328 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XIII 



hood of England was going to the dogs," but now, he said, 

 he observed a wonderful change for the better. We asked 

 to what he attributed it. Was it to lawn tennis and the 

 greater variety of bodily exercises ? " Partly," he answered, 

 " but much more to their having more pursuits more to 

 interest them and to occupy their thoughts and time." 



The following letter bears upon the question of 

 employing retired engineer officers in administrative 

 posts in the Science and Art Department : 



THE ROOKERY, LYNTON, 

 Sept. 19, 1882. 



MY DEAR DONNELLY Your letter seems to have 

 arrived here the very day I left for Whitby, whither I 

 had to betake myself to inspect a weir, so I did not get 

 it until my return last night. 



I am extremely sorry to hear of the possibility of 

 Martin's giving up his post He took so much interest 

 in the work and was so very pleasant to deal with, that 

 I do not think we shall easily find any one to replace him. 



If you will find another E.E. at all like him, in 

 Heaven's name catch him and put him in, job or no job. 



The objection to a small clerk is that we want some- 

 body who knows how to deal with men, and especially 

 young men on the one hand, and especially cantankerous 

 (more or less) old scientific buffers on the other. 



The objection to a man of science is that (1) we want 

 a man of business and not a m.s., and (2) that no man 

 scientifically worth having that I know of is likely to 

 take such an office. 



"As at present advised" I am all for an RE., so I 

 cannot have the pleasure even of trying to convert you. 



With our united kindest regards Ever yours very 

 faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



I return next Monday. 



