16 HUXLEY 



caused Professor Virchow to remark that when Huxley 

 returned to England he had become a perfect zoologist 

 and a keen-sighted ethnologist. 



The Government would not contribute towards 

 the expense of publishing Huxley's researches and 

 observations. But, thanks to the efforts of promi- 

 nent men, he obtained an appointment for six 

 months, in order to devote himself to preparing his 

 work for publication. This gave him his first foot- 

 ing in the scientific world, and showed the very 

 little he himself had known of the appreciation of 

 others for what he had been doing. It, nevertheless, 

 had found its place, and Huxley's return to England 

 coincided with his entry into the first front of 

 naturalists. 



In 1851 he made the acquaintance of many of the 

 scientists of the day, and especially Hooker and 

 Tyndall, but, in spite of his already groMang reputa- 

 tion, he soon found out that it was very hard to make 

 a living out of scientific work. " To attempt to 

 live by any scientific pursuit is a farce. Nothing 

 but what is absolutely practical will go down in 

 England. A man of science may earn great distinc- 

 tion, but not bread. He will get invitations to all 

 sorts of dinners and conversaziones, but not enough 

 income to pay his cab fare." Such was Huxley's 

 comment on his life at this period, and, except for 

 the fortunate few, the statement remains fairly true 

 to-day. 



Huxley was not yet twenty-six years old, and yet 

 he finds himself at this time nominated for his F.R.S. 

 There were thirty-eight candidates, and only fifteen 

 to be elected. During the period of his year's 

 leave repeated efforts were made to obtain a grant 



