Ch. XIV.] 1861—1871. 259 



G. B. to J. D. Hooker. Saturday [May 11, 1863]. 



My deab Hooker, — You give good advice about not writing in 

 newspapers ; I have been gnashing my teeth at my own folly ; 



and this not caused by 's sneers, which were so good that 



I almost enjoyed them. I have written once again to own to a 

 certain extent of truth in what he says, and then if I am evor 

 such a fool again, have no mercy on me. I have read the squib 

 in Public Opinion;* it is capital; if there is more, and you 

 have a copy, do lend it. It shows well that a scientific man 

 had better be trampled in dirt than squabble. 



In the following year (1864) he received the greatest honour 

 which a scientific man can receive in this country, the Copley 

 Medal of the Royal Society. It is presented at the Anniversary 

 Meeting on St. Andrew's Day (Nov. 30), the medallist being 

 usually present to receive it, but this the state of my father's 

 health prevented. He wrote to Mr. Fox : — 



" I was glad to see your hand-writing. The Copley, being 

 open to all sciences and all the world, is reckoned a great 

 honour ; but excepting from several kind letters, such things 

 make little difference to me. It shows, however, that Natural 

 Selection is making some progress in this country, and that 

 pleases me. The subject, however, is safe in foreign lands." 



The presentation of the Copley Medal is of interest in 

 connection with what has gone before, inasmuch as it led to Sir 

 C. Lyell making, in his after-dinner speech, a " confession of 

 faith as to the Origin." He wrote to my father (Life of Sir 



* Public Opinion, April 23, 1863. A lively account of a police case, in 

 which the quarrels of scientific men are satirised. Mr. John Bull gives 

 evidenoe that — 



u The whole neighbourhood was unsettled by their disputes ; Huxley 

 quarrelled with Owen, Owen with Darwin, Lyell with Owen, Falconer and 

 Prestwich with Lyell, and Gray the menagerie man with everybody. He 

 had pleasure, however, in stating that Darwin was the quietest of the 

 set. They were always picking bones with each other and fighting over 

 their gains. If either of the gravel sifters or stone breakers found any- 

 thing, he was obliged to conceal it immediately, or one of the old bone 

 collectors would be sure to appropriate it first and deny the theft after- 

 wards, and the consequent wrangling and disputes were as endless as they 

 were wearisome. 



** Lord Mayor. — Probably the clergyman of the parish might exert some 

 influence over them ? 



" The gentleman smiled, shook his head, and stated that he regretted 

 to say that no class of men paid bo little attention to the opinions of the 

 clergy as that to which these unhappy men belonged." 



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