CH . IV .] REMINISCENCES. 95 



stance, when he gave his evidence before the Royal Com- 

 mission on vivisection, and came out with his words about 

 cruelty, " It deserves detestation and abhorrence." When 

 he felt strongly about any similar question, he could hardly 

 trust himself to speak, as he then easily became angry, a 

 thino- which he disliked excessively. He was conscious that 

 his anger had a tendency to multiply itself in the utterance, 

 and for this reason dreaded (for example) having to reprove 

 a servant. 



It was a proof of the modesty of his manner of talking, 

 that when, for instance, a number of visitors came over from 

 Sir John Lubbock's for a Sunday afternoon call, he never 

 seemed to be preaching or lecturing, although he had so 

 much of the talk to himself. He was particularly charming 

 when " chaffing " any one, and in high spirits oyer it. His 

 manner at such times was light-hearted and boyish, and his 

 refinement of nature came out most strongly. So, when he 

 was talking to a lady who pleased and amused him, the 

 combination of raillery and deference in his manner was 

 delightful to see. There was a personal dignity about him, 

 which the most familiar intercourse did not diminish. One 

 felt that he was the last person with whom anyone would 

 wish to take a liberty, nor do I remember an instance of such 

 a thing occurring to him. 



When my father had several guests he managed them 

 well, getting a talk with each, or bringing two or three to- 

 gether round his chair. In these conversations there was 

 always a good deal of fun, and, speaking generally, there 

 was either a humourous turn in his talk, or a sunny geniali- 

 ty which served instead. Perhaps my recollection of a per- 

 vading element of humour is the more vivid, because the 

 best talks were with Mr. Huxley, in whom there is the apt- 

 ness which is akin to humour, even when humour itself is 

 not there. My father enjoyed Mr. Huxley's humour ex- 

 ceedingly, and would often say, " What splendid fun Hux- 

 ley is ! " I think he probably had more scientific argument 

 (of the nature of a fight) with Lyell and Sir Joseph Hooker. 



He used to say that it grieved him to find that for the 

 friends of his later life he had not the warm affection of his 

 youth. Certainly in his early letters from Cambridge he 

 gives proofs of strong friendship for Herbert and Fox ; but 

 no one except himself would have said that his affection for 

 his friends was not, throughout life, of the warmest possible 

 kind. In serving a friend he would not spare himself, and 



