1885 RETIREMENT 415 



devolve upon the President, with some approach to 

 efficiency. 



I beg leave, therefore, with much gratitude for the 

 crowning honour of my life which you have conferred 

 upon me, to be permitted to vacate the chair of the 

 Society as soon as the business of this meeting is at an 

 end. 



The settlement of the terms of the pension upon 

 which, after thirty-one years of service under Govern- 

 ment, he retired from his Professorship at South 

 Kensington and the Inspectorship of Fisheries, took 

 a considerable time. The chiefs of his own depart 

 ment, that of Education, wished him to retire upon 

 full pay, 1500 (see p. 289). The Treasury were 

 more economical. It was the middle of June before 

 the pension they proposed of 1200 was promised ; 

 the end of July before he knew what conditions were 

 attached to it. 



On June 20, he writes to Mr. Mundella, Vice- 

 President of the Council : 



MY DEAR MUNDELLA Accept my warmest thanks for 

 your good wishes, and for all the trouble you have taken 

 on my behalf. I am quite ashamed to have been the 

 occasion of so much negotiation. 



Until I see the Treasury letter, I am unable to judge 

 what the 1200 may really mean, 1 but whatever the 

 result, I shall never forget the kindness with which my 

 chiefs have fought my battle. I am, yours very faith- 

 fully, 



T. H. HUXLEY. 



1 I.e. whether he was to draw his salary of 200 as Dean or not. 



