58 HUXLEY 



the like, but I think that men of letters and science 

 who have been of use to the nation (Lord knows if I 

 have) may fairly be ranked among its nominal or 

 actual councillors. l 



So, in August, 1892, he went to kiss hands at Os- 

 borne, remembering, as he passed the old Victory, 

 " that six-and-forty years ago he went up her side to 

 report himself on appointment as a poor devil of an 

 assistant-surgeon." In the following October he was 

 present at Tennyson's funeral, and but for a biting 

 wind, would have been at Owen's in the following 

 December. His "opinion of the man's character" 

 never altered ; but death " ends all quarrels," and at 

 the request of Owen's grandson and biographer he 

 contributed a chapter on " Owen's Place in Anatom- 

 ical Science," which enabled him to pay honest tribute 

 to the value and importance of Owen's work in that 

 branch of biology. Friends were falling out of the 

 ranks : in the autumn of 1893 Jowett, Tyndall, and 

 Sir Andrew Clark passed away, bringing home the 

 thought that " one should always be ready to stand at 

 attention when the order to march comes." 2 



Oxford had seen little of Huxley since the day of 

 his famous duel with its bishop in i860. Ten years 

 later, Pusey and his party had prevented the confer- 

 ring of the degree of D.C.L. on Owen — although he 



ill. 323. 2 II. 368. 



