Letters 27 



In my opinion a man's first duty is to find a way of 

 supporting himself, thereby relieving other people of the 

 necessity of supporting him. Moreover, the learning to 

 do work of practical value in the world, in an exact and 

 careful manner, is of itself a very important education, the 5 

 effects of which make themselves felt in all other pur- 

 suits. The habit of doing that which you do not care 

 about when you would much rather be doing something 

 else, is invaluable. It would have saved me a frightful 

 waste of time if I had ever had it drilled into me in youth. 10 



Success in any scientific career requires an unusual 

 equipment of capacity, industry, and energy. If you pos- 

 sess that equipment you will find leisure enough after 

 your daily commercial work is over, to make an opening 

 in the scientific ranks for yourself. If you do not, you 15 

 had better stick to commerce. Nothing is less to be de- 

 sired than the fate of a young man, who, as the Scotch 

 proverb says, in " trying to make a spoon spoils a horn," 

 and becomes a mere hanger-on in literature or in science, 

 when he might have been a useful and a valuable member 20 

 of Society in other occupations. 



I think that your father ought to see this letter. 

 Yours faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



