164 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



of 1835, the " Tory agents " had notoriously resorted to bribery. The 

 Liberals wanted to bring the offenders into court, but no one would 

 incur the odium of " informing " against them. Under these circum- 

 stances Prof. Henslow readily offered himself as the nominal prosecu- 

 tor. The storm of abuse and persecution that broke upon him for 

 this is still well remembered in Cambridge. His biographer remarks : 

 " Not only was the cry raised of ' Henslow, common informer ! ' when- 

 ever he appeared in the streets, but the same obnoxious words were 

 placarded upon the walls in such large and enduring characters, that, 

 even to this day (1861), more than a quarter of a century after the 

 transaction, they are still distinctly legible in some places. They 

 were seen, and smilingly pointed out to a friend, by the professor him- 

 self, within a year of his death, and I have, since his death, seen and 

 read them myself. His services were, however, deeply appreciated at 

 the time, for he received three handsome testimonials : one from the 

 town of Cambridge; another from the town committee for the sup- 

 pression of corruption ; and the third from a committee of noblemen 

 and gentlemen." The rule that Prof. Henslow laid down for the 

 guidance of conduct in such circumstances, and which he rigorously 

 conformed to himself, was expressed in the following noble words : " I 

 would have every Tory consistent, and every Radical consistent, and 

 every Whig consistent, until either of them shall have become convinced 

 that he has been in error, and then I would have him change his poli- 

 tics, regardless of every risk, and despising the shame which the world 

 will heap upon him. But what I would have every man strive to 

 possess is c moral courage,' sufficient to declare his own opinions un- 

 hesitatingly in the face of the world, and adequate to maintain them 

 unflinchingly against all influence whatever." 



The position of Prof. Henslow at Cambridge was every thing that 

 would satisfy the usual ambition of a man of science. He was pro- 

 foundly appreciated in the institution, he was beloved by the students, 

 and he had given a new life to the class of studies to which he was 

 devoted. Yet all this did not satisfy him, and he seized the first op- 

 portunity to leave Cambridge, and enter a field of labor of a very 

 different kind, and for which, as the result proved, he was remarkably 

 endowed. As his talents and high character became known, the Gov- 

 ernment sought his influence for some of the responsible trusts in its 

 gift, and it was in contemplation to offer him the See of Norwich. It 

 is a terrible temptation in England to get the place of bishop, and 

 while many sigh, labor, and intrigue for it, those who decline it when 

 offered are exceedingly few. Prof. Henslow, when he heard of the 

 danger, fled to his chamber, and prayed fervently to be delivered from 

 the temptation. His prayers were answered, and, instead of the bish- 

 opric, he received the crown living of the parish of Hitcham, with an 

 income of a thousand pounds a year. The place is in Suffolk, not far 

 from Cambridge, and he entered upon the charge of it in 1837. His 



