268 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XI 



established not only to the eloquence but also the insight 

 of a prophet, I have added an impression of the seal with 

 " Tenax propositi " writ plain, if not large. As I 

 mentioned to you, it belonged to my eldest brother, who 

 has been dead for many years. I trust that the Heralds' 

 College may be as well satisfied as he was about his right 

 to the coat of arms and crest. 



My own genealogical inquiries have taken me so far 

 back that I confess the later stages do not interest me. 

 Ever yours very faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



The British Association met at Sheffield in 1879, 

 and Huxley took this occasion to " eat the leek " in 

 the matter of Bathybius (see vol. i p. 427). It must 

 be remembered that his original interpretation of the 

 phenomenon did not involve any new theory of the 

 origin of life, and was not put forward because of its 

 supposed harmony with Darwin's speculations. 1 



In supporting a vote of thanks to Dr. Allman, the 

 President, for his address, he said (see Nature, Aug. 

 28, 1879) : 



I will ask you to allow me to say one word rather 

 upon my own account, in order to prevent a misconception 

 which, I think, might arise, and which I should regret if 

 it did arise. I daresay that no one in this room, who 



1 " That which interested me in the matter was the apparent 

 analogy of Bathybius with other well-known forms of lower life, 

 such as the plasmodia of the Myxomycetes and the Rhizopods. 

 Speculative hopes or fears had nothing to do with the matter ; and 

 if Bathybius were brought up alive from the bottom of the Atlantic 

 to-morrow, the fact would not have the slightest bearing, that I 

 can discern, upon Mr. Darwin's speculations, or upon any of the 

 disputed problems of biology. It would merely be one elementary 

 organism the more added to the thousands already known." (Coll. 

 Ess. v. 154.) 



