1892 CREATED A PRIVY COUNCILLOR 247 



This summer brought Huxley a most vmexpected 

 distinction in the shape of admission to the Privy 

 Council. Mention has already been made (vol. ii. 

 p. 56) of his reasons for refusing to accept a title 

 for distinction in science, apart from departmental 

 administration. The proper recognition of science, 

 he maintained, lay in the professional recognition of 

 a man's work by his peers in science, the members of 

 the learned societies of his own and other countries. 



But, as has been said, the Privy Councillorship 

 was an office, not a title, although with a title attach- 

 ing to the office ; and in theory, at least, a scientific 

 Privy Councillor might some day play an important 

 part as an accredited representative of science, to 

 be consulted officially by the Government, should 

 occasion arise. 



Of a selection of letters on the subject, mostly 



answers to congratulations, I place first the one to 



Sir M. Foster, which gives the fullest account of the 



affair. 



Cors-y-Gedol Hotel, Baemouth, 

 Aug. 23, 1892. 



My dear Foster — I am very glad you think I have 

 done rightly about the P.O. ; but in fact I could hardly 

 help myself. 



Years and years ago I was talking to Donnelly about 

 these things, and told him that so far as myself was 

 concerned, I would have nothing to do with official 

 decorations — didn't object to other people having them, 

 especially heads of offices, like Hooker and Flower — but 

 preferred to keep clear my.«elf. But I added that there 

 was one thing I did not mind telling him, because no 



