402 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY cHAP. 



prosy ; enlivened by vivid illustrations. He was an 

 excellent raconteur, and his stories had a stamp of their 

 own which would have made them always and everywhere 

 acceptable. His sense of humour and economy of words 

 would have made it impossible, had he lived to ninety, 

 that they should ever have been disparaged as symptoms 

 of what has been called " anecdotage." 



One drawback to conversation, however, he began 

 to complain of during the later seventies. 



It is a great misfortune (he remarked to Professor 

 Osborn) to be deaf in only one ear. Every time I dine 

 out the lady sitting by my good ear thinks I am 

 charming, but I make a mortal enemy of tlie lady on my 

 deaf side. 



In ordinary conversation he never plunged at once 

 into deep subjects. His welcome to the newcomer 

 was always of the simplest and most unstudied. 

 He had no mannerisms nor affectation of phrase. 

 He would begin at once to talk on everyday topics ; 

 an intimate friend he would perhaps rally upon some 

 standing subject of persiflage. But the subsequent 

 course of conversation adapted itself to his company. 

 Deeper subjects were reached soon enough by those 

 who cared for them ; with others he was quite happy 

 to talk of politics or people or his garden, yet, what- 

 ever he touched, never failing to infuse into it an 

 unexpected interest. 



In this connection, a typical story was told me by 

 a great friend of mine, whom we had come to know 

 through his marriage wdth an early friend of the 



