1889 AUTOBIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH 119 



approach to egotism, or by the knowledge that if 

 biography is liable to give a false impression, autobio- 

 graphy may leave one still more false, he constantly 

 refused to do so, especially so long as he had capacity 

 for useful work. I found, however, among his papers, 

 an entirely different sketch of his early life, half-a- 

 dozen sheets describing the time he spent in the 

 East end, Avith an almost Carlylean sense of the 

 horrible disproportions of life. I cannot tell whether 

 this was a first draft for the present autobiography, 

 or the beginnings of a larger undertaking. 



Several letters of miscellaneous interest were 

 written before the move to the Engadine took place. 

 They touch on such points as the excessive growth 

 of scientific clubs, the use of alcohol for brain workers, 

 advice to one who was not likely to "suffer fools 

 gladly " about applying for the assistant secretary- 

 ship of the British Association, and the question of 

 the effects of the destruction of immature fish, 

 besides personal matters. 



3 Jevington Gardens, Eastbourne, 

 March 22, 1889. 



My dear Hooker — I suppose the question of amalga- 

 mation with the Royal is to be discussed at the PhiL 

 Club. The sooner something of the kind takes place 

 the better. There is really no raison d'etre left for the 

 Phil. Club, and considering the hard work of scientific 

 men in these days, clubs are like hypotheses, not to be 

 multiplied beyond necessity. — Ever yours, 



T. H. Huxley. 



