420 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. XVII 



knew nothing of Clark's candidature until I saw his name 

 in the list ; and if he or his proposer had consulted me, 

 I should have advised delay, because I knew very well 

 there would be a great push made for this year. 



Being there, however, it seemed to me only just to 

 say that which is certainly true, namely, that Clark has 

 just the same claim as half a dozen doctors who have 

 been admitted without question, e.g. Gull, Jenner, Risdon 

 Bennett, on the sole ground of standing in the pro- 

 fession. And I think that so long as that claim is 

 admitted, it will be unjust not to admit Clark. 



So I said what you heard ; but I was so careful not to 

 press unduly upon the Council, that I warned them of 

 the possible prejudice arising from my own personal 

 obligations to Clark's skill, and I went so far as not 

 to put his name in the first list myself, a step which I 

 now regret 



If this is not caution enough, I should like to know 

 what is ? As Clive said when he came back from India, 

 " By God, sir, I am astonished at my own moderation ! " 



If it is not right to make a man a fellow because he 

 holds a first-class place as a practitioner of medicine as 

 the R.S. has done since I have known it, let us abolish 

 the practice. But then let us also in justice refuse to 

 recognise the half-and-half claims, those of the people who 

 are third-rate as practitioners, and hang on to the skirts 

 of science without doing anything in it. 



Several of your and my younger scientific friends are 

 bent on bringing in their chum , and Clark's candi- 

 dature is very inconvenient to them. Hence I suspect 

 some of the " outspoken aversion " and criticism of Clark's 

 claims you have heard. 



I am quite willing to sacrifice my friend for a principle, 

 but not for somebody else's friend, and I mean to vote for 

 Clark ; though I am not going to try to force my notion 

 down any one else's throat. Ever yours faithfully, 



T. H. HUXLEY. 



