MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT 101 



effect of the custom of gavelkind in Kent in altering 

 either the feelings or habits of the landed class in relation 

 to Wills ? It would be a curious point in connection 

 with the expected discussion. 



I cannot tell you how personally grieved I was at the 

 issue of the West Kent election. 



Do you know Mr. Knowles, the architect, a friend of 

 Tennyson's ? Tennyson has suggested to him, and he 

 has been eagerly working out the suggestion, to try and 

 get up a sort of Royal Society of Psychology and Meta- 

 physics, — to contain men of all theologies and schools, — 

 in the hope of leading to some fixed science at last. 

 Manning (the Archbishop), Ward, Roman Catholic 

 convert, Stanley, Mansel, Martineau, Bagehot, and 

 many others would start it. Would you belong to it ? 

 I hope to do so, and our first meeting would probably 

 be to discuss whether we should ask the eminent physi- 

 cists, like Huxley and Tyndall, to join us — which I think 

 we ought to do. I hope you would give us your help, 

 which I was commissioned to ask of you. It would be 

 most valuable. — With kind regards to Lady Lubbock, 

 believe me, my dear Sir John, very truly yours, 



Richard H. Hutton. 



Respecting the original membership of the 

 Society Sir John has left the following note : 



When the Metaphysical Society was started in 1869, 

 there was some doubt among the promoters whether or 

 no Huxley and Tyndall should be invited to join. Mr. 

 Knowles was commissioned to come and consult me. I 

 said at once that to draw the line at the opinions which 

 they were known to hold would, as it seemed to me, 

 limit the field of discussion, and there would always be 

 doubts as to where the forbidden region began ; that I 

 had understood there was to be perfect freedom, and 

 that though Huxley's and Tyndall' s views might be 

 objectionable to others of our members, I would answer 

 for it that there could be nothing in the form of expression 

 of which any just complaint could be made. 



The society consisted of about forty members, and 

 when we consider that they included Thompson, Arch- 

 bishop of York ; Ellicott, Bishop of Gloucester and 

 Bristol; the Bishop of St. David's, Dean Stanley and 



