1894 SPEECH AT THE ROYAL SOCIETY DINNER 341 



I need not say what I think abont your action in the 

 matter, my faithful old friend. With our love to you 

 both — Ever yours, T. H. Huxley. 



I suppose you are all right again, as you write from 

 the E.S. Liver permitting I shall attend meeting and 

 dinner. It is very odd that the Medal should come along 

 with my pronouncement in Nature, which I hope you 

 like. 1 cut out rather a stinging paragraph at the end. 



HODESLEA, EaSTBOUKNE, 



Nov. 11, 1894. 



My dear Donnelly — Why on earth did I not answer 

 your letter before ? Echo (being Irish) says, " Because of 

 your infernal bad habit of putting off ; which is growing 

 upon you, you wretched old man." 



Of course I shall be very glad if anything can be done 



for S . Howes has written to me about him since 



your letter arrived — and I am positively going to answer 

 his epistle. It's Sunday morning, and I feel good. 



You wiU have seen that the R.S. has been giving me 

 the Darwin Medal, though I gave as broad a hint as was 

 proper the last time I spoke at the Anniversary, that it 

 ought to go to the young men. Nevertheless, with 

 ordinary inconsistency of the so-called " rational animal," 

 I am well pleased. 



I hope you will be at the dinner, and would ask you 

 to be my guest — but as I thought my boys and boys-in- 

 law would like to be there, I have already exceeded my 

 lawful powers of invitation, and had to get a dispensa- 

 tion from Michael Foster. 



I suppose I shall be like a horse that " stands at livery " 

 for some time after — but it is positively my last appear- 

 ance on any stage. 



We were very glad to hear from Lady Donnelly that 

 you had had a good and effectual holiday. With 

 our love — Ever yours, T. H. Huxley. 



