MY LIFE 



gauntlet he has thus thrown down." T replied, declining the 

 • k, "ii the ground that I did not think Lord Salisbury's in- 

 fluence in a matter of science <>f much importance, and that I 

 thought my time better employed in writing such articles on 

 rial and political, as well as general scientific questions which 



then interested me. To this he replied that he did not at all 

 ree with me, and that " articles in the papers show that 

 Lord Salisbury's argument is received with triumph, and unless 

 it is disposed of, it will lead to a public reaction against the 

 doctrine of evolution at large." 



As I still declined to go into this controversy, having dealt 

 with the whole matter in my " Darwinism," and still being 

 sceptical as to any great effects being produced by the address 

 in question, he wrote me a month later as follows : " As I 

 cannot get you to deal with Lord Salisbury, I have decided to 

 do it myself, having been finally exasperated into doing it by 

 this honour paid to his address in France — the presentation 

 of a translation to the French Academy. The impression 

 produced upon some millions of people in England cannot be 

 allowed to be thus further confirmed without protest." He 

 then asked me for some references, which I sent him, and his 

 criticism of Lord Salisbury duly appeared, and was thoroughly 

 well done, so that I had no reason to regret not having under- 

 taken it myself. This was the latest letter I received from 

 him; but during his last illness my wife, being in Brighton, 

 called to make inquiries after his health, and left our cards, 

 and I received a kindly expressed card in reply, written by his 

 amanuensis, but signed with his own initials. It is dated 

 November 28, 1903, ten days before his death. 



Among his intimate friends, Herbert Spencer was always 

 interesting from the often unexpected way in which he would 

 apply the principles of evolution to the commonest topics of 

 conversation, and he was always ready to take part in any 

 social amusement. He once or twice honoured me by coming 

 to informal meetings of friends at my little house in St. Mark's 

 Crescent, and I also met him at Sir John Lubbock's very 

 pleasant week-end visits, and also at Huxley's, in St. John's 

 Wood. Once I remember dining informally with Huxley, 



