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 Koyal 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 K.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.I.'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.K.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 



