1884 LETTERS 357 



Feb. 29, 1884. 



MY DEAR FLOWER I am particularly glad to hear 

 your news. " Ville qui parle et femme qui ^coute se 

 rendent," says the wicked proverb and it is true of 

 Chancellors of the Exchequer. Ever yours very faith- 

 fully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



A pendent to this is a letter of congratulation to 

 Sir Henry Roscoe on his knighthood : 



SCIENCE AND ART DEPARTMENT, S.K., 

 July 7, 1884. 



MY DEAR ROSCOE I am very glad to see that the 

 Government has had the grace to make some acknowledg- 

 ment of their obligation to you, and I wish you and 

 "my lady" long enjoyment of your honours. I don't 

 know if you are gazetted yet, so I don't indicate them 

 outside. Ever yours very faithfully, T. H. HUXLEY. 



P.S. I wrote some weeks ago to the Secretary of the 

 National Association of Science Teachers to say that I 

 must give up the Presidency. I had come to the con- 

 clusion that the Association wants sharp looking after, 

 and that I can't undertake that business. 



P.S. 2. Shall I tell you what your great affliction 

 henceforward will be ? It will be to hear yourself called 

 Sr'enery Roscoe by the flunkies who announce you. 



Her Ladyship will please take note of this crumpled 

 rose leaf I am sure of its annoying her. 



The following letter, with its comparison of life 

 to a whirlpool and its acknowledgment of the wide- 

 spread tendency in mankind to make idols, was 

 written in answer to some inquiries from Lady 

 Welby : 



