134 EARLY DAYS OF DARWINISM 



Things, however, are looking somewhat brighter. Except 

 Humphry, the Professor (elect) of Anatomy, I have all the 

 medicos in the place actively against me. They consider 

 that it is profanity for a layman to be a dealer in bones. 

 We look forward to seeing Clayton's white teeth grinning 

 hideously to-morrow, and it is too probable that he will 

 bring up a curate of his who has a vote. ... I have been 

 interrupted in this by a committee meeting, and my head 

 is full of nothing but pairs, shufflers, and the like. The 

 results we have come to are these 



D., 86 good +8 probable = 94 



A. N., 101 good+16 possible (shufflers) =117 

 Absent or not voting . . . . . . 52 



Remains of doubtful . . . . . . 16 



Total Constituency . . . . . . 279 



I would willingly exchange my 16 possibles for D.'s 

 8 probables. 



By this time to-morrow I shall be a man or a mouse. 



Yours ever, 



ALFRED NEWTON. 



March 1, 1866 



Close of Poll : 



A. N. 110 D. 82. 

 Laus Deo ! 



On the same day Charles Kingsley, whose voting on 

 this occasion had been directed by his heart rather than 

 by his head, wrote 



March 1, 1866. 



MY DEAR NEWTON, 



Now that all is over, I must sincerely con- 

 gratulate you, though I would not have you (you will 

 understand why) tell my poor dear old friend Drosier 

 that I have done so. 



You have fairly deserved this post, in the only true 

 sense of desert, earning, and thereby meriting, and I 

 know you well enough to be as sure as those who sup- 

 ported you, that it will be the opening of a career 



