150 THE PEESIDENCY OF THE EOYAL SOCIETY 



Joseph ' in any shape, I am perhaps as wrong in refusing 

 K.C.M.G. as if I refused a Royal Medal. Every herring 

 should hang by its own head. 



Meanwhile I pray for Sabine's longevity and send him 

 flowers to prolong his existence. Every man's life has its 

 value to those who know it ; how kind is Providence ! 



The final history of the matter is told in the following. 

 To Charles Darwin 



June 18, 1877. 



I should have told you before of K.C.S.I., but as I knew 

 you kindly would excuse me, I delayed. As Huxley will 

 tell you, I was taken completely by surprise at E.S. by 

 receiving a letter from Lord Salisbury informing me that 

 he had taken a liberty with my name, proposed it to the 

 Queen for K.C.S.I. and that I was virtually appointed ! 

 It went on to imply that as I was not in the Indian Service 

 it was somewhat irregular, but that my Himalayan work 

 alone ' entitled me technically and substantially to the rank.' 

 It added a little about my beneficent exertions for India, 

 and was altogether a very ' pretty letter.' Huxley told 

 me that I could not refuse it if I would, and on recovering 

 my senses I could not but see that both the compliment and 

 the manner of paying it were the highest and most gracious 

 that could be. I have since heard that the Cabinet dis- 

 cussed the thing that they could not longer allow my 

 services to pass unrecognised, there was no K.C.B. vacant, 

 and as I had refused K.C.M.G. it would be risky to ask me 

 to accept anything else so they strained a point to give 

 me K.C.S.I., and in the handsomest manner gave it solely 

 for Indian work. I had always regarded the Star of India 

 as the most honourable of all such distinctions it is very 

 limited (to 60 K.C.S.L's) is never, like K.C.B., given by 

 favor or on personal considerations, and it has a flavor of 

 hard work under difficulties, of obstacles overcome, and of 

 brilliant deeds that is very attractive. Assuredly I would 

 rather go down to posterity as one of the ' Star of India ' 

 than as of any other dignity whatever that the Crown can 

 offer. Of course it pales before P.R.S., but then they can- 

 not clash. I do not know whether I told you some five years 

 ago application was made to the D. of Argyll to give it 



