal Society and scientific societies in the colonies.] “Something will transpire” as old Gutzlaff [This worthy appears to have been an admiral on the China station about 1840.] said when he flogged plaintiff, defendant and witnesses in an obscure case.

P.S.—­I have had an invitation from —­ to sign “without committing myself to details” an approbation of his grand scheme. [For the reorganisation of the Fisheries Department.] A stupendous array of names appear thus committed to the “principle of the Bill.”  I prefer to be the Hartington of the situation.

[During this first stay in London he wrote twice to Mr. Herbert Spencer, from whom he had received not only some proofs, as before, on biological points, but others from his unpublished autobiography.  After twice reading these, Huxley had merely marked a couple of paragraphs containing personal references which might possibly be objectionable] “to the ‘heirs, administrators and assigns,’ if there are any, or to the people themselves if they are living still.” [He continues, June 1:—­]

You will be quite taken aback at getting a proof from me with so few criticisms, but even I am not so perverse as to think that I can improve your own story of your own life!

I notice a curious thing.  If Ransom [Dr. Ransom of Nottingham.] had not overworked himself, I should probably not be writing this letter.

For if he had worked less hard I might have been first and he second at the Examination at the University of London in 1845.  In which case I should have obtained the Exhibition, should not have gone into the navy, and should have forsaken science for practice...

[Again on June 4:—­]

My dear Spencer,

Here’s a screed for you!  I wish you well through it.

Mind I have no a priori objection to the transmission of functional modifications whatever.  In fact, as I told you, I should rather like it to be true.

But I argued against the assumption (with Darwin as I do with you) of the operation of a factor which, if you will forgive me for saying so, seems as far off support by trustworthy evidence now as ever it was.

Ever yours very faithfully,

T.H.  Huxley.

[On the same day he wrote to Mr., afterwards Sir John, Skelton:—­]

4 Marlborough Place, London, N.W., June 4, 1886.

My dear Skelton,

A civil question deserves a civil answer—­Yes.  I am sorry to say I know—­nobody better—­“what it is to be unfit for work.”  I have been trying to emerge from that condition, first at Bournemouth, and then at Ilkley, for the last five months, with such small success that I find a few days in London knocks me up, and I go back to the Yorkshire moors next week.

We have no water-hens there—­nothing but peewits, larks, and occasional grouse—­but the air and water are of the best, and the hills quite high enough to bring one’s muscles into play.