1883 ELECTED PRESIDENT OF ROYAL SOCIETY 339 



4 MARLBOROTJGIH PLACE, July 10, 1883. 



MY DEAR SPENCER What an agreeable surprise your 

 letter has been. I have been expecting the most awful 

 scolding for taking more work, and behold as sweetly 

 congratulatory an epistle as a man could wish. 



Three weeks ago I swore by all my gods that I would 

 not take the offer at any price, but I suppose the infusion 

 of Theism was too homoeopathic for the oath to bind. 



Go on sleeping, my dear friend. If you are so amiable 

 with three nights, what will you be with three weeks ? 



What a shame no rain is sent you. You will be < 

 speaking about Providence as I heard of a Yankee doing ( 

 the other day " Wai, sir, I guess he's good ; but he's 

 careless." 



I think there is a good deal in that view of the 

 government of the world. Ever yours very faithfully, 



T. H. HUXLEY. 



To HIS ELDEST DAUGHTER 



4 MARLBOROT7GH PLACE, July 14, 1883. 



DEAREST JESS I am not sure either whether my 

 accession to the Presidency is a matter for congratulation. 

 Honour and glory are all very fine, but on the whole I 

 prefer peace and quietness, and three weeks ago I declared 

 I would have nothing to do with it. 



But there are a good many circumstances in the 

 present state of affairs which weighed heavily in the 

 scale, and so I made up my mind to try the experiment 



If I don't suit the office or the office don't suit me, 

 there is a way out every 30th of November. 



There was more work connected with the Secretary- 

 ship but there is more trouble and responsibility and 

 distraction in the Presidency. 



I am amused with your account of your way of 



