THE DISCOVERER 73 



of demarcation between natural groups, and in the 

 absence of transitional forms. 



I was not aware, at that time, that he had been many 

 years brooding over the species question ; and the 

 humorous smile which accompanied his gentle 

 answer, that such was not altogether his view, long 

 haunted and puzzled me. * 



The incident may have recalled to his mind an inter- 

 view with Faraday in the old student days at Charing 

 Cross Hospital, of which he tells in one of his letters 

 from the Rattlesnake. He had made one of the man- 

 ifold attempts to realise perpetual motion, and, having 

 put his scheme on paper, took it to the Royal Institu- 

 tion, at the door of which he ran against " a little 

 man in a brown coat." The " little man " was Fara- 

 day, who, although he knew nothing of Huxley, at 

 once looked at the plan which he had drawn, and 

 then asked him if he " was acquainted with mecha- 

 nism, what we call the laws of motion ? " 



I saw that all was up with my poor scheme, so 

 after trying a little to explain, in the course of which 

 I certainly failed in giving him a clear idea of what I 

 would be at, I thanked him for his attention, and 

 went off as dissatisfied as ever. 2 



Needless to say, as with himself and Darwin, the 

 two were to meet in very different relations in a few 

 1 Darwin's Life and Letters, ii. p. 196. 2 1. 22. 



