xii INTRODUCTION 



and for their pictures of foreign cities. Rome he writes of 

 as an idle, afternoony sort of place from which it is diffi- 

 cult to depart. He worked as eagerly over the historic 

 remains in Rome as he would over a collection of geological 

 specimens. " I begin to understand Old Rome pretty well 

 and I am quite learned in the Catacombs, which suit me, 

 as a kind of Christian fossils out of which one can recon- 

 struct the body of the primitive Church." Florence, for a 

 man with a conscience and ill-health, had too many picture 

 galleries. ' ' They are a sore burden to the conscience if you 

 don't go to see them, and an awful trial to the back and 

 legs if you do," he complained. He found Florence, never- 

 theless, a lovely place and full of most interesting things 

 to see and do. His letters with reference to himself also 

 are vigorously and entertainingly expressed. He writes in 

 a characteristic way of his growing difficulty with his hear- 

 ing. " It irritates me not to hear ; it irritates me still more 

 to be spoken to as if I were deaf, and the absurdity of being 

 irritated on the last ground irritates me still more." And 

 again he writes in a more hopeful strain, " With fresh air 

 and exercise an_l careful avoidance of cold and night air I 

 am to be all right again." He then adds : " I am not fond 

 of coddling ; but as Paddy gave his pig the best corner in 

 his cabin because 'shure, he paid the rint' I feel 

 bound to take care of myself as a household animal of 

 value, to say nothing of other points." 



Although he was never strong after this long illness, 

 Huxley began in 1889 to be much better. The first sign 

 Last f returning vigor was the eagerness with which 



years. h e entered into a controversy with Gladstone. 



Huxley had always enjoyed a mental battle ; and some of 

 his fiercest tilts were with Gladstone. He even found the 

 cause of better health in this controversy, and was grateful 

 to the " Grand Old Man " for making home happy for him. 

 From this time to his death, Huxley wrote a number of 

 articles on politics, science, and religion, many of which 

 were published in the volume called Controverted Ques- 

 tions. The main value of these essays lies in the fact that 

 Huxley calls upon men to give clear reasons for the faith 



