310 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY cHAP. XII 



best means of improving his scientific knowledge. 

 Huxley was much struck by the tone of the letter 

 and the description of the experiments, and he wrote 

 back : — 



HoDESLEA, Nov. 9, 1893. 



Sir — We are all "ignoramuses" more or less — and 

 cannot reproach one another. If there were any sign of 

 conceit in your letter, you would not get this reply. 



On the contrary, it pleases me. Your observations are 

 quite accurate and clearly described — and to be accurate 

 in observation and clear in description is the first step 

 towards good scientific work. 



You are seeing just what the first workers with the 

 microscope saw a couple of centuries ago. 



Get some such book as Carpenter's " On the Micro- 

 scope " and you will see what it all means. 



Are there no science classes in Southampton ? There 

 used to be, and I suppose is, a Hartley Institute. 



If you want to consult books you cannot otherwise 

 obtain, take this to the librarian, give him my com- 

 pliments, and say I should be very much obliged if he 

 would help you. — I am, yours very faithfully, 



T. H. Huxley. 



Great was Huxley's astonishment when he learned 

 in reply that his correspondent was a casual dock 

 labourer, and had but scanty hours of leisure in 

 which to read and think and seek into the recesses 

 of nature, while his means of observation consisted 

 of a toy microscope bought for a shilling at a fair. 

 Casting about for some means of lending the man a 

 helping hand, he bethought him of the Science and 

 Art Department, and wrote on December 30 to Sir 

 J. Donnelly : — 



