148 LIFE OF SIR JOHN LUBBOCK ch. 



phrase goes, by the atmosphere of adulation with 

 which he was surrounded. It would have been 

 little wonder, indeed, had his valuation of his 

 own talents been a little distorted. We have 

 seen the estimate in which his contributions to 

 science were already held, at a comparatively 

 early period of his life, by the greatest scientists 

 of the day, and it is a judgment that must for 

 ever silence the cheap cynicism of that criticism 

 which proclaimed him " a great scientist among 

 bankers, a great banker among the scientists." 

 Darwin, Lyell, Tyndall, Huxley, to name only a 

 few, have given their liberal witness to the worth 

 of his original contributions to the natural science 

 of which they were common devotees. The 

 comment of the first-named alone on the Pre- 

 historic Times were enough to establish the fame 

 of any man of science. 



I cannot resist telling you how excellently well, in 

 my opinion, you have done the very interesting chapter 

 on savage life. Though you have necessarily only 

 compiled the materials, the general result is most 

 original. But I ought to keep the term original for your 

 last chapter, which has struck me as an admirable and 

 profound discussion. It has quite delighted me, for 

 now the public will see what kind of man you are, which 

 I am proud to think I discovered a dozen years ago. I 

 do sincerely wish you all success in your election [to 

 Parliament] and in politics ; but after reading this last 

 chapter you must let me say : oh dear ! oh dear ! oh 

 dear ! — Yours affectionately, Ch. Darwin. 



The above was written in June 1865. There 

 is no doubt that Prehistoric Times did open the 

 public eye to an appreciation of Sir John, as 

 Darwin predicted, but in the wonderful mass of 



