26 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. I 



beasts of the field," and how wide of the mark is the 

 cartoon at this period representing him as the pro- 

 fessor whose panacea for the ragged children was to 

 "cram them full of nonsense." 



In the third section are also to be found his 

 arguments for the retention of Bible-reading in the 

 elementary schools. He reproached extremists of 

 either party for confounding the science, theology, 

 with the affection, religion, and either crying for more 

 theology under the name of religion, or demanding 

 the abolition of " religious " teaching in order to get 

 rid of theology, a step which he likens to " burning 

 your ship to get rid of the cockroaches." 



As regards his actual work on the Board, I must 

 express my thanks to Dr. J. H. Gladstone for his 

 kindness in supplementing my information with an 

 account based partly on his own long experience of 

 the Board, partly on the reminiscences of members 

 contemporary with my father. 



The Board met first on December 15, for the 

 purpose of electing a Chairman. As a preliminary, 

 Huxley proposed and carried a motion that no salary 

 be attached to the post. He was himself one of the 

 four members proposed for the Chairmanship; but 

 the choice of the Board fell upon Lord Lawrence. 

 In the words of Dr. Gladstone : 



Huxley at once took a prominent part in the pro- 

 ceedings, and continued to do so till the beginning of the 

 year 1872, when ill-health compelled him to retire. 



At first there was much curiosity both inside and out- 



