LONDON UNIVERSITY 



45 



2, St. James's Square, S.W., 

 ath March 1895. 



My dear Dukk of Nokfolk — I am very sensible of 

 the honour done me by my colleagues in wishing me 

 to resume the chair of the L.C.C. 



In the present state of things, however, I feel that 

 the Chairmanship ought, if possible, to be a matter of 

 arrangement. 



Beachcroft thought indeed that the Progressives, 

 or at any rate the majority, would accept me as Chair- 

 man, and such a mandate might be difficult to resist, 

 but I took so active a part in the contest, and have, 

 however unjustly, been so much attacked in the Radical 

 press, that they, I believe, on the contrary would 

 resent my election as an aggravation of their dis- 

 comfiture. 



It is very important in the interests of the Council, 

 and for the harmony of our proceedings, that even if 

 we cannot agree on a Chairman, he should not be a 

 " red rag " to either side. 



I say this in the interests of the Council, but I must 

 add that having devoted two years to the Chairmanship, 

 I feel I have done my duty to London, and am anxious 

 to have some time for my scientific work. 



I fear, therefore, that I must definitely ask to be 

 excused, and write at once without waiting for to- 

 morrow, as time is so short. 



Let me say once more how much I was gratified by 

 the invitation, and by the kind expressions uttered 

 towards me. — I am, yours sincerely, J. Lubbock. 



The varied nature of Sir John Lubbock's 

 correspondence vsras curious. Immediately follow- 

 ing the above I find a letter from Mr. Herbert 

 Spencer enquiring where, in his books, may be 

 found information on the following point : " The 

 gods are conceived by many uncivilized peoples 

 as very stupid and easily deceived by sham 

 sacrifices. I have remembrance somewhere of 

 a case in which it was said by the people that 

 their god So-and-So was stupid, or something of 



