184 LIFE AND FRIENDSHIP AT KEW 



To Charles Darwin 



Monday (March or April, 1873). 



I write by return of post. Come on Wednesday. I am 

 so happy to think you can. I have never liked to worry you 

 by asking thank goodness you know that. 



Fanny called on you the other day with some such 

 proposal on the tip of her tongue. She had suggested to 

 me the paying to Huxley's Banker the amount of his law 

 expenses (to be raised by you, I, and a couple or so more). 

 I asked Tyndall the night before F. called on you, and he 

 thought the affair too small, and that H. would not like the 

 * stealing a march upon him.' So we agreed that F. should 

 say nothing to you about it. The matter has however never 

 left our minds. 



My impression is that the thing (raising 3000 or so) 

 should be done, if we can assure ourselves that H. will have 

 it, but I feel sure that this will be a difficulty. He and I 

 have been railing at the testimonial system within the 

 last few weeks ; 1 and as a public testimonial I feel sure he 

 would not accept. I have beaten my brains to find out 

 if we could practise a pious fraud, and hand it over to him 

 as a legacy from a defunct friend but he is a deal too sharp, 

 and no one could be other than open with Huxley. I can't 

 conceive deception, however innocent, in his presence. I 

 have no time to say more, but do, I pray you, cudgel your 

 brains. I will come to lunch with you to-morrow, Tuesday, 

 lest weather or health should prevent your coming here on 

 Wednesday. 



The gift was accepted in the spirit in which it was offered. 

 On April 25, Hooker tells Darwin : 



I am charmed with Huxley's noble-minded letter. We 

 had a walk and talk together yesterday, but no allusion 

 passed but he said he was determined on a long holiday 

 and was very doubtful whether to give up his summer 

 Lectures to Schoolmasters or no. He asked whether I 

 would go with him in July to Auvergne and Germany ; 



1 Apropos of certain memorials and monuments to men of science, to which 

 as P.R.S. he felt bound to subscribe (' these are the luxuries of Presidentship '), 

 Hooker had recently told Darwin he need not contribute to one of them : * I 

 see no call whatever, and disapprove this eternal touting for dead bones.' 



