LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP, x 



I may go on crying in the wilderness until I am hoarse, with 

 no result, but if he and you and Mundella will take it up, some- 

 thing may be done. Ever yours very faithfully, 



T. H. HUXLEY. 



4 MARYBOROUGH PLACE, June 28, 1887. 



MY DEAR ROSCOE Donnelly was here on Sunday and was 

 quite right up to date. I felt I ought to be better, and could not 

 make out why the deuce I was not. Yesterday the mischief 

 came out. There is a touch of pleurisy which has been covered 

 by the muscular rheumatism. 



So I am relegated to bed and told to stop there with the 

 company of cataplasms to keep me lively. 



I do not think the attack in any way serious but M. PI. 

 is a gentleman not to be trifled with, when you are over sixty, 

 and there is nothing for it but to obey my doctor's orders. 



Pray do not suppose I would be stopped by a trifle, if my 

 coming to the meeting * would really have been of use. I hope 

 you will say how grieved I am to be absent. Ever yours very 

 faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



4 MARLBOROUGH PLACE, June 29, 1887. 



MY DEAR ROSCOE I have scrawled a variety of comments on 

 the paper you sent me. Deal with them as you think fit. 



Ever since I was on the London School Board I have seen 

 that the key of the position is in the Sectarian Training Colleges 

 and that wretched imposture, the pupil teacher system. As to 

 the former Dclendae sunt no truce or pact to be made with them, 

 either Church or Dissenting. Half the time of their students 

 is occupied with grinding into their minds their tweedle-dum 

 and tweedle-dee theological idiocies, and the other half in cram- 

 ming them with boluses of other things to be duly spat out on 

 examination day. Whatever is done do not let us be deluded by 

 any promises of theirs to hook on science or technical teaching 

 to their present work. 



I am greatly disgusted that I cannot come to Tyndall's din- 

 ner to-night f but my brother-in-law's death would have 

 stopped me (the funeral to-day) even if my doctor had not 

 forbidden me to leave my bed. He says I have some pleuritic 

 effusion on one side and must mind my P's and O's. Ever 

 yours very faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



* Of July i, on Technical Education. f See p. 177. 



