1883 ELECTED PRESIDENT OF ROYAL SOCIETY 337 



The following letters, in reply to congratulations 

 on his election, illustrate his attitude of mind in the 

 affair : 



To THE WARDEN OF MERTON 



HINDHEAD, July 8, 1883. 



MY DEAR BRODRICK I do not get so many pleasant 

 letters that I can afford to leave the senders of such 

 things unthanked. 



I am very much obliged for your congratulations, and 

 I may say that I accepted the office inter alia, for the 

 purpose of getting people to believe that such places may 

 be properly held by people who have neither riches nor 

 station who want nothing that statesmen can give 

 and who care for nothing except upholding the dignity 

 and the freedom of science. Ever yours very faithfully, 



T. H. HUXLEY. 



To SIR W. H. FLOWER, F.E.S. 



4 MARLBO ROUGH PLACE, July 7, 1883. 



MY DEAR FLOWER I am overwhelmed by the kind 

 letters I get from all sides, and I need hardly say that I 

 particularly value yours. 



A month ago I said that I ought not, could not, and 

 would not take the Presidency under any circumstances 

 whatever. My wife was dead against it, and yon know 

 how hen-pecked I am. 



Even when I was asked to take the Presidency to the 

 end of the year and agreed, I stipulated for my freedom 

 next St. Andrew's Day. 



But such strong representations were made to me by 

 some of the younger men about the dangers of the situa- 

 tion, that at the last moment almost I changed my mind. 



However, I wanted it to be clearly understood that 



VOL. II Z 



