Sir W. Burnett 1 1 



his fellow-student, Joseph Fayrer, who, hailing from 

 Bermuda, knew something of those who go down to 

 the sea in ships. He advised Huxley to write to Sir 

 William Burnett, at that time Director-General for the 

 medical service of the navy, for an appointment. 



" I thought this rather a strong thing to do," says Huxley in 

 his autobiography, " as Sir William was personally unknown 

 to me; but my cheery friend would not listen to my scruples, 

 so I went to my lodgings and wrote the best letter I could de- 

 vise. A few da^'s afterwards I received the usual oflEicial circu- 

 lar of acknowledgement, but at the bottom was written an 

 instruction to call at Somerset House on such a day. I thought 

 that looked like business, so, at the appointed time I called 

 and sent in my card, while I waited in Sir William's ante-room. 

 He was a tall, shrewd-looking old gentleman, with a broad 

 Scotch accent — and I think I see him now as he entered with 

 my card in his hand. The first thing he did was to return it 

 with the frugal reminder that I should probably find it useful 

 on some other occasion. The second was to ask whether I was 

 an Irishman. I suppose the air of modesty about my appeal 

 must have struck him. I satisfied the Director-General that I 

 was English to the backbone, and he made some enquiries as 

 to my student career, finally desiring me to hold myself 

 ready for examination. Having passed this, I was in Her 

 Majesty's service, aud entered on the books of Nelson's old 

 ship, the Victory, for duty at Haslar Hospital, about a couple 

 of months after I made my application." 



About the same time he passed the examination of 

 the Royal College of Surgeons and so became a ftilly 

 qualified medical man. Haslar Hospital was the chief 

 naval hospital to which invalided sailors were sent. 

 There was a considerable staff of young surgeons, as 

 navy stirgeons were usually sent for a term to work in 

 the hospital before being gazetted to a ship in commis- 

 sion. In connection with the hospital, there was a 



