iv MODERN E VOL UTION 191 



Edward Forbes. That was in 1854. Between that 

 date and the time of his return Huxley had contributed 

 a number of valuable papers on the structure of the 

 invertebrates, and on histology, or the science of 

 tissues. But these, while adding to his established 

 qualifications for a scientific appointment, demand 

 no detailed reference here. With both chairs there 

 was united the curatorship of the fossil collections 

 in the Museum of Practical Geology, and these, with 

 the inspectorship of salmon fisheries, which office he 

 accepted in 1881, complete the list of Huxley's more 

 important public appointments. He surrendered 

 them all in 1885, having reached the age at which, 

 as he jocosely remarked to the present writer, ' Every 

 scientific man ought to be poleaxed.' Perhaps he 

 dreaded the conservatism of attitude, the non-recep- 

 tivity to new ideas, which often accompany old age. 

 But for himself such fears were needless. He was 

 never of robust constitution ; in addition to the last- 

 ing effects of an illness in boyhood, Carlyle's ' accursed 

 Hag/ dyspepsia, which troubled both Darwin and 

 Bates for the rest of their lives after their return 

 from abroad, troubled him. Therefore, considerations 

 of health mainly prompted the surrender of his varied 

 official responsibilities, the loyal discharge of which 

 met with becoming recognition in the grant of a 

 pension. This secured a modest competence in the 

 evening of life to one who had never been wealthy, 

 and who had never coveted wealth. To Huxley 

 may fitly be applied what Faraday said of him- 

 self, that he had ' no time to make money.' And yet, 

 to his abiding discredit, the then Editor of Punch 

 allowed his theological animus, which had already 



