112 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY CHAP. VI 



But this was not to be, and the first chair he tried 

 for was the newly-instituted chair of Zoology at the 

 University of Toronto. The vacancy was advertised 

 in the summer of 1851 ; the pay of full 300 a year 

 was enough to marry on ; his friends reassured him 

 as to his capacity to fill the post, which, moreover, 

 did not debar him from the hope of returning some 

 day to fill a similar post in England. 



1 EDWARD STREET, ST. JOHN'S WOOD TERRACE, 

 July 29 [1851]. 



MY DEAR HENFREY I have been detained in town, 

 or I hope we should long since have had our projected 

 excursion. 



What do you think of my looking out for a Professor- 

 ship of Natural History at Toronto ? Pay 350, with 

 chances of extra fees. I think that out there one might 

 live comfortably upon that sum possibly even do the 

 domestic and cultivate the Loves and Graces as well as 

 the Muses. 



Seriously, however, I should like to know what you 

 think of it. The chance of getting anything over here 

 without devoting one's self wholly to Mammon, seems to 

 me very small. At least it involves years of waiting. 



Toronto is not very much out of the way, and the pay 

 is decent and would enable me to devote myself wholly 

 to my favourite pursuits. Were it in England, I could 

 wish nothing better ; and, as it is, I think it would 

 answer my purpose very well for some years at any rate. 



If they go fairly to work, I think I shall have a very 

 good chance of being elected ; but I am told that these 

 matters are often determined by petty intrigues. 



Francis 1 and I looked for you everywhere at the 



1 Dr. William Francis, one of the editors of the Philosophical 

 Magazine, and a member of the publishing firm of Taylor and 

 Francis. 



